Grand Hotel Sitea

The single rooms are quite small, so a long vacation there wouldn’t work for me, though a few nights would be fine. The hotel has charm and elegance. It’s very old, but clean and refreshed, and reading a newspaper in the entrance hall somehow makes you feel like you’re in the late 20’s. The staff were kind at the front desk and in the breakfast area, and the buffet was perfect. Special thumbs up to the barman, though I didn’t catch his name, he really knows his way around a bar. It’s ideally placed in downtown Turin, with Museo Egizio about a 5 minute walk away. A good address for a short stay in Turin.

The breakfast was delicious, and the team were professional, friendly, and helped with everything we needed. For me, this was easily the best of the few hotels I’ve stayed at in Torino, and it was worth the price. The place brings historic luxury together with modern tech amenities, and the location is perfect. My only suggestion is to improve the cocktails at the bar, though with all the best bars just two steps away, the location more than makes up for it.

I expected much better from a hotel claiming five stars. For the first three days, very young and inexperienced staff at reception seemed lost and couldn’t deal with serious problems. Only after the holidays did I meet a manager who was clearly professional. My original room was dusty, the toilet didn’t work, and there was a strong sewage smell throughout. The bathroom had visible mold, completely unacceptable at this level. I was moved to another room only after three nights. I’m sorry, but that wasn’t a five-star stay. Expectations and reality were far apart.

The location right in the town centre is perfect, but the rooms need a few practical changes. I’d have liked more USB sockets, especially by the bed, and a choice of pillows, including a firmer one. A duvet in a cover would be better than one placed between two huge sheets. Some milk, even UHT, would help those of us who like it in morning tea. Getting in and out of the bathtub to shower takes gymnastic ability, and the extractor fan didn’t work during steamy showers. We skipped the spa and went elsewhere because the wellness centre was way overpriced. Access cost an extra €35, massages started at €120 pp, and it was hard to find information about the treatments on the hotel website.