The Magazine Hotel & Apartments

We are staying at this lovely hotel during the National Holidays and so far, we can’t complain. The elevator is working although we only used it once so far. Also the after hours checkin was easy enough, but we had to request it before arrival. Accessing the room for the first time might theoretically be a bit of a challenge as it requires entering up to 3 passcodes. The room though is very comfortable and in our case also quiet. I didn’t even require the earplugs that I packed after doing my due diligence. (i.e. reading former reviews) I certainly like the delicious smell of the shampoo and body wash. The lovely staff also made sure our stay was as convenient as possible. Giving us the best recommendations for our activities, we certainly felt that we were in good hands.

I thought I hit the jackpot with a 41% discount deal, but reality hit when I checked in. This place is nowhere near worth the price they were advertising, especially compared to what you can find online for the original cost. It's like they're trying to be a fancy hotel or apartment, but it's more like a private room in a hostel. Reception and room are on the "first floor," which might be considered second floor for of the world, you've got to haul your bags up the stairs because there's no elevator Now, here's where it gets interesting. My room is practically a stone's throw from the check-in desk. Yep, you read that right. Zero privacy. I can hear every single thing happening at reception, from random chatter to full-blown conversations. To top it off, I locked myself out of my room one night (oops, took the Wi-Fi password instead of my room card). I had to crash on the lobby sofa until reception opened up at 8 in the morning. And guess what? I got a firsthand listen to all the symphonies of snoring, talking, and even some, um, romantic activities from the rooms nearby. Privacy? Nope, not a thing at this "hotel". Speaking of rooms, let's dive into mine. It's not bad, but it definitely doesn't live up to the non discounted price they advertised, And the worst part? I feel like I'm on display to the entire square below. I mean, I couldn't even change without worrying that people outside could see in. Plus, the windows are thin, so street noise filters in, and there's some big celebration planned for the square. Great for the city, not so great for my sleep, as they started setting up at 7am this morning. There is also a lack of blackout blinds, so it's bright as day in the room right at sunrise, which is super early during European summer. Okay, okay, here's a shout-out where it's due. The person at the check-in desk was hands down one of the nicest hotel employees I've met while traveling Europe, and tried really hard to make things better for me, but appreciate the ease only so much she could do in peak season. She managed to switch me to a room that's not like, right next to the lobby, which was nice. But honestly, it didn't fix all the issues. I'll give 'em this: the hotel's location is killer, right smack in the middle of the main city square. But here's the bottom line: I can't really recommend this place, especially with other options out there in the same price range. And let's not even talk about paying full price. I tried asking for a refund for the rest of my stay, but that got a big nope. So now I'm on the hunt for a new place to crash, 'cause I'm not letting this mess ruin my time in this awesome city, even though I'm still required to also pay for this accommodation.