Hotel Giulio Cesare

The location isn't the best, but once you're inside, the hotel makes you forget about that. The staff are very polite and helpful, and the rooms are clean and nice. It made for a quiet, pleasant stay.

After our long journey, we checked into two rooms, one for me and my 7- and 8-year-old children, the other for my parents, who are in their 70s. Both rooms were freezing. There were marble floors and one small air-conditioning unit blowing hot air, which wasn't enough for December. The bathroom stayed absolutely cold. I started thinking I might go a week without a shower. The sofa bed was torn and unappealing, and there was no key for the safe in my room. Even the reception area felt cold and unwelcoming. The first night, my 70-year-old father couldn't sleep because of the noise from the gang and drug dealers on the street below, which continued until 4 a.m. I was awake with anxiety, worried I'd brought my children somewhere that didn't feel safe. As our taxi came from Turin train station, we'd already noticed that we were leaving the beautiful town center for a very dodgy area. We arrived to the sound of gunfire and gangs hanging around outside. At check-in, the receptionist immediately gave us a long speech about how guests sometimes worry about what they see outside, but the hotel and area were safe. My gut told me otherwise, though at first I didn't want to make a fuss. In the morning, my father took the children down for breakfast and was sent back upstairs because the breakfast room was too small for a certain number of guests at once. We had to wait until they called us down. The room was freezing and unappetizing, the waitress seemed moody, and the coffee was tasteless and arrived cold. It had to be reheated twice. I only ate a slice of bread. We left for our first day out, and within five minutes my wallet was stolen. After many years of travel, I'd never experienced anything like it, and given the area, it wasn't surprising. That was the last straw. We told the hotel we wanted to check out, left, and found somewhere else to stay. Since then, we've emailed the hotel several times to ask how to resolve things and get reimbursed for the six days we didn't stay. They ignored us and offered no refund or customer service to put things right. I wish I could forget this experience. I'm just glad we stayed one night and no longer. Staying there would have ruined our time in Turin. Thankfully, we found another hotel in central Turin with a great location and good value.

I was travelling alone, and the staff really made the stay for me. They were friendly, knew their stuff, and went out of their way with transport, itinerary planning, and excursion suggestions. There's a taxi hub a few minutes away, so cabs arrive quickly. The number 4 tram links the hotel with the city in about 15 minutes. At night Turin can change, so as in any city, take a cab after 9:30 to 10 if you're unsure where you are. Breakfast was great: cereal, fruit, traditional Italian cakes, lovely bread, plenty of jam or Nutella, and coffee made to order.

The neighborhood's not as appealing, so just take the bus, which stops right outside. The parking service was great, and I'd stay here again. The hotel itself is good, clean, and the people are friendly and helpful.