Hotel 53 Cinquantatre

After a death in the family meant we couldn't travel, we told the hotel before the first day of our booking. They still charged us the full amount for every booked day. Their response was that it wasn't their problem and they weren't required to provide anything. A truly humane response. I've never had a worse experience.

The staff were nice, but make sure you check in before 9. After that, no one is there, and none of the three phone numbers listed gets answered. I know this is a budget friendly hotel, but finding that our garbage hadn't been cleared before check-in put a damper on the rest of the stay.

The location's excellent, with lots of restaurants nearby and scooter parking right out front. I slept well on the great mattress, which was a relief for my bad back. The shower was roomy, with good pressure from the rainfall head. Breakfast was decent: ham, cheese, hot dog-like sausage, hard-boiled egg, a fresh sweet croissant, yogurts, plain white bread, kiwis, apples and oranges. My room, 101, had a kettle and tea, but the kettle didn't work. A shelf for shampoo and soap in the shower would help. All in all, good value and a nice stay.

For the price and location, this place is an absolute bargain. We've stayed in plenty of European hotels in the same price range, and this was by far the most comfortable. The room was spotlessly clean, with blackout curtains, a fridge, and new fittings and fixtures. It was nicely decorated, the bed was so comfortable, and the air conditioning was already on. It was 40 degrees C, so we really needed it. The ducted system was amazing, less intense and more comfortable than a machine. Staff were friendly, too. Check-in closes after 5pm, but they email you the door code and leave the keys inside. I don't know what everyone is whinging about. Nothing negative to say.