Hotel Serafino - Genoa

Average rating:  1.0

Guest type: Young couple

stayed in Jan 2008

Rooms are ok, but old, and walls seem unexistent, because the noise in the street and the hotel corridors semmed to be happening right inside our room! The bed matress was very bad and we had back ache the next morning. Very ugly and noisy surroundings. The price was scandalously high compared to the quality of our stay. We've travelled thru France, Italy and Switzerland and this was the most expensive hotel and the worst one.

Guest name: NM, Spain

Average rating:  8.4

Guest type: Mature couple

stayed in Sep 2007

There don't appear to be any restuarants nearby. You can buy fruit opposite in the market and there are pastry shops on the main road. The Hotel is too far to walk to the downtown area - bus or car required. In terms of finding the Hotel you need a detailed street map or GPS. One way roads can be a problem too.

Guest name: EH, New Zealand

Average rating:  2.4

Guest type: Young couple

stayed in Oct 2006

Hotel très excentré, aucun accueil, lieu très bruillant et propreté très limitée.

Guest name: FLORENCE GEORGES, France

Average rating:  7.3

Guest type: Single traveller

stayed in Sep 2006

The price/quality is excellent, and this is a right place if you just want to sleep one night in Genua and don't care about the service, surrounding or cleanliness. For me, a young single male easy-going tourist, it was absolutely acceptable - but i would never go to such a hotel with a girlfriend or book it for a female person. So now to the but's: 1) Serafino does not deserve 2 stars, not even one star, it has the hostel level. The bath was heavily molded, doors and the wash-bowl are not cleaned as you expect it in a hotel, the shower head was broken (but it could be used ok). 2) The surrounding is slum-like: rather suspicious male groups running and talking loudly on the street. So the hotel is nothing for unaccompanied women (and for accompanied either). BTW the hotel is used mainly by Gastarbeiters. 3) The breakfast room is an Espresso Cafe for local inhabitants (most of them are men mentioned above) which use to show their temperament, occupy all tables, cry, and the service pays no attention to hotel guests unless you say that you are one. So I got a cup of coffee and a croissant and ate my breaktfast in standing while other guests made like a great Italian reality show :-)

Guest name: AP, Germany

Average rating:  10.0

Guest type: Gay Couple

stayed in Sep 2006

Grandissima gentilezza. Mi è stata cambiata la camera, per darmene una più tranquilla e grande, allo stasso prezzo della singola. Caamera pulitssima, bar curato, con ottimo servizio. Titolari squisitamente gentilki.

Guest name: GA, Italy

Average rating:  5.4

Guest type: Group

stayed in Aug 2006

Wir waren zu fünft für 4 Tage in diesem Hotel (5 Zimmer). Die Zimmer sind einfach aber o.k., der Preis entspricht den Erwartungen, die man dafür stellen kann. Die Umgebung ist (wie auch schon in anderen Anmerkungen beschrieben) nicht gerade einladend. Wir haben jedenfalls unsere Motorräder nicht über Nacht auf der Strasse stehen lassen wollen (Garage gibt's sechs Querstrassen weiter). Das Frühstück ist italienisch (also für unsere Verhältnisse unzureichend) In meinem Zimmer tropfte es eines Nachts durch die Decke (2. Stock von insges. 5), zwei Tage später fiel an dieser Stelle großflächig der Putz ab. Das Treppenhaus war eine Baustelle, es wurde gerade ein Fahrstuhl eingebaut, soll ab September fertig sein ... Das Personal ist überwiegend freundlich, nett und hilfsbereit, spricht aber so gut wie ausschliesslich italienisch. Zusammenfassend: Preis / Leistung angemessen, ich würde wieder hinfahren.

Guest name: Roland Luethen, Germany

Average rating:  8.0

Guest type: Mature couple

stayed in Jul 2006

Buono, pulito, aria condizionata.

Guest name: Giani-Laura Tenea, Romania

Average rating:  2.5

Guest type: Family with older children

stayed in Jul 2006

Very bad hotel and please be careful with car on street (glass are broked). To be forget

Guest name: Florence Sanseau, France

Average rating:  6.9

Guest type: Young couple

stayed in Jun 2006

We arrived very late to check in but we are so impressed that the staff has waited for us even that was midnight and offered warm welcome!

Guest name: WL, Netherlands

Average rating:  9.3

Guest type: Single leisure traveller

stayed in Oct 2005

A very good hotel for the price. The main drawback is the distance to the centre of town. Buses do pass at the top of the street but at weekends are not that frequent. You can wait 20-30 minutes if you are unlucky at weekends. Bus trip to historical centre may involve changing buses. Taxis can be relatively expensive: Fare to centre 12 euros. This is a good working people's residential and shopping neighbourhood. Good and inexpensive shops and cafes all very close. I can't see what other reviewers mean when they say this area is dangerous. It seems perfectly normal to me (actually we suffered a street robbery in the HISTORICAL CENTRE of the town, NOT here.) It is, of course, quiet and rather deserted at night which is probably what unsettles some people. The hotel does have some idiosyncracies: the chamber maid let herself in while I was in the shower without knocking - but that was only irritating for 30 seconds or so. More of a problem is that the reception closes in the evening so if you are coming back late they leave your key out on a table where anyone could take it. So just keep you key with you when you go out if you expect to come back late. It is true they don't speak English at reception, but what exactly do you expect for this price? They are very pleasant and help as much as they can. I was a single traveller and they gave me a nice, not too big but perfectly adequate room with double bed and a balconly overlooking the quiet (at weekends) street. If you intend to go out a lot in the historical centre you may want to pay around double the price and save the bus/taxi fares and hassle. Otherwise this hotel is highly recommended.

Guest name: Philip Neville, United Kingdom

Average rating:  8.8

Guest type: Single leisure traveller

stayed in Sep 2005

Room was quite spacious and very clean. Good hot shower, and quiet room. Plus there was a restaurant connected to the hotel, so I was able to order a pizza and take it up to my room. (Not the best tasting pizza, but very convenient). Not in the best neighborhood, but close to the airport (about a 15 Euro cab ride). Thus, it was ideal for me who was looking for a cheaper place, close to the airport, for just one night. Luckily, since I read other reviews, I already knew that the staff did not speak english, so I had my previous hotel call them to reserve a taxi for me in the early morning (I had a 6:00 a.m. flight). I was informed that they can not do that because no one is at the desk at 4:00 a.m., but luckily my previous hotel obtained the phone number of the taxi service in Genoa, so I was able to call myself to get the taxi at 4:00 a.m. If I had not read the reviews, I never would have known to do that prior to getting to the hotel, and I probably would have missed my flight, because there was no way a single girl like me would have been able to walk to the airport, with all my luggage, in the dark, alone, in that type of neighborhood! So I give the reviewers a big thanks! :)

Guest name: Sylvia Yepez, USA

Average rating:  9.1

Guest type: Heterosexual Couple

stayed in Mar 2005

Hotel located a short bus journey away from centre of Genoa. Staff were very friendly and welcoming. Hotel bar frequented by locals as well as guests - a good chance to meet real locals. Area not suitable to walk around in late at night, but buses and taxis are very easy to catch.

Guest name: Linda Cattanach, United Kingdom

Average rating:  3.8

Guest type: Heterosexual Couple

stayed in Jun 2005

There was no life so we were forced to drag our suitcases to the fourth floor by stairs. Also, they had never even heard of air-conditioning, so it was quite unbearable to sleep in the hot room. The lock on the door didn't work properly either, it was very stiff and hard to operate. The only good thing was one of the employees, a lady who didn't speak English at all but still managed to help us with directions and which bus to take etc. But even she had a fault: she took our passports to register us to the hotel, and when we got back downstairs after taking our stuff to our room, we found the passports on the front desk, free for anyone to grab, and no one was behind the desk. I just can't help but wonder what would've happened if our passports had got stolen. All in all, I'll never stay at this hotel again. I know now why it was so cheap - good rpice, bad quality.

Guest name: , United Kingdom

Average rating:  7.4

Guest type: Not Specified

stayed in Jul 2005

This is a clean, no-frills bed and breakfast located within two miles from the airport but far from the historic center of the city. It's inexpensive and clean, and it suited our purposes for a one-night stay and an early morning departure; but if you want to tour the city, you may want to try another location.

Guest name: VR, USA

Average rating:  8.9

Guest type: Single leisure traveller

stayed in Jun 2005

My stay at serafino was great! Everyone was very nice and pleasant. My room was quiet and just what I needed at a good price. The hotle is near the train station that takes you right into Principe Station. I loved my stay!

Guest name: LL, USA

Average rating:  7.5

Guest type: Heterosexual Couple

stayed in Jun 2005

This is a great hotel for a budget stay, the rooms are clean and a good size. Unfortunately there was no view but since we were paying so little it didn't matter much, the only thing that was really awful was how noisy it was in the mornings. The chamber maids hovered directly outside aour room in the mornings and seemed to be shouting at each other as loudly as possible, needless to say we got up early every day whether we wanted to or not!

Guest name: CS, United Kingdom

Average rating:  2.5

Guest type: Family Group

stayed in Jan 2005

The hotel owners, instead of offer the availability of a triple room, offered a very poor apartment. I should like the room that I booked.

Guest name: Vincenzo Tricarico, Italy

Average rating:  6.4

Guest type: Group of friends

stayed in Oct 2004

We were happy with the people, but shocked to see that two of us were given rooms on the 7th floor! No elevators! I would like to add (power went off in the middle of my review) that we did make our reservations fairly far ahead of time so I would have thought that 2 senior couples would have been given rooms lower down! Anyway we had a good meal and a good sleep!

Guest name: BS, Canada

Average rating:  9.3

Guest type: Heterosexual Couple

stayed in Oct 2004

We found the accommodations to be better than we expected, a very good value for the price. The rooms had recently been renovated and were very clean. Staff were helful and provided information regarding transportation and sites to see in Genoa. Although the hotel is located off the beaten path, we enjoyed the surroundings. We would definitely stay at the Serafino again.

Guest name: KG, Canada

Average rating:  9.5

Guest type: Group of friends

stayed in Sep 2004

A very good and confortable small hotel with modern and clean rooms and everything in very good newbuild shape though the house from outside looks poor and dirty and you don´t believe your eyes when standing in front of the door and call for opening. Dark surroundings and not so nice to enter in darkness.Steep staircases to work through with heavy suitcases. But inside wonderful and the family and housekeepers made all the best to make our visit confortable.Breakfast ok and very good service and help to book next night in next place. Thank you for a good stay in Genova.

Guest name: Monica Wedar, Sweden

Average rating:  8.1

Guest type: Heterosexual Couple

stayed in Sep 2004

Rooms were exactly what we booked, very clean and all. Staff is freindly. Our room was on 2nd floor and it was a bit noisy in the morning. Neighborhood is noisy and full of traffic, yet I did not have problem with finding parking lot. Hotel is approximately 10 minutes from center of Genoa by car.

Guest name: TS, Slovenia

Average rating:  7.6

Guest type: Single leisure traveller

stayed in Sep 2004

Good value for money. Discreet and nice.

Guest name: IF, United Kingdom

Average rating:  6.3

Guest type: Group of friends

stayed in Sep 2004

excellemt clean accommodation breakfast acceptable

Guest name: Tom Storey, United Kingdom

Average rating:  7.8

Guest type: Heterosexual Couple

stayed in Aug 2004

the employees don't talk english. Difficult to communicate.

Guest name: SC, France

Average rating:  4.7

Guest type: Family Group

stayed in Aug 2004

you do not get an idea of the area from the website, From the main street you can see the street where the building is but because of the oneway streets you will need to find your way around a few other streets, i was able to park right in front of to enterence but i think that i was just lucky, the building is in a typical back ally with locally used small shops a little noisy but ok, the room with AC and TV was really ok a little loud but ok

Guest name: James Condlin, Germany

Average rating:  9.4

Guest type: Not Specified

stayed in Aug 2004

Was a little bit wary on first seeing Serafino because of surroundings and look s rough from the outside but once inside it was superb. Staff were very friendly and helpful would highly recommend it.

Guest name: Andrew Powell, United Kingdom

Average rating:  9.1

Guest type: Single leisure traveller

stayed in Jul 2004

I had a pleasant one night stay. The only drawback was that none of the staff spoke english, but with hands and feet we managed to communicate and get through to one another. Overall delightful.Bit noisy in the mornings.

Guest name: Shannon Critchley, United Kingdom

Average rating:  9.0

Guest type: Not Specified

stayed in Jun 2004

Very highly recommended - really friendly staff, excellent clean, spacious rooms (ours was a bit noisy early in the morning, about 6.30am, but very quiet at night). TV picture wasn't great but we weren't really bothered about that. We arrived late and the staff in the associated cafe/bar were very kind to give us something to eat despite the fact that they had closed up. Super price, really close to the airport (only 10-15 minutes WALK! The taxi is a complete rip-off, 14 Euros is absurd for such a short distance). The area isn't pretty, but not scary or rough in my opinion. If you want a cheap good hotel close to the airport (we just wanted to arrive late, sleep and then pick up a car to drive down the coast) you can't do much better than this place.

Guest name: Luke Phillips, United Kingdom

Average rating:  7.5

Guest type: Single leisure traveller

stayed in Jun 2004

A little out of town but ideal for access to airport. Regular bus service to city and aquarium. Some people may be put off by area particularly in the evening. I would use it again for overnight stay before leaving or arriving. Breakfast poor.

Guest name: EW, United Kingdom

Average rating:  9.3

Guest type: Not Specified

stayed in Apr 2004

wonderful, very welcoming and helpful, even gave us food from the closed bar late at night when we arrived and gave us a lift to the stsation with our heavy bags!

Guest name: PT, United Kingdom

Average rating:  7.6

Guest type: Group of friends

stayed in Apr 2004

It is very difficult to find the way to arrive at the hotel

Guest name: CG, France

Average rating:  7.6

Guest type: Single leisure traveller

stayed in Apr 2004

The neighborhood is a bit scary, especially at night. But the hotel was good, newly renovated and comfortable.

Guest name: Marina Mechtcheriakova, USA

Average rating:  7.9

Guest type: Heterosexual Couple

stayed in Dec 2003

Reception, again, up 2 flights of stairs with no lift, but there is a stairlift for anyone not able to negotiate the stairs. The proprietor came down to carry our luggage up & although could speak very little English, was very attentive & anxious to please at all times.

Guest name: DS, United Kingdom