The ITA Airways A319-111 in the iconic cobalt blue livery that will take us to Catania
At the Airport
Check-in
ITA Airways, formerly known as Alitalia, is the national carrier of Italy. The troubled Alitalia was previously privatised, and due to financial issues, the Italian government bailed the airline out of its financial woes and rebranded it as ITA Airways. Therefore, finding some ITA Airways planes still donning the old Alitalia livery is unsurprising. ITA Airways check-in counters are located in the centre of Terminal 1 of Rome Fiumicino Airport. Two rows of check-in counters at Row B serve ITA Airways Economy Class passengers flying out of Rome domestically or internationally. Separate check-in counters in Row A serve passengers flying on ITA Airways Business Class and status passengers with the airlines. Due to the many counters available, there was no queue at the check-in counters. The check-in process was a breeze, with the staff processing our check-in efficiently. We were given directions on the security that we had to pass through and where our gate departed. The check-in counters for ITA Airways are very conveniently located next to the security clearance that gave us access to the airside of the airport terminal.
Approaching Rome Fiumicino Airport Terminal 1ITA Airways departs from Terminal 1 of Rome Fiumicino Airport
Entrance to Rome Fiumicino Terminal 1
Innside Rome Fiumicino Terminal 1We found ITA Airways check-in counters
ITA Airways Business Class Check-in counters in Rome Fiumicino Terminal 1
ITA Airways has 50 counters dedicated to Economy Class passengers in Rows A and BMore check-in counters at Row B, and there were hardly any queues during check-in.
Prima Vista Lounge
As we were flying in Economy Class, we were not entitled to Lounge access. However, being a Priority Pass holder, I got my friends into the Prima Vista Lounge. The Prima Vista Lounge is located in Terminal 3, about 10 minutes from the security counters. Prima Vista Lounge is a small lounge with limited seating. Most of the seats face the apron of Rome Fiumicino Airport. We found several larger dining tables that can seat up to six passengers. The food offering is quite decent, and the food quality is good for a small lounge serving breakfast. Prima Vista Lounge serves up mainly pastry, piazza, fruits and some pasta. Prima Vista Lounge still practises pandemic measures, passengers are not allowed to pick the food themselves. Lounge staff are stationed at the food area, picking the food that the passengers request and heating them in a microwave oven before handing it over to the passengers. As the lounge is in Terminal 3, there is a 20 mins walk to get to our gate in Terminal 1 of the airport.
Prima Vista Lougne in Terminal 3Seating in Prima Vista Lounge
Breakfast offerings in Prima Vista Lounge
At the airside of Rome Fiumicino Terminal 1There are some interesting carts in the airside of Rome Fiumicino Terminal 1
The Aircraft
ITA Airways has two variants of their A319-111, one with all Economy Class seats and one with both European Business Class and Economy Class. Today, the aircraft ITA Airways used to ply between FCO and CTA is the version with both Business Class and Economy Class.
ITA Airways AZ1759 flying to Catania departs from Gate A68Close-up view of the ITA Airways A319-111 aircraft
The Cabin
The two-class variant ITA Airways A319-111 used for this FCO-CTA route is fitted with six European Business Class seats, occupying the first three rows, and 63 Economy Class seats occupying the rear 21 rows of the aircraft. All seats are arranged in a 3-3 configuration, and Business Class onboard this version of ITA Airways A319-111 has the middle seat blocked out to give it a pseudo 2-2 configuration. The entire ITA Airways A319-111 cabin is decked in black and white, using white on its bulkhead and black for the carpeting and seats. The use of white colour reduces the claustrophobic feel as this is a small aircraft. As with most narrow-body aircraft, the Business and Economy Class Cabins are separated by a thin curtain. I like how ITA Airways uses warmer orange lighting in its aircraft, which seems to calm passengers during the flight. As this s a short 1hr 15 mins flight, I did not visit the lavatory.
ITA Airways A319-111 Cabin
Boarding ITA Airways A319-111Economy Class cabin in ITA Airways A319-111
Alitalia logo can still be spotted on the bulkhead in front of the aircraft.
The Seat
Seats on board ITA Airways A319-111 are the same regardless of the class of travel. The most immediate difference between the classes is that the seats in Business Class have a middle seat blocked out, sitting only two passengers in a row. All seats, both Business Class and Economy Class are 17.7″ wide. Business Class has a slightly longer seat pitch of 31″ compared to the 30″ in the standard Economy Class. We paid an additional €12 for the exit row seats, which gave us the longest pitch of 35″ (longer then Business Class seats).
Our exit row seats at Row 10, which has the longest seat pitch on the ITA Airways A319-111 aircraft
Business Class seats onboard ITA Airways A319-111The “normal” Economy Class seats on ITA Airways A319-111
Seats onboard ITA Airways A319-111 are clad in black leather which thick paddings, making the seat very comfortable. As we were sitting in the exit row, the legroom was excellent on this row. The set-up onboard ITA Airways A319-111 is very simple, with only one button to recline the seat. Buttons to control the overhead reading light and call attendant are on the ceiling above the seat. The seat has a very large tray table, capable of putting a 14″ laptop. The seat pocket is very simple and holds a very limited amount of items.
Exit row seat at Row 10 gave us a great amount of legroom
The seat pocket is a tad tight on ITA Airways A319-111Not much space in the seat pockets
Seat recline button in Economy Class seats on ITA Airways A319-111
Overhead reading lights and nozzlesITA Airways A319-111 safety cardSeat pocket contentsThere is a large tray table in Economy Class seats on ITA Airways A319-111.
In-Flight Entertainment
There is an old-school channel control, seemingly meant for some radio channels and a one-pin headphone jack. I did not plug in any headphones to check if these so-called radio channels were working. No In-Flight Entertainment Systems are fitted onboard the aircraft, and the aircraft does not even have drop-down TV screens.
Old school radio control on ITA Airways A319-111
It seems ITA Airways took out the IFE that might have been installed previously.
Meal
As this is a short 1hr flight, only drinks are served onboard. However, I was asleep when the flight attendant made their rounds to distribute drinks.
Service
As this was a short flight, the interaction with the cabin crew was limited to boarding when they welcomed us onboard with a warm smile and during the beverage run (during which I fell asleep and did not interact with them). The cabin crew diligently carried out their duty onboard to ensure the safety of the passengers. They were seen doing safety demonstrations and patrolling the cabin to ensure passengers fastened their seat belts and seats were upright during pre-take-off and landing. A cabin crew also popped by our row to give us a simple brief on what to do in an emergency.
Flight attendants during the safety demo.ITA Airways logo on the armrest of the seats
Afterthought
Our first experience onboard ITA Airways A319-111 was a pleasant one. Our positive experience started from the check-in and lasted throughout the flight. The cabin crew were friendly and seen wearing their smiles throughout the flight. The seats onboard are comfortable, and the seat pitch at the exit row far exceeds that in the Business Class cabin, giving us excellent legroom (I told my friends paying to sit at the exit row is far better value than paying twice the fare sitting in Business Class). For a short-haul flight, I thought ITA Airways did a great job.
Mercure Roma Centro Termini is very close to Rome’s major public transport facilities. Roma Termini, the main train station in Rome, is about 15 mins walk from the hotel, and the nearest Metro station is Repubblica station, which is about 5 mins on foot. There are several shops and restaurants within a stone’s throw of the hotel, and even a supermarket diagonally opposite the hotel. The hotel’s location is superb for exploring the attractions in Rome. The Colosseum and Roman Forum are about 10 mins walk from Mercure Roma Centro Termini, but attractions like Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona and the shopping districts near Spanish Steps are a tad further, about 20 mins walk from Mercure Roma Termini. We chose to stay at Mercure Roma Centro Termini due to its proximity to Roma Centro Termini Station, which gave us the convenience of moving interstate and to Roma Fiumicino airport. We find it weird that the main entrance to Mercure Roma Centro Termini is located in a small alley at the side of the hotel. The other entrance (which we used to enter the hotel on the first day), located along the main street, is the entrance to the restaurant on the hotel’s premises.
Mercure Roma Centro Termini facade
The main entrance to Mercure Roma Centro Termini is located on the side in a small alley
Reception at Mercure Roma Centro Termini
The restaurant on the ground floor at Mercure Roma Centro Termini
The Junior Suite
We checked into the Junior Suite at Mercure Roma Centro Termini, which feels like your standard run-of-the-mill hotel room. The decor of the suite was functional, and felt a little tired. We were expecting an enlarged standard room like Junior Suites in most hotels. Instead, the 35m² Junior Suite at Mercure Roma Centro Termini has a dedicated living room and a large common balcony that was shared with the room next door.
Living Room
We were greeted by a smallish living room when we entered the Junior Suite at Mercure Roma Centro Termini. The parquet flooring with a white colour wall living room is an elongated room that allowed us to lounge around with our friends staying in the other rooms in the hotel. The decor in the living room is very simple, and there are no decorations in this part of the suite. The Junior Suite at Mercure Roma Centro Termini furnished the living room with a three-seater sofa placed against the wall, capable of converting into a bed. The sofa bed enabled us to watch TV comfortably. I thought it was an excellent idea for the hotel not to furnish a coffee table in the living room. Having it would make the already cramped living room smaller.
A 42″ LED TV is mounted on the wall opposite the sofa. There are numerous entertainment options from local TV stations if one is fluent in Italian. Unfortunately, we only found one English music channel out of over 500 channels on the TV. A work desk sits by the wall near the TV and is cluttered with a kettle, complimentary coffee and tea and a telephone. The limited available space on the table barely allows guests to do any decent on the work desk. The power outlets on the wall, a tad far from the table, seem to signal guests to relax and not work while staying at the hotel. A small mini fridge tucked nicely under the work desk provided limited space for chilling beverages. However, the mini fridge did not seem to be working well during our stay, and we found leaving our drinks out on the balcony a better way of chilling drinks (given it was early winter in Rome during our travels). The in-room safe is the most out-of-place item in the living room. Placed on top of the mini fridge, next to the main entrance to the Junior Suite at Mercure Roma Centro Termini and in plain sight of anyone visiting the suite. The safe does not assure us that it would be able to keep our valuables safe.
The in-room safe is oddly placed next to the main entrance to the Suite
The TV in the living room of the Junior Suite at Mercure Roma Centro Termini
The work desk in the Junior Suite of Mercure Roma Centro Termini
Mini fridge in the living room
Bedroom
A door separates the living room from the bedroom in the Junior Suite at Mercure Roma Centro Termini. I was glad to find a larger living space in the bedroom compared to the living room. It makes sense for the hotel to allocate a larger space in the bedroom as we would spend most of our time in the bedroom, given the hotel’s limited real estate in its Junior Suite. The use of an open wardrobe, though it did not provide much privacy, contributes to the spaciousness of the suite. The large wardrobe provided us with tons of space to hang up our clothing, but the absence of drawers limited the number of smaller items we could store. The comfortable king bed occupied most of the space in the bedroom, providing us with excellent sleep quality. However, I do find the pillows supplied by the hotel to be a tad soft for my liking. Accompanying the king bed are bedside tables, which gave us space to charge our mobile phones. There wasn’t much space on the flimsy grey stool-like bedside tables, fortunately, the hotel uses hanging bedside lamps, which freed up precious space on the tables. Another smaller TV is mounted on the wall facing the king bed. The mounting of the TV seemed fragile, half the time, we were worried that the TV might drop off any time (luckily for us, it did not). We found the bed bench in the corner of the bedroom, just outside the bathroom entrance. Unfortunately, the bed bench did not seem to serve any useful function other than giving us space to place our luggage. Mercure Roma Centro Termini did not furnish this Junior with any luggage rack, and we had to make do with what we had.
The open wardrobe in the bedroom
The smaller TV in the bedroom
View of the bedroom from the entrance
The king bed in the bedroom
We found a bench placed in front of a full length mirror
Bathroom
The bathroom in the Junior Suite at Mercure Roma Centro Termini is the most disappointing part of the suite. The bathroom decor seems to be in contrast with the rest of the suite. The open sink countertop fitted by the bathroom entrance did not offer us much space to stow our toiletries, and installing an oversized sink that took up the bulk of the countertop space did not help give us more space. The bath amenities provided by the hotel are a far cry from luxury. The bath amenities, other than looking cheap, have an overpowering musky smell. As with the other hotels we stayed at during our trip to Italy, Mercure Roma Centro Termini installed a bidet and toilet by the bathroom wall, opposite the sink. We found towels hanging on the rack next to the toilet. I was glad the hotel allocated ample space for the semi-open walk-in shower with consistent water temperature and pressure. I thought this part of the bathroom was best designed as we did not find water splashing out despite the semi-open design of the walk-in shower.
View of the bathroom from its entrance
The oversize sink with very limited countertop space
Toilet and bidet in the bathroom
The walk-in shower is fitted with both a regular and rain shower head
Balcony
We were surprised to find a large balcony in our Junior Suite, spreading across the entire length of the Junior suite and the standard room next door. Granted, we did not have the best views from the balcony, but we found the balcony to be a great place to chill out with our friends, with whom we shared the balcony occupying the room next door. Luckily we knew the occupants next door, I thought it might be awkward if some strangers were staying next door as there is no segregation of the balcony between the rooms. The balcony in the Junior Suite at Mercure Roma Centro Termini was thoughtfully furnished with two armchairs, a side table, and a dining table for four, allowing for some form of communal living with our friends next door.
The large balcony in the suite which is shared with our friends staying in the room next door
View of Rome from the balcony
View from the balcony
Service
Despite the flaws with the room and the weird main entrance, service was impeccable throughout our stay at Mercure Roma Centro Termini. Gianluca was the only one we met and interacted with during our three-night stay at Mercure Roma Centro Termini. We were warmly welcomed by Gianluca when we checked into our rooms. He was personable and generous in sharing information about the hotel and Rome. His strong local knowledge allowed him to give us excellent suggestions on what to see and how we could efficiently visit the major sights in Rome. Gianluca was also not stingy in helping us differentiate between authentic Italian restaurants and touristy ones. He would always greet us with a smile and chat with us whenever we walked past the reception. Gianluca even helped us solve our issue when we causally mentioned we had a hard time dragging our luggage on the uneven Roman street roads from Roma Termini Station. He helped us get a van to the airport at a rate that we thought to be reasonable (it would have cost us roughly the same amount if we were to take the train to the airport). Gianluca made us feel very welcome during our stay with Mercure Roma Centro Termini.
Overall
The location of Mercure Roma Centro Termini was great for exploring Rome. The Colosseum and public transport were within minutes walk from the hotel. The neighbourhood felt safe with some light shopping options, and a supermarket across from the hotel adds to the advantage of staying at the hotel. Granted, the room’s decor was a tad boring, and the suite did not feel luxurious, but our stay in the Junior Suite at Mercure Roma Centro Termini was comfortable. We were glad we met Gianluca during our stay in the hotel, who provided valuable local knowledge about Rome and made us feel welcome. Overall, we had a great stay at Mercure Roma Centro Termini.
Located in the heart of Florence, Hotel Cerretani Firenze is between Firenze Santa Maria Novella station and the Duomo. Stay at the hotel during our trip to Florence is perfect due to its proximity to the train station and the major sights in the City of Florence. It is within a few minutes walk from the Duomo, and Ponte Vecchio, the two main attractions in Florence. Hotel Cerretani Firenze is also very close to the shopping street, wedged between the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio, where luxury brand boutiques are found. There are also numerous restaurants and a supermarket within a stone’s throw from the hotel.
Hotel Cerretani Firenze facade
Entrance to Hotel Cerretani FirenzeThere are numerous shops around Hotel Cerretani Firenze.
Hotel Cerretani Firenze reception
Lobby at Hotel Cerretani Firenze
There is a bar next to the restaurant in Hotel Cerretani Firenze
Hotel Cerretani Firenze lobby
The Junior Suite
We stayed in the Junior Suite at Hotel Cerretani Firenze. At 35m², the contemporary decor Junior Suite looks modern but feels small. This Junior Suite at Hotel Cerretani Firenze does not have the standard feature of a Junior Suite, such as an area dedicated to a couch, and feels more like an enlarged standard room.
Entryway
The Junior Suite at Hotel Cerretani Firenze has a dedicated entryway, a room with a door separating it from the rest of the suite, furnished with an armchair and a standing lamp. The chair in the entryway allows us to wear our shoes and is also great for relaxing and reading a book with the warm light from the lamp and the lighting in this room. There is an open wardrobe in the entryway, which is meant for us to hang our jackets. Despite being a small room, there is sufficient space for us to place one of our luggage with the luggage rack in the suite.
We used the armchair in the entryway when wearing our shoes, but mainly to put our bagpacks
The room at the entryway in the Junior Suite at Hotel Cerretani Firenze
The open wardrobe at the entryway is perfect for us to hang our coats
Sleeping Area
We could see the rest of the Junior Suite from the second door. Despite having 35m2, the space in the suite feels tight with the fitted furniture. I guess part of the real estate is dedicated to the entryway, which leaves little room in the rest of the Junior Suite. We were in the sleeping area as soon as we passed the door after the entryway. The decor in the sleeping area is contemporary, exuding a comfortable and cosy feel. The lighting in the sleeping area matches the suite’s theme, adding to the comfortable feel. The sleeping area is furnished with a king bed, occupying a bulk of the space in this area. The king bed is comfortable to sleep on with its firm mattress and the pillows provided by the hotel. We found the bedside tables were small and offered limited space to charge our mobile phones.
The king bed in the Junior Suite at Hotel Cerretani Firenze
The Junior Suite is furnished with a Bose speaker on one of the bedside tables
The bedside table has limited space, only sufficient for us to place our mobile phones
The window in our Junior Suite looks into some back alley.
Despite having over 500 channels showing on the 40″ LED TV mounted on the wall across from the bed, there are limited English entertainment options as most of the channels on the TV are Italian channels. Even the Nationa Geographic Channels on the TV are in Italian. We had a hard time scrolling through the channels, looking for a channel we could comprehend, and eventually giving up. A minimalistic work desk is found placed by the wall beneath the TV. There is not much space on the work desk for one to do any proper work, at the very best, it will fit one 14″ laptop and one file. The cluttering with items like drinks, glasses, a telephone, the hotel directory, and a reading lamp made the space available for work even more limited. The velvety-wrapped chair the hotel used to furnish the work desk looks elegant but impractically designed. The chair is uncomfortable to sit on, and the low backrest also makes one’s back ache after sitting for less than 30 mins. It seems like Hotel Cerretani Firenze wants its guests to relax and enjoy their time in Florence rather than spend time working in the hotel.
The TV in the suite is mounted on the wall facing the bed
The work desk has a small working area, especially with the stuff placed on the desk by the hotel
Half the work desk was taken up by the welcome amenities and the hotel directory
Wardrobe & Minibar
A three-panelled cabinet sits at the end of a small corridor that houses the wardrobe and minibar in front of the entrance to the bathroom. The wardrobe occupied two panels, providing limited storage space for two guests staying in the Junior Suite at Hotel Cerretani Firenze. The wardrobe space is only sufficient for guests to put away at most five days of clothing. I also find the hangers supplied by the hotel to be a tad limited, and we had to request extra hangers from the hotel reception. A two-tiered open shelving inside the wardrobe maximises the amount of storage in the wardrobe. The hotel maximises the cabinet by fitting the minibar within one cabinet panel. The suite came equipped with a Nespresso machine, placed on the open shelving of the minibar area. The minifridge is tucked inside a cabinet space on the lower tier of the shelf, while the in-room safe took the top shelf.
The wardrobe in the Junior Suite at Hotel Cerretani Firenze has limited space for storage
The in-room safe is found in the cabinet above the minibar
Nespresso machine and tea are supplied in the Junior Suite
All the drinks in the mini-fridge are complementary
The coffee and tea station in the mini bar
A beige-coloured leathered bench sat beside another floor lamp right before the wardrobe. I find the placement of this bench weird, as it just faces an empty wall. It seems Hotel Cerretani Firenze is trying to fit a sofa to satisfy some form of checklist that mandates a sofa must be in a Junior Suite. Unfortunately, the placement of the bench serves no purpose other than to take up precious real estate in the compact Junior Suite. Nevertheless, we found a use for this bench to place one of our luggage.
A bench, placed next to the wardrobe, seems not to serve any purpose, less putting our luggage.
Bathroom
The theme in the bathroom is different from the rest of the suite. While the suite exudes a contemporary and warm vibe, the bathroom oozes an industrial and functional feel. The sink sits on an open two-tiered cabinet tucked against the bathroom wall. I like how the hotel decided to go with one sink instead of a dual sink concept due to space limitations in the Junior suite. This design also afforded us plenty of space on the sink countertop to place our toiletries without feeling cramped. The body lotion and hand wash are mounted onto the wall to save more space on the sink countertop. The use of a large Hollywood-style mirror not only brightens the whole space but also makes the bathroom looks bigger than it is. The toilet and a separate bidet are mounted onto the wall opposite the sink countertop, leaving a lot of space for guests to walk and use the bathroom. The photo of Ponte Vecchio hanging above the toilet and bidet Hotel Cerretani Firenze not only constantly reminded us that we were in Florence but also removed the bathroom’s dullness.
The sink is brightly lited with lots of space on the countertop
The toilet and bidet in the bathroom
CULTI body lotion and hand wash mounted on the wall by the sink
The walk-in shower is tucked in the innermost space of the bathroom, separated by a glass panel clad in white marble with a light grey pattern. The walk-in shower is rather sizeable, which gives us plenty of space when showering. The walk-in shower features both regular and rainfall shower heads. The water pressure is great, and the hot water works perfectly. The hotel uses Milanese brand CULTI shower amenities mounted onto the wall, freeing up space for us to place our toothbrushes and facial washes onto the silver rack mounted in one corner of the bathroom. I favour the decision of Hotel Cerretani Firenze not installing a bathtub in the bathroom owing to the lack of space. Having a bathtub or a bath and shower combination will inevitably sacrifice the useable space in the bathroom.
The bathroom in the Junior Suite is very brightly lited
Walk-in shower with regular and rain shower heads
Hotel Cerretani Firenze provides its guests with Milanese brand CULTI shower amenities
Service
The service we got during our stay at Hotel Cerretani Firenze was mixed. On the one hand, we met with staff who understood what it meant to be customer-centric. Unfortunately, such staff were few in the hotel. Our initial impression of the service at Hotel Cerretani Firenze was excellent when we met Sara, who was already expecting us, identifying my friend by first name when we approached her at the reception. Sara was warm and sincere and processed our check-in so efficiently that we did not have to wait too long before issuing the keys to our rooms. Sara went all out to ensure that our stay was comfortable. She oriented us with the facilities in the hotel and gave us the restaurant’s meal times. When we complained that the Junior Suite fitted only with one window, it felt stuffy (it was winter, and the hotel did not turn on air conditioning). Instead of telling us the obvious, Sara devised a solution and brought a fan into our suite. She was professional and certainly knew her job very well.
Every morning we met Giulio, the elderly gentleman working in the restaurant. Giulio took care of us very well at the restaurant for breakfast. He came across like a grandfather taking care of his grandchildren, constantly checking with us if we wanted more coffee or if we had enough to eat. He oriented us to the buffet corner on the first morning we were at the restaurant for breakfast. Giulio efficiently dispatched our orders for cooked eggs and coffee, not allowing us to wait too long for our food.
The excellent service seems to stop with Sara and Giulio. The rest of the staff in the hotel came across as cold and uninterested in their job. When I requested extra hangers from one of the staff at the reception, instead of helping us, he would give the excuse that he was alone in the reception and refuse to barge. Other staff did not even bother to look us in the eye or exchange any form of greeting when we walked past them. We had the worst service experience during check-out when we checked the bill and enquired about the mysterious charge of over €500. Instead of being attentive to us, a male staff at the reception stared at his computer while conversing with us. We contested the breakfast charge to him, explaining that we were informed during check-in that our rate comes with breakfast. The male staff refused to listen and provide any solution. He brushed us off by blaming us for not checking our booking terms. After some back-and-forth exchange of perspectives, the male staff gave us an ultimatum and stated that he was fed up talking to us, was busy, and did not have the time to explain further. He gave us the option to pay or not. The male staff’s action was unprofessional, and did not even bother creating a win-win solution.
Hotel Facilities
Breakfast
We had our daily breakfast at the only restaurant in Hotel Cerretani Firenze, located on the ground after the reception. Breakfast was served in a buffet style with limited options. Each morning we would see the same food in the small buffet area. Despite the uninteresting breakfast selection, Hotel Cerretani Firenze serves up a variety of bread and cakes. The only warm options for breakfast are scrambled eggs, bacon and sausages. The coffee and egg options are not stated in the buffet area, which would have to be ordered separately from the restaurant staff. For the price of €13 per pax, I thought the breakfast had little value for money.
Breakfast is served in the only restaurant in Hotel Cerretani Firenze
Pastries available for breakfast
I had a cafe latte for breakfast every morning.
Hot food options during breakfast
Cold cuts during breakfast
Pastries available for breakfast
Cereals and more bread during breakfast
Overall
The biggest draw of Hotel Cerretani Firenze is its location. The hotel is close to Florence’s main train station and the city centre, making exploring the city of Florence very convenient. Although the sleep quality of the Junior Suite was excellent and the suite was modern and clean, the layout and the inefficient use of space were a letdown. We find the space in the suite very tight, despite having 35m² of real estate. The biggest deterrent lies with the service, with only two staff providing an excellent guest experience. The service from the rest of the staff felt cold and unwelcoming, especially during our check-out incident. I would certainly not return to Hotel Cerretani Firenze if I ever travelled to Florence.
Hotel Papadopoli Venezia is two bridges (the Venetians measure distances by the number of bridges they have to cross) away from Venezia St. Lucia Station, the gateway to Venice. Its proximity to the train station means we do not have to drag our luggage across countless bridges to get to our accommodation. Unfortunately, not all bridges in Venice have ramps for easy luggage transportation. The hotel is also near the Piazzale Roma Vaporetto stop, where we could hop on the water bus to explore Venice. There is a bakery right below the hotel, where guests can buy pastries or breakfast (that shop seems to be very popular with locals). However, being situated at the entrance to Venice, Hotel Papadopoli Venezia is a tad far from most attractions, such as Piazza San Marco, Rialto bridge, etc.
Facade of Hotel Papadopoli Venezia
Hotel Papadopoli facade
Hotel Papadopoli was situated in front of a canal in Venice
Reception at Hotel Papadopoli
Bar on the ground floor of Hotel Papadopoli
Breakfast area with the view of the garden in Venice
The Venetian decor in the lobby at Hotel Papadopoli
Deluxe Suite
We checked into the 33m² Venetian style Deluxe Suite at Hotel Papadopoli Venezia. Despite naming it a Deluxe suite, the suite does not have a separate living room, nor does it come with a sofa. Understandably real estate in Venice is limited, and Hotel Papadopoli Venezia was able to maximise the amount of liveable space in its suites by having such a design.
We were assigned the L’Alcova Deluxe Suite.
Entryway/ Wardrobe Area
We were hit by a Venetian-style decor when we opened the main entrance to the Deluxe Suite. There is a large amount of gold and bronze colour theme. The yellow floral motif used as the wallpaper throughout the suite (less the bathroom) complements the gold colour theme. A couple of cabinets flanked each side at the entryway to the Deluxe Suite, dressed in gold wallpaper with floral prints. One of the cabinets houses a large wardrobe, which allows guests to hang a substantial amount of clothing. The other cabinet mainly consists of shelving, providing excellent storage solutions for its guests. Housed within this cabinet is an in-room safe and a mini fridge, where the non-alcoholic drinks are complimentary, thanks to my friend’s Diamond status with Accor.
The entryway to the Deluxe SuiteThe cabinet with shelves and minibarThe wardrobe in the Deluxe SuiteDrawers in the wardrobe
Two bronze-coloured armchairs occupy the space of the Deluxe Suite in Hotel Papadopoli Venezia a little further into the suite, right in front of the exit to the terrace, from the wardrobe area. These luxurious chairs with thick cushioning complement the Venetian decor of the suite very well; sitting on them is like sitting on a throne. The rounded table between the two armchairs would be great for occupants of the Deluxe Suite to enjoy a cup of coffee or drinks from the minibar, if not for the holder of some pamphlets. A vintage chest of drawers is placed between the bed and the wall, diagonally opposite the armchairs. Bottled water and a huge speaker are placed on this chest of drawers. This chest gave us additional space to stow our items, especially smaller items.
The armchairs in the Deluxe SuiteChest of drawers, which provided additional storage
Sleeping Area
A large king bed occupies most of the space in the Deluxe Suite in Hotel Papadopoli Venezia, placed at one corner by the windows, a little further from the armchairs. The headboard of the king bed carried the golden luxurious and Venetian theme seen in the suite. The king bed offered excellent sleep quality with its firm, thick mattress. At the side of the king bed are a couple of side tables mounted onto the wall to maximise the space in the suite. However, I thought the space on side tables was a tad tight for us to place our lifestyle devices, as a sizeable egg-shaped night light occupies it. Thankfully Hotel Papadopoli Venezia made up for the lack of space with another stool-like side table which created more space. In addition, the placement of light switches and power outlets by the side table is thoughtful, as this allowed us to charge our mobile devices.
King bed in the Deluxe Suite
The king bed in the Deluxe Suite at Hotel Papadopoli
Bed side table in the Deluxe Suite
A LED TV is strategically mounted onto the wall facing the king bed. The TV placement is perfect for watching the hotel’s many local and international channels while lazing on the bed. However, the work table is slightly out of place under the TV. In addition, the work desk is a tad small for anyone to do decent work with space for only one laptop. The Nespresso machine and electric kettle on the work desk already occupy a substantial amount of space, not to mention the power outlets that are taken up and blocked by these additional machines, making the work desk not ideal.
Work desk in the Deluxe Suite at Hotel Papadopoli
Nespresso machine on the work desk
Bathroom
The bathroom in Deluxe Suite at Hotel Papadopoli Venezia is equally luxurious, consistent with the gold-coloured theme in the main parts of the suite. The first item we saw in the bathroom was a white marble, high-legged sink counter. Furnished with a large gold framed mirror and a stool, the sink counter doubles up as a make-up desk. While there is some space on the sink counter, these spaces are occupied by the hotel’s amenities. The bathroom in the Deluxe suite is fitted with a large bathtub next to the sink and a window. The bathtub is deep and is excellent for soaking away the fatigue we have accumulated from exploring Venice. In addition, I like the inclusion of a window in the bathroom, which provides natural light and allows us to look out into Venice while soaking in the tub.
Entrance to the bathroom in the Deluxe Suite at Hotel Papadopoli
Hotel Papadopoli provides premium Acqua di Parma toiletries in the Deluxe Suite
Sink and bathtub in the bathroom of the Deluxe Suite
The elegant sink in the bathroom of the Deluxe Suite
I like how the hotel placed the bathtub next to the window
The toilet and bidet are found after an open bronze-coloured partition next to the sink. I like how the hotel isolated the toilet area in a semi-open space. A huge walk-in shower fitted with a regular and a rain shower head lies after the toilet area. I thought this area was a tad dark due to the bronze colour chosen to furnish this area. The multi-coloured overhead light installed does not help to provide any more illumination. Instead, this is used more as mood lighting.
Bidet and towel rack in the bathroom
The toilet is between the shower and sink
The walk-in shower in the bathroom
The sizeable walk-in shower is fitted with both regular and rain shower heads.
Terrace
I like the terrace in the Deluxe Suite at Hotel Papadopoli Venezia. The large terrace extends the entire length of the suite, giving us a great view of Venice and one of the back-lane canals. To add icing to the cake, Hotel Papadopoli Venezia furnished the terrace with a small table and chairs, which allowed us to sit on the terrace, sipping away the coffee from the Nespresso machine and watching life in Venice. The appointment of the hotel will enable us to watch sunrise and sunset from the terrace. In addition, we used the terrace to talk to our friends in adjacent rooms.
The large terrace in Deluxe Suite at Hotel Papadopoli
View of the canal from the terrace
Early morning view from the terrace
Service
The initial contact with a member of the hotel staff was positive. The female staff who checked us in was friendly and warmly welcomed us to Hotel Papadopoli Venezia. She gave us a short introduction to the hotel and where to find things like restaurants. She even took notice of my friend’s status with the hotel group and upgraded the rooms occupied by my friends to terrace rooms. I like how Hotel Papadopoli Venezia arranged our rooms to be next to each other, which allowed us to talk to each other from our terraces in our respective rooms. The female staff also wanted to recommend places to get breakfast and meals when she noticed that our bookings do not come with breakfast. However, that is how much of a good service we received from the hotel. The service by the rest of the staff at Hotel Papadopoli Venezia was pretty standard and not memorable. It felt as if they were doing their bare minimum to provide service.
Overall
We had a comfortable stay at Hotel Papadopoli Venezia. The Deluxe Suite did come with a canal view and is very well appointed. The Venetian decor in the room is unique, and the use of gold colour did not come across as overbearing. We particularly liked the terrace, which allowed us to take in the views of Venice. The location is the most significant advantage of Hotel Papadopoli Venezia. Locating near the train station meant guests did not have to drag their luggage across multiple bridges. However, service was a tad standard and not impressionable.
UNAHotels is an Italian brand hotel that operates 25 hotels across the country and has seven properties in Milan alone. We chose to stay at UNAHotels Century Milano due to its proximity to Milano Centrale Station, which is about 7 mins walk to Milano Centrale Station and the Centrale Metro Station (next to Milano Centrale train station). The hotel’s proximity to train and metro stations provided its guests with excellent connections in Milan City and other parts of Italy. The several eateries and cafes near the hotel, in the vicinity of the train station, provided us with options to dine without having addition, there travel too far. There is a supermarket inside Milano Centrale Station, giving us the convenience of getting some drinks and snacks. The quiet but safe location where UNAHotels Century Milano sits, coupled with the numerous shops around, is an excellent place to stay when visiting Milan, especially if one has an early train out of Milan to catch. Furthermore, the hotel is a mere five Metro stops from the Duomo, where most of the shopping in the city congregates, meaning we are not too far away from the actions in Milan.
UNAHotels Century Milano facadeUNAHotels Century Milano signage on the main road
The front entrance of UNAHotels Century Milano
The back door of UNAHotels Century Milano
We walked into the hotel from its back door, passing through a garage on our first day in Milan
Reception in UNAHotels Century Milano
The hotel lobby is an excellent place for guests to hangoutThe cosy hotel lobby in UNAHotels Century Milano
The Superior Junior Suite
The only type of rooms in UNAHotels Century Milano are Junior Suites. The hotel has several suite configurations ranging from 30m² to 35m². The Superior Junior Suite that we stayed in has a generous (by Italian standard) floor area of 35m². My first impression of the Superior Junior Suite in UNAHotels Century Milano is very spacious and contemporary. We still have ample space to walk around in the Superior Junior Suite after laying our two 28″ luggage on the floor.
Work desk/ Wardrobe area
The Superior Junior Suite employs an open concept making the suite look spacious. We could see the entirety of the suite from the moment we opened the door. The use of a woody tone, mainly in the lighting, flooring and furniture in the Superior Junior Suite, gives it a very cosy feel. The use of an open wardrobe, placed next to the main entrance of the suite, adds to the open theme of the suite. However, I find the wardrobe a tad too small and can only hold a limited amount of clothing. Housed in the same area as the wardrobe is a minibar area, which only consists of a tiny fridge and a set of complementary tea and instant coffee. We cannot find any electric kettle for making tea and coffee, it turns out we had to request an electric kettle from the front desk if we needed to use it. A small safe is mounted below the mini bar area in the suite.
The work desk cum wardrobe area is right at the entrance to the suite.
The wardrobe and minibar in the Superior Junior Suite of UNAHotel Milano Centrale
Mini fridge in the suite
In-room Safe and drawers in the wardrobe
Nested in front of the wardrobe is a large empty work desk, which we used to place small items on. We also used this work desk as a dining table for the food we packed back as supper. The power outlets on the wall next to the work desk provided guests with the convenience of powering their laptops for work.
The large work desk in the Superior Junior Suite of UNAHotels Century Milano
Lounge Area
The work desk delineates the lounging area in the Superior Junior Suite. A large two-seater sofa, with a matching coffee table, occupies the space in front of the work desk and the window. The couch is very comfortable to sit on and ideal to lounge on while watching the programmes on the 39″ LED TV placed on the shelves mounted on the wall. As the wall was at an odd angle, we would have to adjust the TV to face the couch. The TV programmes in UNAHotels Century Milano are only limited to local channels. Despite having 100-plus channels, we found only one English channel. In addition to using the couch for lounging purposes, we found the sofa a perfect place to place our bags.
The comfortable couch in the lounge area39″ LED TV in the suite that has very limited English channels
Sleeping Area
A twin bed is tucked at one corner of the suite that feels isolated from the rest of the suite, despite having an open concept. The dark brown headboards and bedroom bench were consistent with the colour theme throughout the suite. The bed is very comfortable to sleep on, providing excellent sleep quality that left us recharged to explore Milan. However, I find the only pillow placed on the beds a tad soft for my liking. Besides using the extra pillow found in the wardrobe, we also requested an extra pillow from the front desk, which was delivered to us within minutes. The bedside tables on either side of the bed provided sufficient space for us to charge our phones and power banks.
The twin bed in the Superior Junior Suite of UNAHotels Century MilanoThe sleeping area in the Superior Junior Suite of UNAHotels Century Milano
