Hotel Terminus & Plaza

Breakfast left me really upset. I took five slices of ham for two pieces of toast, and the short-haired worker with glasses complained to a colleague in Italian that I'd taken all the ham, even though there were only five slices. When I asked for more, she brought four slices and said there wasn't any more, with a superior attitude. I felt embarrassed and angry about the whole thing. The night before, we stayed just one night. The first receptionist didn't even say hello, only told us check-in was at 2, though we already knew and just wanted to leave our bags. I expected a more welcoming greeting, even just the same simple good day I offered. The next person on duty was very kind.

It was handy for getting around the city, with the airport about a 20-minute walk away and the train and bus stations close too. The hotel itself was clean and the staff were friendly. Breakfast was the same each of the three days I was there, and there wasn't any hot food. The neighborhood looked untidy, much like the rest of the city, and didn't seem safe to me. At €2.50 per person per day, the tourist tax felt excessive.

The location is hard to fault. The train station is a three-minute walk, and it also has buses and the Pisamover monorail to the airport. It works well as a base for Pisa and Florence, and the Tower of Pisa is about a 25-minute walk across the Arno. I never felt unsafe, despite the poorly lit street. People call the area dodgy, but that wasn't my experience. This is a busy working city, so street noise is part of being here. My room, 102, was dated and noisy from both outside and other guests. The person in room 103 seemed to flush the toilet every 15 minutes through the night, and it felt like they were right at the foot of my bed. The bathroom floor was dirty, the shower had rust and grime, the paint was peeling, and the room was noisy. I'd rate the room 6/10. I was also woken rudely by a maid entering at 7:45 am, even though checkout was at 11. After an unsettled night, I was annoyed. The maids seemed impatient to turn rooms over. When I asked reception for an iron for my crushed T-shirts, they said the hotel had none and suggested a laundrette. That didn't feel like good service. The laundrette wanted €25 to press two shirts, so I bargained with a Chinese shop for an iron, from €20 down to €15, then left it at checkout. Hopefully the hotel has an iron now. Service gets 6/10: reception was helpful sometimes and unhelpful at others. Breakfast was a standard continental spread with something for everyone, though there were no hot options. Location gets 10/10. A tip: stay here and spend a day in Florence, the return fare is €18 and the trip takes 50 minutes.

I got a really good feeling about the place from the friendly, efficient gentleman at reception when I arrived late. My single room was quiet, comfortable, and super clean, with lots of storage, a decent-sized fridge, lovely sheets, and a nice balcony. The air conditioning was excellent on the hottest night of the year, and I slept really well. There's a nice blend of retro character and modern comfort here, which you don't find often. I didn't try breakfast, but the smell of fresh coffee and pastries downstairs in the morning was tempting. This will be my go-to when I land late in Pisa and need to get to Florence early the next day.