Venini Hotel

Horrible experience at this hotel. A little late in writing this review but gave me an opportunity to read through others and realise that what happened to us was not a one-off. We visited Milan in June 2023 and had this hotel booked as part of our travel package from a booking agency. We were already apprehensive of the place given terrible reviews across so many third party travel sites but still thought of giving it a shot. The place is run by a really unprofessional old lady and her husband. Prior to arriving, we had confirmed our stay over mail and had received acknowledgement but once we got there, the lady said there was some "technical glitch" in the system because of which the room charge that had been taken from us was for a one-person stay, although the room booked was for two people. She insisted that we pay additional 50 euros for the room (even though we had confirmation from their end for the booking being for 2 people) and when we tried discussing amongst ourselves and calling our booking agency, she wouldn't let us talk and went as far as to threaten "if the lady (me) doesn't talk to me, there's no room for you here." It was a traumatizing experience for us and appeared to be extortion. We had to pay the additional amount to be able to atleast get out of the hotel and continue our sightseeing, having already wasted 3 hours because of them. The room was subpar, the breakfast was meagre. Would have rather stayed somewhere else at a higher price than go through this pathetic experience.

My stay at Hotel Venini was deeply disappointing and marred by unprofessional conduct. During check-in, there was an unfortunate misunderstanding regarding my British passport, despite presenting it. The situation escalated to the point of them threatening to involve the police, solely based on a Visa stamp from a past trip to Saudi Arabia. I can't help but wonder if my race played a role in this unwarranted suspicion. Furthermore, the hotel's claim of offering gluten-free bread turned out to be false, resulting in health issues during my stay. The breakfast options provided were meager, limited to only a green apple and coffee. Interestingly, while my friend faced no issues with guests visiting, I was denied the same privilege despite paying for the room. Such inconsistencies in treatment were disheartening. Throughout my interactions with the staff, there was a lack of professionalism and empathy. The Friday in my room was unhygienic, and it took an extended period to receive my key upon arrival. Additionally, I experienced discomfort due to an abundance of bites during my stay, leading me to change hotels on the third night. Despite these shortcomings, I must mention that the hotel's mother was pleasant and accommodating. However, the young lad at the reception, who appeared a little aloof, seemed to be indifferent towards my concerns. As a seasoned traveler, I must emphasize that my experience at Hotel Venini stands out as the worst encounter I've had in decades of exploring Europe. I hope that the management takes these issues seriously and works towards providing a more inclusive and professional experience for all guests