Hotel - Residence La Residenza

Let's start with the good points: Good location. The room was spacious and had an old classic design. The person at the reception was friendly. Bad points: Our bathroom was small and the bathroom tub/shower was really dirty. Same the shower panels. Almost no breakfast, just a coffee machine, packed biscuits and bread. Quite expensive for what it offers.

As a first port of call off the ferry from Salerno the Residenza was great. A late arrival meant they had to leave us a key - no problemo! The rooms are like your own palazzo: tiled floors and friezes in the ceiling. The closest restaurant was great - everything comes from Sicily - even the men! Located just far enough away from the locals doing blocks with the music blaring - reminded me of Newcastle ( AUS )

Terrible! No one was at reception to check us in for the WHOLE TIME WE WERE THERE!!! We luckily only managed to get in because the cleaner was cleaning the doorway and left it open. Completely unacceptable. Breakfast was really awful and very stingy. Do not stay here.

We arrived at the hotel around 20:00 on Saturday night after long journey. Then found out the reception and the door into the hotel were closed. We rang the number on the notice on the door, panicking. The first word I heard was "I don't speak English". After felt-like hours of panic with many phone calls and confused conversations, at last, the person on the other end of the line decided to send a member of the staff when I asked for refund as we couldn't find a card key into the room. The reception is open 8:00-12:00 and 16:00-20:00 on weekdays and only in the morning on weekends, and unfortunately we don't speak Italian and they only speak very basic English. Our "room" (it had 1 spacious double bed room, small single room, a big terrace, bathroom and small kitchen with cooker and fridge!) was clean, but heating wasn't working. I imagine if you stay there during the summer intending to cater yourself, that place must be fantastic, however, our timing wasn't good. Even though breakfast was included, you must think that you won't get one, as what prepared on the table were: 2 jags of juice, water, bags of dried bread, jam and butter. There was coffee machine next to it, so my husband and I had a couple of (plastic) cups of coffee as the space for breakfast was freezing and nothing wasn't appetizing. Our experience was awful, but if you speak Italian and intending to stay in Messina for a while during summer, I guess that wouldn't be as bad. But why is it 4 star hotel??

For the price it was fine but it is not near any restaurants and very hard to find your way around at night.

There are good and weak points about this place. Alexa at the desk is a hoot and the staff was very friendly. Room was large but somehow dingy; halls smelled musty. Location is excellent, near the centro storico and port and train station and shopping. (Important note, best gelato in the area at Piazza Cairola, think the name was Niara). The lack of restaurants nearby disappointing so we resorted to a bottle of wine, sharp cheese, sundried tomatoes and olives and bread, all Very Italian...in our room. Breakfast limited to sweets and beverages. (Our) Air Conditioning was very weak and we sweated a little.

This place served it's purpose for one night - to get into Messina and out of it again as quickly as possible! Messina was not a particularly nice town, a bit soul-less, so I wouldn't recommend a stay there unless absolutely necessary. If you do decide to stay, this hotel was ok, but not brilliant. The air conditioning did not work in the room, the lady on reception was not particularly helpful and had zero english (not her fault I know but I would have expected even some basic english), and the bathroom was poky.

I really enjoyed our stay at this hotel; the room was amazing! It was like a small apartment, with a kitchenette, a couple of rooms/bathrooms, and balcony with incredible view. We were on the top floor which was quite a trek up the stairs, but they have a neat little elevator. There was wireless internet in the rooms, but I think you need to pay for usage (wasn't clear) - I just used the free internet point they had in the lobby, it was never busy. There were some connectivity problems over weekend, but I think it was just a one-time issue. The breakfast is small but really nice! Cereal, juice, some pastries/breads, and a cappuccino machine - plenty to get you going for the day. One note is that the room slide card is used to enter and exit the hotel itself, and you may have stick it in the circuit breaker box by the door while you're in the room to keep the electricity on (or it'll turn off). I just wanted to mention that because it was the one instruction I had trouble understanding at first with my limited Italian, as I've never been in a hotel that did that before! I think it's just to conserve electricity so you don't leave the lights on when you're out and about. The hotel is really central, and there is a supermercato just a block north, and lots of fresh fruits/veg shops along the street. The Piazza Cairoli is just east about 4 blocks, which is an awesome central location to catch the Messina tram - it will bring you to all the main places you need to go, such as the Messina Centrale train station, duomo, museum, etc (just don't forget to buy tram tickets at the newspaper places before boarding, and validate them in the machine on board). Overall a really nice experience, and great home base for our travels. Comfortable and clean, and they left chocolates on our pillows which is always nice.

Stayed here for 1 night, very nice hotel. Room was very comfortable and also contained a small kitchen. It was in a central location, would stay here again.

In booking this hotel I had a late arrival guaranteed, and as such expected the hotel to be open when I arrived at 8pm (not particularly late). However the hotel reception had closed and left no contact details that were visibel from the street in order to have an out of hours receptionist return to the hotel to check in. Our only luck was that a fellow guest arrived who could speak Italian and English and had contact details for the out of hours reception. If I have requested and have been guaranteed a late arrival, and have paid up front for the hotel, I expect to be able to check in. I do not recommend this hotel and would not stay there again.