Da Vinci Residence

I called a few hours ahead, around 8 PM, and made a reservation with the owner by phone. When I arrived, I called him again and he said he'd be there soon. This isn't a hotel, so I waited, then waited some more and called again, but got silence. Eventually a girl arrived, his friend rather than an employee, and opened the front desk. She messaged him on WhatsApp and said there was no reservation under my name and no rooms. He was still ignoring my calls, and I checked that I had the right number both times. The guy was by the entrance, waiting for me to leave, trying to avoid my eyes. Pathetic.

I gave one star, and wish I could rate lower because of the receptionist. On the first night it was cold outside and cold in the room too. I turned the thermostat up and set the fan to full, but no warm air came in. At reception, he apologized and said the heat had been turned off throughout the hotel. Then in his Booking reply he claimed I didn't know how to use a thermostat. I've stayed in places across many countries, but apparently I'm too dumb to work one. We paid the same person at the start of our stay, yet when we left he said he couldn't see the payment in the system and didn't remember taking it. We had only stayed two nights. On the way home he called saying he still couldn't find the payment and asked us to return and pay again. Fortunately, we sent him the receipt. If we'd lost that piece of paper, we might have had to pay again because of the receptionist's short memory. His Booking response also claimed a different receptionist had taken the payment, as if to look good to potential clients and make me look stupid. I'd give these scammers zero stars.

I was at Da Vinci Residence from 6 to 8 June, on weekdays, for a business trip. The photos I attached show room 3 on the second floor. Alex, the Residence Manager, got a room ready for me in under an hour even though I arrived well before check-in. Maria from housekeeping was friendly and managed to get it tidied in time. The room was clean and smelled nice, and the staff were down to earth. I liked how quiet it was, the restaurant view, and being able to have tea on the terrace. Check-out was easy, and the place is fairly close to the city center if you drive. Parking was a bit tricky. Local authorities apparently tow cars parked outside designated spots, and Alex kindly checked that I was in the right one. In the evening the street empties out and a space is easy to find, but during the day it's a hassle. Still, not a deal-breaker.

We keep choosing Da vinci's when we're in Sibiu. The rooms are a good size, it's clean, and the staff are friendly. It's also close to the city center, and they provide coffee and tea in the morning. I really love this place.