Grand Hotel Ortigia in Syracuse

Avoid this hotel. The hotel cover photo is seriously misleading. I thought the hotel didn't have a pool but had a private beach. Upon arrival, I discovered it was located at a very small, run-down beach over ten kilometers away. The hotel said a boat ride there would cost an additional 20 euros per person. Upon arrival, we found it filthy and run-down, with no ambiance and no service. The hotel said they closed at 7 p.m., but at 6:30 p.m., they rushed us, saying they had to close, otherwise we'd be relegated to a corner. The service was very poor.

The soundproofing was also terrible. My room was on the second floor, directly above the third-floor restaurant and kitchen. They were drilling and renovating upstairs, and they kept moving tables and chairs around every morning starting at 7 a.m., making it incredibly noisy. I woke up early every day. After I reported this to the hotel, they offered to move me to a smaller room upstairs. That room was over 600 euros cheaper than the one I'd booked on the platform. The front desk blatantly lied to me, saying it was a better option. When I refused, they promised me they wouldn't wake me up the next day. But they continued the drilling and renovating, moving tables and chairs all morning the next day and the day after. There's a busy road right at the entrance, so there's no parking. I tipped someone to help with my luggage when I arrived, but when I left, no one was there. I had to walk all the way to the parking lot across the street, all on my own, up so many stairs. This hotel experience is terrible!

This hotel is barely a three-star establishment, dated and lacking amenities like a gym and hot tub, which are all closed. They provided cheap coffee bags (pictured), but the sugar, milk, and coffee were not refilled the next day. There were no irons to borrow, and no staff to help with luggage.

On my first day, I was told my triple deluxe ocean view room was sold out. I had to stay in a loft with no ocean view for one night. The next day, I was offered a double room, which wasn't the triple deluxe ocean view room I'd booked!

The beach advertised on the hotel page was fake. It was 14 kilometers away, and a shabby boat ride cost 20 euros per person. I took an Uber for the half-hour drive, but ended up walking down a deserted, weed-covered path to a shabby, wild beach (pictured). The hotel said it was open until 7:00 PM, but I was kicked out at 6:30 PM and treated very rudely!

The entire experience was utterly terrible!!!

For a Grand Hotel, this wasn't quite worth the Grand. Well located, by the port, but there are plenty of options near the Duomo, which is closer to the restaurants and other places of interest.
The decor is tired, the fittings tired, the room we were allocated had a bed on a mezzanine floor with no bathroom adjacent. I would appreciate the charm of vintage, but for the luxe price tag, you could do a lot better in terms of comfort and lifestyle.
There was nothing grand about our room. You had to come down a flight of stairs at night, which is not recommended for an older couple.
It was hot at night, with no windows in the mezzanine. We left the windows downstairs open for some air. And we were here end December!
Cannot imagine how one would suffer it in summer.
The breakfast was average, I would say, the saving grace was the location, on the terrace. Don't expect fluffy omelettes or fancy poached eggs. My son ordered poached eggs and got exactly one poached egg, dressed with some scanty cabbage on his plate.
Again, not worth the luxe price tag.