Hotel Il Papavero

The location worked really well for us, with restaurants, bars, and supermarkets close by. We stayed four nights and found the hotel a great fit for the price. The receptionist was lovely, explained things clearly, and helped whenever we needed something. Our room was on the small side, but clean, as were the bed and bathroom. It came with a balcony, fridge, fan, extension cord, and hairdryer, and housekeeping visited daily. One thing to know: the street outside the rooms gets noisy at night, so a street-facing window won't be very quiet.

Getting around was easy, with transport and restaurants nearby. The room itself was spacious, comfortable, very clean, and had what we needed. Google Maps puts the hotel across the road from where it actually is, so keep an eye out when you arrive. At night, though, it was really cold. There was no radiator thermostat, and I assume the reception controls the heating, but nobody was there late. We could also hear people walking around inside the building, and the noise was terrible.

They wanted extra payment for a room with air conditioning. I’d also planned to return next week and check in late, but was told that would cost another €30. The staff weren't exactly rude, but the place felt shady and not at all welcoming.

We slept for only two hours on the third night because the boiler in our room began making loud noises in the middle of the night. When we called the manager, she said she would check it in the morning. She didn't have to be a plumber to come see what was happening or turn it off. We left the next morning. Before that, we'd already spent two nights without heating, with temperatures dropping to 5° C overnight on 19-21 November. Government guidance meant hotels couldn't use central heating, but every room had an air conditioner. We were asked to pay €10 a day for the remote. When I challenged the manager, her explanation changed to say the units only worked for cold air. There was no other help or alternative. She admitted she should have told customers about the problem, then shrugged it off. We were refused a refund, even though nearby hotels had informed guests when we asked them. We stayed rather than spend our time moving between hotels, and the heating did come back on. Heating isn't a luxury, even at a one-star hotel. It was listed as a service, and we didn't get what we paid for. They should have given us advance notice or offered another solution instead of trying to charge us for a basic service. Booking.com compensated us €44 for the heating issue and persuaded the hotel to refund the third night and the remaining days we'd booked. Even by low standards, the service was substandard.