Hotel Cirene

The owners were warm and accommodating, and the price was good for a cozy off-season stay. We could walk to the beach, and breakfast was satisfying. The hotel is a little dated, though it has a pleasant patio. Our double room was two single beds pushed together, and we could hear music in the morning through the thin walls.

The food was a real highlight for us, especially the croissants and other pastries. Breakfast had the usual buffet items, fruit, yogurt and cereal, plus a coffee machine with several choices. At dinner we picked our first and second courses in the morning; there were options like soup or pasta, grilled meat, hot starters, or prosciutto with melon or pineapple, followed by vegetables and dessert. Lucilla asked for our choices, and the meals were very tasty. We stayed July 5-12 and were very happy with our first trip to Italy. The hotel is handy for getting around: about five minutes to the beach and supermarket, 15 minutes to the historic center, and five to seven minutes to the bus stop for San Marino. We took that bus after buying tickets at the bookstore by the church, €6 each way. The Kennedy Metromare stop is also reachable on foot through the park, and Lucilla explained that airport bus tickets were available at a tabaccheria on Viale Vespucci toward Fellini Park, €1.5 for 75 minutes. Rooms are small but clean, with daily cleaning, air conditioning and a roomy wardrobe. We did miss having a fridge. The bathroom took some getting used to. I'd book a comfort room rather than econom, since those have balconies and the nicer outlook. The beach was clean and pleasant, though loungers cost extra. We liked beach 31 for its friendly staff and choice of spots. One thing I didn't understand right away was the Rimini tax, €2 per person per day, which you pay on the first day. Thanks to Lucilla, Franka, Gianni and the whole team. For an affordable stay, Hotel Cirene3* in Rimini worked very well for us.

I left with a ruined holiday and a lot of frustration. The towels weren't even changed every day, and the shower was poor, more like water coming from a hose. I was also uncomfortable with how Russians seemed to be treated. Prices appeared to vary between Europeans and Russians, and I felt the difference was obvious. Food portions seemed to depend on how much you'd eaten the day before. After I left a little food, I was given half a portion the next day and refused more. The same thing happened with the supposedly included bottle of wine: when I didn't finish it, I got only half the next day and was refused the rest. The meal in my photo was especially poor, and came after staff had remarked on my not finishing the previous day's food. Be careful with the bottled water they sell, because the bottles were already open when handed to me. One day I left a vacuum-packed package of meat in my room, and when I returned it had several punctures. I don't know what happened, so I threw it away. Other guests told me this wasn't unusual. Even throwing out grocery packaging caused an argument with staff, so if you stay, take empty packages somewhere else to dispose of them. I have more unpleasant stories, but this was already a waste of money and what should have been a good holiday. Thank you, Hotel Cirene.

The room was tiny, breakfast poor, and the shower spilled water onto the floor. Drinks at the bar seemed fake. A dreadful place.