Hotel Bologna

Not a happy camper!

Ok we were jaded and Verona felt very jaded and I must say this hotel looked great when we arrived and the receptionist was charming.
And the location of this hotel is extremely good - 1 minute from the arena in Piazza Bra.
But the room was extremely small - why I took no photos of the room. And why have a trouser press taking up some of the precious space? Who uses a trouser press these days?
But I don't mind that sort of stuff. The kind of stuff I mind is what happened when I had a fit of insomnia when husband had taken some pills for a thumping headache.
I took my book down to the lobby to read - and I was somewhat in the way because all the coats for the jolly party who had taken over the restaurant just off the lobby were heaped on the couches - and tired waiters were lurking until the jolly party could be disposed of.
However I found a quiet corner and was well into my book - which was very good - I Promessi Sposi by Manzoni but of course I was reading it in translation.
Then I realised someone was speaking to me. The staff had all cleaned up and they wanted me to go away. They were turning the lights in the lobby off. I protested. "Go to your room!" said the guy about to turn the lights off.
I know it was lack of English that made him sound so peremptory - and I did not go to my room - I sat on the stairs and seethed. But what is the harm to leave the lights in the lobby on? Especially as the night porter is bumbling around. Maybe he wanted to sleep or something, I was sitting on his couch.
Anyway I was well peeved.
Same thing happened at breakfast. Which was very lavish - for an Italian breakfast. We sat at a table and were shooed away by a waitress because we weren't sitting on the breakfast side of the dining room.
But there were no signs to say where to sit.
We felt like we were bloddy nuisances.

Unique Quality: One guy on the desk was one of those people you find from time to time - he seemed to be in charge - and I think he had dis-spirited the staff.
I saw our charming receptionist arrive for her shift one morning when I was out in the street having a smoke and she looked very down in the mouth.
I would be too if he was my boss.
It was awfully slack. We had booked with venere which meant we had to pay at the hotel. When we checked out the receptionist didn't appear to want to charge us. So we attempted to pay. "No," she said. "You booked with venere, you have paid."
Well Matt whisked out the printout and checked and pointed out to her that we had not paid.
She didn't turn a hair. (Perhaps she hates her job and her boss so much she is sabotaging the place? It's a thought.)
Oh well. Rack rate was 200 euros and we paid 100 euros so I am not unhappy.
But next time in Verona I will try another hotel.

• Opinion of Price: less expensive than average

Hotel Bologna Photo: Sorry about the crap photo

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