Borghetto San Biagio Relais

Lucia checked us in and took the time to show us everything in the room. Chiara and Sara were charming in the mornings, and everyone we met was warm and welcoming. We felt so well cared for at this hidden gem. We hope we can return. If we can’t, we’ll gladly tell anyone coming to the area about our stay.

A family-run place with really friendly staff. It’s easy for international travellers and well placed for visiting the region’s quiet country towns.

The room upstairs was a bit noisy early in the morning, and the temperature control light was too bright. Otherwise, a homely, nicely kept place.

The hotel is pretty and peaceful, with beautiful grounds and a lavish breakfast. Sara was friendly and engaging, and went out of her way to help us for the rest of our stay. The other staff we met were friendly and helpful too. Thiene, the forested hills, and the surrounding area are exceptional. Villa Bassi – Ristorante ed Enoteca is about a 10-minute walk away. Its staff were extremely friendly and generous when we needed food and drinks after travelling, outside their normal opening hours. But our arrival was a very different experience. We’d flown internationally and got there at 10:00pm on Saturday, with nobody at reception. We had booked and paid for two nights in a much more expensive junior suite with a balcony, but were given a tiny, cramped double room with a low ceiling and no air. It seemed like the least appealing room in the hotel. Calling the after-hours number got us the glib, unbelievable explanation that “a colleague made a mistake,” followed by “no, the hotel is fully booked.” We were told there was no other room. It felt very clearly like we’d been bumped, and it was even more troubling that nobody had told us before we arrived. The photos of this double room don’t show what it’s really like. The rooms on the fourth floor are attic-like, with very low ceilings across most of the space, and they’re far from spacious. There were no real room amenities: no minibar, coffee pods, bottled water, snacks, or even glasses, just paper cups. It had also been hard to get replies from staff before the trip. We waited days and sent multiple emails, and even asking them to arrange an airport taxi seemed to be a problem. The next morning, Sara, a junior receptionist, hadn’t been briefed about the issue and had no solution to offer. No management was available for the rest of our stay, and they made no arrangement for us to move into the junior suite until we insisted. Only when we checked out did the owner, who hadn’t been present, offer €50 compensation. The difference in room rates was €100-120, before even considering the inconvenience. There was no proper apology, the kind any other hotel would be at pains to give. We’ve worked in Italy for decades, and this was the most disappointing effort from any hotel we’ve stayed in. Borghetto San Biago presents itself as a luxury getaway, but this behaviour doesn’t match that. Unprofessional and hugely disappointing, especially for the price.