Villa Elda Boutique Hotel

The location near the historic center was the only good part for us. The room was dirty and old for the price, and the service was even worse. The receptionist was unbelievably unfriendly. We were traveling with expensive road bikes, but were only allowed to leave them outside against a wall, exposed to the street. We couldn't put them in the garden, where there was a security camera, or in the little seating area behind the house. Keeping them in the room wasn't possible either. Leaving expensive bikes outside in a city center like Siena should have seemed like a bad idea even to the receptionist. We were also told to wash them at the trash cans across the street. After several discussions with the very unfriendly receptionist, we left a few hours later. If I could, I'd give this hotel and its service zero stars.

The only real snag was the parking. The hotel was advertised as having parking, but it actually has just two spaces. You can park for free on the street if you find an open spot. Watch out on Friday and Saturday mornings, when street cleaning happens, or you could get fined. I stayed one night at this small hotel and was comfortable. The staff were polite and helpful, the room was clean, and the bed was much more comfortable than what I usually find in Italian hotels. It was also within walking distance of Sienna town centre.

I hit my head on the entrance door when I arrived, and then again on an internal door. There were no warning signs. Later I struck my head on that inside doorway once more on my way back to the room. I'm six foot two, and I'm lucky I didn't get a concussion. I asked for a plate and utensils so we could have cheese in the room, but was told no, that it wasn't allowed. Parking was another problem. They said it was easy to find a space in Siena, but that wasn't true for me. It took over an hour, and I only got lucky in the end. At 10 pm I went to the lobby to work on my laptop, but they were setting up breakfast tables. When I asked if I could work at one, I got a huge sigh, as if I'd asked to borrow a kidney. The fridge in the room didn't work either, though that was the least of it. Possibly the worst hotel I've stayed in for years. The rooms are average, the lobby feels like a university dorm, and the service is straight out of Faulty Towers. I'd strongly advise people not to stay here.

The garden room opened right onto the patio, where you could have breakfast or drinks. It's in a separate building from the hotel, and looks like it might once have been a carriage house. Breakfast had plenty to eat, with traditional Italian options, and the staff were lovely. It's a bit of a walk to the old city, but not unreasonable. There's free street parking, which makes this a good option if you're traveling by car. We stayed here and would definitely come back.