After a fast 30 mins train ride from Florence, I arrived in Bologna. It was short and crowded. Thankfully the ride was short. It was the most crowded Italian train that I have ever taken, thankfully I still managed to get some space for my luggage. Bologna can be said as the major connection or railstop in the northern part of the country. So the trains here are pretty frequent. Bologna train station is located just on the fringe of the city, so from there it is an easy 15 to 20 mins walk to the central area. I booked my accommodation kind of last min since I was actually due to stay with a friend in town. However there is some glitch that she has last min which result in me making other plans. I decide to put up in Hotel Palace Bologna since the location is good and it is well priced. I would say that it is a solid 3 star hotel.
I book a single room for my 4 night stay here. The stay was pretty long here since I will only be arriving in the evening and then I will be leaving on Mon. Bologna is the last city of my trip in this Europe trip! Surely the best was to end a trip is to be in the culinary city of Italy! Furthermore on one of the day, I will making a day trip to Modena and visit some Parmigiano Reggiano and Balsamic Vinegar factory, so stay tuned for that! The rate that I booked was 212.50 euros. So that is about 53 Euros a night. The rate includes breakfast as well so that is something. I find the price attractive. In the winter months, the sun sets pretty fast, so, even though I arrived slightly after 4pm, the sun was already beginning to set while I make my way to check in. The lobby gave me a very oldie feels and impression. It felt like a cigar room or something in cuba. Everything was clearly past its prime and felt to be of the previous generation.
Thankfully the staff was well trained and helpful. They gave a lot of information and help. They even arrange for the transfer to the airport for me when I was checking out. Everything was fast and I has given the key to my room on the top floor. The lobby was actually pretty nice and spacious. There was many lounging chair and spaces. Seemingly of course it matched the decor and felt something of the past. Although I appreciate the effort and newspaper was given too. The striking red chairs were a little of an eyesore though!
My room was sort of a little attic room, the size was okay, definitely one of the larger ones that I have stayed before. However the moment that I entered, the room felt stuffy and smell of smoke. I specifically requested for a non smoking room, so perhaps it is the little cigar room effect playing a mind trick on me. Something that I do not like about some hotels in the cooler season is that they turn off the air conditioning in the place. But they don’t air the room. It felt stuffy and dusty. Thankfully the place quickly cool off when I open the little attic window which was pretty cool.
The bed was located right beside the entrance and then the toilet is on the other side. At the end of the room was a little tv set up and then a luggage area under it. As usually the room felt old. Really old. Then the wardrobe was on the far end of the room.
Actually, as mentioned, the coolest part of the room got to be the attic window that opens up at an angle. Not only was it good as you can just open a little gap to cool the place but it also had this very very amazing view of Bologna!
The toilet was underwhelming as well. There is nothing much to say. It was okay. The water pressure was good, hair dryer was provided, the only concern is the temperature control was kind of out of control. The wifi was good. I also loved that the place had sockets just next to the bed.
I had breakfast everyday here although it aren’t as good as what you will thought that you will find in Bologna, the foodie capital in Italy. I guess everything just pales in comparison since the quality that you can find outside here is so much better. It is still nice to be able to have a bite when you come down from your room. There is also a express breakfast option for those who are on a rush and you can grab some coffee, juices and pastry. The breakfast room is located around the corner from the lobby. There are pastry, cold cuts, fruits, eggs and bacon. The bacon are pretty awesome though!
However the coffee machine is just crap which is a turn off given the coffee standards in Italy! Overall, Hotel Palace Bologna is pretty awesome if you are looking for a budget option, furthermore I think it’s the cheapest price you can pay for that little awesome view! Given the price I would say that I am pretty satisfied with the standards. If you have a little more to spare, I am sure you can find a better one.
Seeing The World In Steps 