Polo Hotel

We spent two weeks here and found it to be the best value for a four-star hotel in Rimini. Breakfast is open until noon, which in theory lets you go to the beach in the morning to avoid the high UVs and eat afterward. There are lots and lots of dessert options. The staff are very friendly and always make you feel welcome. It’s quite close to the beach, though you have to cross a street, and Italians and crosswalks aren’t the best friends. The shortest route goes along a small street between Hotel Mercure and Hotel Imperariale, and it often smells bad. The hotel works with beach No 20, but I’d compare the price at reception with the beach reception and the beach’s reservation website, then pick the best value.

The breakfast was surprisingly good, but the rest of the place felt like a 2.5-star hotel at most. It’s worn and dated, and needs a thorough refresh. Rooms are cramped and tiny, although the balconies are a decent size. The beds are old and hard, and there’s an old, noisy fridge in the room. The walls might as well be paper, so you’ll hear every word, fart and cough from the neighbors. On weekends, expect to hear the partying going on in the nearest three or four blocks. The jacuzzi is a small home-style unit, and most of the outdoor areas were closed, so don’t be fooled by the pictures. Parking isn’t included, and beach access and an umbrella cost extra.

The location is the best, and the staff and front office were all very good. My room was a little small, so opening a suitcase was difficult, but the balcony and bathroom were a good size. Breakfast was very good too, though I missed having a banana, and another day there wasn’t any watermelon. Small things.

The hotel doesn’t look like the pictures. My room was very small, and of all the hotels I stayed in Italy, this was the only one that charged me for water. There’s a small private parking lot, but it costs extra. Breakfast is okay and runs until midday, which is handy, though you’ll want to get there early because they don’t seem to replace food once it’s gone. The place isn’t very soundproof, so you can hear whatever’s happening in the hallway.