Hotel Serenella

The biggest plus is the location, under a ten-minute walk from La Mole and the National Cinema Museum. The hotel itself was adequate. I’d booked twin beds but was given bunk beds, and I’d also chosen a room with a shared bathroom across the hall, which was my own mistake. That wasn’t much of an issue since there were only a few guests.

Nearly every room our group booked had bed bugs, which points to a serious infestation. The owner seemed not to understand how bad it was, blaming the season and even suggesting the bugs came from the trees outside. That’s worrying given how serious and persistent bed bugs can be. If you’re considering a stay, inspect the room carefully and keep your belongings isolated before moving on. They’re very hard to get rid of, and you don’t want to bring them home. Please look into bed bugs first. This isn’t something to take lightly.

On December 15, the Italian government announced that Ukrainian tourists would be barred from entering from December 16, 2021, the day before my flight. I couldn’t change the situation and lost the money I’d paid for both my tickets and the hotel. When I asked for a refund, they said they hadn’t heard anything, that people were still travelling, and that they wouldn’t be able to rent out my room. I hope the owners remember to pay taxes on the money they kept. I meant it as a Christmas gift, though I doubt it will bring them happiness. Yesterday, Booking messaged me to say the reservation wouldn’t be cancelled unless I told them to cancel it. Today I got another message saying it had been cancelled, and now they’re renting the room again to get paid twice. Is that fair or legal?

I was there just for one night, and everything went really well. Very nice place.