Hotel Centrum

“Great little hotel close to all the action”

Due to a super-early morning flight, I arrived at the hotel at 8:40 am. I had informed them in advance of this early arrival and was delighted to find that they had a room ready for me at 9:30. Much obliged. I had breakfast while waiting for the room to be ready and then went up to the room for a n… more

Due to a super-early morning flight, I arrived at the hotel at 8:40 am. I had informed them in advance of this early arrival and was delighted to find that they had a room ready for me at 9:30. Much obliged. I had breakfast while waiting for the room to be ready and then went up to the room for a nap before starting to explore Catania. All receptionists were friendly and spoke English well. Check-in was swift and easy. Reception is open 24/7. To avoid street noise, I had asked for a room facing away from the street, and this had been taken into account. There was no view to speak of on the 1st floor, but the room was reasonably quiet and the blinds did a good job keeping the room dark after sunrise. Do note that the lift does not stop on the first floor. Not an issue for me, but ask for a room on another floor if you need the lift. The room was rather small but spotlessly clean and apparently recently renovated as it was in very good condition. There was a comfortable bed, with a socket by the bed, as well as a luggage rack, closet, desk and chair. A safe and fridge were provided, but no water bottles. There was AC, but staying in April, I did not need it. Wifi was free, easy to use, fast and reliable. The room was cleaned daily. The bathroom was on the tight side, but had been recently renovated. It came with a bidet and a shower cubicle with a handheld shower. Water pressure was good. There was an overhead shower as well, but it did not stay on despite good water pressure, so it was not usable. Amenities included wall-mounted containers of shampoo and shower gel as well as single-use body lotion and bars of hand soap. Slippers were also provided. Brekafast was served downstairs every morning from 7:30 to 10. I stayed for three nights, and it became a bit repetitive, but it nevertheless gave you a good start of the day: cheeses, cold cuts, breads, cereals, yoghurt, fruit. The highlight was the variety of home-baked sweet items. There were several cakes and desserts daily, and these changed from day to day. I loved the pistachio mousse and the tiramisu. Coffee of your choice will be brought to the table. I found the location great. Piazza del Duomo and Via Etnea are a ten-minute walk away, and there are several minimarkets close to the hotel for drinks and snacks. Restaurant Sikulo just around the corner was of high quality and had friendly service. The airport bus stops 150 metres from the hotel (stop Cutelli). The hotel only has 16 rooms and service is very personalised. They claim three stars, which seems right. The room could be larger, but apart from that, everything was as it should be. I paid 129 EUR/night, which felt a bit high considering the room size, but it did include breakfast. On the other hand, the hotel was fully booked every night, so I guess the price is just right. I will gladly stay here again should my travels bring me back to Catania one day.

less