Bernina Express Rooms

At €300 a day, this was awful. The rooms were cold, there was no working light in the hallway, and water was leaking from the heating radiator. We had only just arrived, but the owner said the leak was our fault. Reception offered no help sorting it out. If I could give zero stars, I would. Please don’t book here. Just look at the pictures.

The apartment was lovely, with an open kitchen and dining area, a lounge, two beds, and a work space tucked behind a sliding door. There was also a large bedroom with a king-size bed, lots of wardrobe space, and a big walk-in shower. Our top-floor place had a balcony and had clearly been updated and decorated with care. We arrived in the early evening from Milan, and check-in at reception was smooth after a five-minute walk from the station. The staff were welcoming and helpful. The hotel has two other buildings, including one with a restaurant serving a healthy breakfast selection and day and evening meals. I loved the lasagne, Merizzi restaurant's own version, so much that I had it again the next two evenings. My wife had vegetarian choices too. Tirano is lovely to visit, especially before continuing on the Bernina train. We had a great stay, thanks to all the staff.

We couldn’t enjoy the apartment because it was 15 degrees inside in November, and the heating didn’t work. It had been recently renovated, which made this even more frustrating. After we complained, we were told someone would come to fix it, but nobody showed up. The next day we tried to speak to the owner and couldn’t meet him. Nothing was done, no compensation was offered, and our message through the Booking app got no reply. The way we were treated was horrendous. Not even a discount or a free meal was offered, which was unacceptable.

Breakfast was comically tiny, as if it were meant for ants, and the coffee was really poor. The room setup was a hassle too: check-in wasn't where advertised, so we had to go 100 meters away for the key and then cross the street to an old apartment block. The rooms are on the fourth floor and are very small, you practically step inside if you push the door too hard. You can hear everything the neighbors do, and the heating only works when it feels like it. It was a nightmare. Avoid this hotel at all costs.