B&B Torino Suite Design

I've never been treated this way before. I admit I was wrong to smoke in my room, but the woman running the place called me a prostitute, using even more vulgar words. Then we were thrown out as though we were hardened criminals. My friend is from the Maghreb and I'm Italian, but she shouldn't label him a criminal, or call me a b... either. She could have handled the situation with some intelligence and kindness, but she didn't. Being right can turn into being wrong in seconds, and I wonder how she'd act in a genuinely dangerous situation. The whole thing could have been dealt with much better.

I paid 70 euros for two nights, and I wouldn't recommend this place if you want a peaceful rest. The accommodation has potential, but my stay was a disaster for several reasons. The heating is controlled independently by the owner, so I couldn't adjust it myself. On the second day, she left it off into the evening. When I got back at 6:30 pm, the radiators were cold, and I was freezing. In January in Turin, guests who have paid should be able to heat the place properly. I got sick, which I blame on her and her short-sightedness. When I raised it, she said Turin's regulations limit radiators to 18 degrees, and that she'd made an exception by setting them to a steady 20. I mean, maybe in her country they taught her Italians are idiots? There's also very little privacy in the kitchenette rooms. You can be seen from outside through the glass doors, which have only a sheer curtain. It doesn't keep out cold drafts or the eyes of people who might come through the building. The building is old and run-down, opens onto a balcony anyone can access, and its front door is always open. The owner came across as arrogant, pushy, and rude. In my opinion, she also has serious psychological issues. When I arrived, she kept demanding to know why my suitcase was so heavy when I only had a course to attend. I had to explain that I study in the evenings and had brought books. After I got back exhausted from travelling, hoping for a hot shower, she told me it would be better not to shower or use the stove because that would make dirt, humidity, and stains in her house. If I really needed to shower, I had to clean the door straight away and dry every drop. She also insisted that the bathroom window stay open, even at night in the middle of January, to prevent stains and mold. For all her apparent obsession with hygiene and phobic persecution, she left the fridge uncleaned and smelly, and the bathroom bin still contained waste from previous guests. Noise was another problem. The neighbors upstairs apparently have a dog park with horses and dogs galloping around until 1 a.m. Voices, footsteps, and people coming and going through the night echoed through the house. It felt like being outside in a square, or in a third-world dive.

For our one night during the KappaFuturFestival, we wanted somewhere affordable, comfortable, and simple. The mini apartment worked well for a short stay, with an eat-in kitchen, a single bedroom, and an adequate, if not very large, bathroom. The owner was incredibly helpful and kind. She even waited outside to save us a free parking spot. You can hear a lot through the shared building, so noisy neighbors could be a problem. Still, we had a genuinely pleasant stay and would love to come back.

Paying for this service was absurd. The owner was unpleasant, indiscreet, and completely unfriendly. She even told me, "If you take a shower, you'll have to clean the door." The worst moment came when I dried my hair with a hair dryer whose cords were dangling. It exploded in my hand, started smoking, and lost power. We reported it and asked for the power to be restored, but were told, "The owner is sleeping, I should wake him." He did need to be woken, of course, but there was no "lucky you weren't hurt" or apology. Instead, the response was, "Well, it's not like I can check on everything every time." There's also a kitchen door that stays shut, apparently where the owner or someone else lives. Guests should know that privacy is limited. And that's not even getting into the many other details, or the fact that this arrangement is completely illegal.