Piazza Bengasi Cozy Apartment

We spent three nights at the Cozy Apartment in Piazza Bengasi in late September 2023. Getting there by Frecciarossa to Porta Susa and then metro was straightforward, with no stairs to climb. One stop later, a short, characterful portico led to the CleanBnB agency, where we could leave our luggage. The staff were friendly and helpful right away, though a little superficial in the circumstances. There are plenty of public transport options nearby in Piazza XVIII Dicembre for exploring Turin. The metro’s last service to Piazza Bengasi on weekdays leaves at 9:30 p.m., so Cinderella needs to watch the clock. We gathered our things and made the train, which took 15-20 minutes and dropped us almost under the apartment building. Finding the apartment was another story. There was no indication at the intercom or in the entrance hall of which one it was, and nothing on the keys either. We called the agency, but they only replied on WhatsApp or by email. WhatsApp ran through an out-of-sync “artificial deficiency” engine, while email was only useful during office hours. By then it was 10:30 p.m. and we still didn’t know where we’d sleep. The building has five floors, five doors on each landing, and doorbells mostly registered to non-Italians. The website offered no help. I won’t spoil the hunt for the next guests, but after trying the fourth lock with five keys, one bolt moved and opened into another maze of six to eight doors, all in the dark. At 11:30, past an Alcatraz-style grille, I finally got through a small door into the apartment. Inside, it was bright, tidy, and smelled clean. The sheets were clean and ironed, there were spare pillowcases, and a set of crisp white towels, though the bidet towel was missing. It was quiet, and we were relieved to be indoors for the night, after turning off the gas. We were there to see classic Turin, and the apartment was out of the way for that. One night after 10:30 p.m., getting back without the subway took us 90 minutes. Around Piazza Bengasi, shopping choices are excellent, with something for everyone. If you have a car and follow Piedmont’s strict rules, you may even find free parking with a bit of luck. The night before leaving, we got a message telling us to lock the apartment the next day and leave the keys in a key box. I was already back at midnight, and then had to search the whole building by flashlight for the box. There was no sign of it. I asked for directions on WA, but got nothing useful, just the usual “artificial deficiency” replies with a snide response. It was 1 a.m. I’ll leave the rest of the adventure for the next guest. In the end, everything went smoothly.

Zebbi.