Mario Spagnoli - Hostel

The room itself was comfortable, with a large queen bed and an extra twin, but I felt uneasy enough about the other guests to push the twin against my door. The lock seemed basic and I worried it wouldn't be enough. There was no AC or fan, so the room got unbearably hot. I could open the windows, but then the wooden shades had to stay open too, leaving the room visible to everyone. The next morning's breakfast was awful, barely worth calling food. Getting back at night was stressful too. I eventually found the mini-metro to the center, about a 20-minute ride, but the area near the hostel had no streetlamps and some people wandering around seemed sketchy. Coming back alone in the dark made me nervous. The location isn't great if you don't have a car or can't use public transport. The grounds look like a small villa from outside, and I was pleasantly surprised at first. Inside, it wasn't like that. A private room with an en suite bathroom was reasonably priced, I think 25 euro, but towels and soap cost another 2.50 euro, which I'd never encountered before. My main problem was the other clientele. I won't go into much detail, but locals and other Italians described Perugia as one of Italy's most dangerous cities, and the country has had a lot of trouble with refugees from neighboring countries, especially lately. I was the only woman there, and the only white woman, and felt very uncomfortable. I know the hostel can't control who stays there, and it wasn't their fault, but I was still allowed to feel uneasy. I had no choice but to stay because my company was paying for the night. At check-in the receptionist was friendly and gave me all the information I needed. Later, after dinner, she wasn't at the counter. I searched around the hostel and eventually called down from my window to another guest in the parking area to ask where she was. He said she was in the garden. I went downstairs and found her at the back watering flowers. She said she was alone, which was why she wasn't at reception. I'd tried calling too, but she hadn't answered because she wasn't at the desk. There's a 24-hour cafe/bar for snacks and drinks, but it stays locked. If you can't find the receptionist and you're desperately thirsty, you're out of luck. All in all, I wouldn't recommend this place.