Gran Bretagna Boutique Hotel Ortigia in Syracuse

Tv with no channels, air conditioner that did not cool, shower stall that flooded. Luckily it was a hit and run. Economy room 86 euros but this does not mean that the base is missing. The only notes worthy of merit are the breakfast and the proximity to the center!

At $130 USD per night this place is a rip off. It is a run down hostel rather than a 3 star hotel. It used to be a nice house but you see signs of decay everywhere: peeling paint, broken tiles, rust on mirrors and faucets, mold in the shower. The place is on a busy street and when we arrived there was no space to park or even stop the car near the hotel. The doors were locked and there was a sign that reception will open at 3pm... Apparently, this "hotel" has 2 parking spots in front of the building, so if you are in luck (no other guest is taking these spots or they are not taken by a local resident) then you get a "free parking" advertised on a website, otherwise you have to park (and pay) in the parking garage 5-8 min away. Same situation with advertized "free Wi-Fi", it doesn't exist in the room. Presumably, it is in the reception but the reception is so tiny that there is no space to sit. We also had a big problem with hot water, you have to wait 5-7min until the water is slightly warm and 10 min until it's hot enough to shave or to take a shower. Finally, if you decide to stay there, bring earplugs - the crowd in the pub downstairs was quite loud till after 2am. The breakfast included is a cold continental breakfast (unlike all other hotels we had in Italy) and they don't even have a toaster... My recommendation is to stay elsewhere. I give this place two star rating only due to location and room size.