Casa Albina

The rooms are spacious, the beds are comfortable, and there’s plenty of storage. The place looks stunning at first. But the residence is beneath a residential flat, so a child was running around overhead late in the evening and first thing in the morning. That’s not the family’s fault, it’s an odd choice to use the ground floor of an apartment block for hotel rooms. The train line is right next door too, with trains passing after midnight. I mentioned the noise at checkout and it was clear this is a common complaint, but nobody offered a solution. That’s the difference between a three-star and a five-star hotel. I’m sure the main hotel is quieter. Just a warning, this isn’t a five-star experience if you choose the residence for the extra space and privacy.

The location is great, and the staff were amazing, friendly, and attentive. Dinner at the restaurant was good, as was the breakfast buffet. The breakfast staff were smiley, positive, and attentive. The AC worked, though I’d expect that when paying for a junior suite. I think a lot of the negative reviews come from calling this a five-star hotel. That label sets expectations. If it were presented as four-star, people might rate it better. The hotel has a main building and an annex, which the website doesn’t clearly explain. We were put in the annex, a short walk down an alleyway from the main building. It’s a converted lower level and first floor with hotel rooms, a spa, and a gym. The upper floors seem to be residential flats rented to local Italians. The decor and furniture didn’t feel five-star to me. They were tacky and low quality. Don’t assume you’re getting a bargain just because the price is lower than other five-star hotels. You get what you pay for. If you want a true five-star experience, book the imperial palace or the continental, but expect to pay twice as much. Lesson learned, a four-star price doesn’t buy a true five-star stay.

We couldn’t sleep because people were coming and going all night near our room, which was on the ground floor by the main entrance. One room was even in the basement. The “Superior Room” wasn’t in the main hotel at all. It was in another building with public residences and private flats, and we hadn’t been told that beforehand. The online photos didn’t match what we found. When we complained, Ismail dismissed us and said, “If you are not happy, go and stay somewhere like Belmond, it’s 20 minutes away.” That’s a shocking response from a place that claims to be five-star. This hotel is completely misleading and nothing like its online advertising. Cheap accommodation, poor rooms, unacceptable service. I strongly advise avoiding it.

The rooms are large and modern, and the service is great. It’s very close to the train station and the central area. The main inconvenience is that the hotel is split across two areas. The spa and some rooms are in another building, which isn’t very comfortable, especially if your room isn’t in the building with the spa. Aside from that, it’s a really good hotel.