Garden Palace Hotel

The old-town location is handy, with the bus stop only a two-minute walk away, and it stays quiet despite being so central. Inside, there are lots of portraits and antiques that give it a classic Italian feel. Rooms are neat and quite inexpensive, housekeeping comes daily, and some rooms have a sauna, jacuzzi, and balcony. Breakfast is available too. I’d happily recommend it.

Breakfast was good, but the rest of our stay was disappointing. Our room was never cleaned, and I had to ask reception repeatedly for fresh towels and more toilet paper. The bar and several other parts of the hotel are closed, perhaps permanently. It may once have deserved four stars, maybe twenty years ago, but it certainly doesn’t now.

The breakfast was a mess. I arrived half an hour before it ended and found almost every plate empty, a long wait at the only coffee machine, and tables still covered with dirty dishes. I had to move some dishes myself to get a seat, and the food selection was very limited. The elevator was out of order too. Getting into the hotel was a hassle, since the metal gates stay locked and the guard was often missing. I waited outside in the cold for 5-10 minutes for someone to let me in. The room looked much nicer in the photos. Its bathroom was broken and so dimly lit I could barely see the tap, and the bedding wasn't changed during my five nights. The worst part came while I was packing: my gold necklace with a cross, which I'd left on the table, was gone. I told the manager. She called the cleaner and asked her in front of me if she'd taken it; the cleaner said no, looking very displeased. Nothing else was done. I left with nothing but negative feelings, and wouldn't recommend the hotel or return.

It was calm and quiet, and the location was a real plus. The room itself smelled old and moldy, though, and the pillows and beds need updating. I wouldn't suggest the beds for anyone with back problems. The lounge and corridors smelled like a sewer, even if that odor didn't reach our room. The luggage storage also felt questionable: it was just a rack behind reception where anyone could take a bag. Breakfast was nothing special, a bit meager and tasteless.