Ligia J
Google
Disappointing in some ways and very endearing in other ways: my first encounter was with a gentleman at reception, whose name unfortunately I don't know, who seemed agitated and not very friendly. I had received an email the day before regarding a payment from the hotel, that had been placed on my credit card, and when he asked for full payment and I told him that there had already been a partial payment made, he rolled his eyes and told me it was impossible because the hotel doesn't charge anything... I went up to my room, and came back within 20 minutes (I had traveled for 12 hours!) when another gentleman at the reception took my card and said there was already a payment blocked onto my card and would I like to make payment of the balance with the same card! |The rooms are very tired. There was only a bathtub in our bathroom with no shower curtain or a door. So it was very hard to take showers without water running onto the floor! There was very little space to place our toiletries, and only one hanger for our towels, both of which were near the door and far from the bathtub. The room was too dark, and when I went downstairs to ask if there was a problem with the lighting, I was told the owner liked the the atmosphere of little lighting! I asked if I could have another lamp, and after rolling his eyes, (the gentleman who had not had a pleasant demeanor) sent the maintenance man up to see. Massimo, the maintenance manager was very nice: he immediately assessed the problem, brought me a lmap and since there were no other outlets, he brought an extension cord and a multi socket so we could plug my computer and the lamp at the same time. |On the other hand, the hotel has some of the nicest staff I have encountered in any hotel: Carlo and the lovely lady who both serve breakfast, were very friendly and nice. Francisco at reception tried hard to get us a taxi on Christmas Eve, calling different companies, one receiver in each hand... ; but it was Luigi who touched us more than anyone: on our last day, when we were trying to get to the train station to pick up our rental car, and after trying for an hour for a taxi, who insisted on driving us to the station himself, in his own car. We tried to show our appreciation by at least paying him what a taxi would have cost, but he would have none of it! When we told him this was too big a favor, he said it would not be a favor if we paid him! Luigi speaks 6 languages, including Swahili, Russian and Chinese (and I heard him speak in perfect French to a French client)... we were, and are, very grateful to him for his kindness on Christmas Day, on his way to have Christmas lunch with his family! Grazie Luigi. Vous etes quelqu'un tres specail. |This is a four star hotel because it is the old home of he Sforza family and has a beautiful room ornate breakfast room. But it should not deserve more than 3 stars. But some of their staff are worth are all the stars in the world.