Pisacentro Guest House

I’d paid for the stay and had a confirmed Booking reservation. The host had messaged the day before to ask when I’d arrive and said he’d send instructions on WhatsApp, but they never came. When I called after getting to the accommodation, they told me there’d been a mistake and they were overbooked. They just asked me to cancel for a refund, then left me to find, book, and pay for another place by myself. I think that’s unacceptable treatment of foreign guests. We were arriving at nearly 19:00, and finding a hotel that same day was stressful and difficult. Their irresponsibility meant we had to spend more money.

The main benefit is how close it is to Pisa Central station, less than three minutes away. The directions to the apartment entrance and the apartment itself were very clear, and the keys were handled securely. Inside, though, this is a shared apartment with four bedrooms that can all be rented at once. The rooms only have simple locks, so in theory anyone who wants to could get into your room and access your things. There’s a small bathroom with black mold in the shower, a broken shower arm that you have to hold in place, and a broken bidet. Only one elevator serves 10 or more floors. Getting in means walking through a very dodgy alley where guys were smoking marijuana and shouting at each other. The person running the place is quite a character. After I left early, people used extra towels from the cupboard and dumped them in my room, then he messaged me to argue about using the towels. If you have another option, this place is a hard no. If you do stay, take pictures of everything in your room before you leave, because you may be accused of something. Make sure your health insurance is up to date too. It’s a place for someone who needs a last-minute room and is willing to put up with black mold in a broken shower.

We found it handy for a one-night stay, very close to the main train station. The room was okay and felt safe. They sent all the directions for getting to the room on the day. I’d recommend it if you’re not staying long, though check-out is at 9:30 am.

The location is the only thing going for it. The host was rude and disrespectful, the rooms uncomfortable, and the streets loud. The kitchen seemed to be just for show, since there wasn’t even a working kettle, and there was no remote for the TV in the room. The shared bathrooms were a joke. In one of them, we had no hot water for three of our three nights. In the other, the door wouldn’t lock, which was fun when you’re sharing with seven strangers.