Pensione Bencista

Aperitif with super view and magical atmosphere! I recently found out that it will close at the end of October 2024. It was sold. I'm so sorry about that. This is a place of the heart , with its elegance of yesteryear. I hope that those who renovate it will be able to maintain the history and magic that characterize and make it unique and not make it yet another useless anonymous luxury hotel.

Firstly the views are truly breathtaking and the food was fantastic. I would highly recommend coming for an evening meal and enjoying the quality of the ingredients and the relaxing feel of this amazing spot. Unfortunately the hotel I would say is average overall and in need of some money being spent on it to bring up back up to standard; without the view this would have been slightly below average stay for the price. The things to improve include: - We were given two single beds instead of a double bed that would slide apart through the night. - the staff were hit and miss. Some were lovely and friendly, some had given up it felt like. Examples include asking if there were days trips or massages that could be organised to which you just get a “no sorry we don’t do anything of that”. When staff are just sat on their phones they could try and be more helpful and search online etc. - Cleaners coming at 9:30am and waking us asking if we didn’t want a cleaning today is borderline rude. Especially as there were not many guests at the hotel. They should wait until at least 10:30 in my opinion. It felt like they were trying to get out of cleaning the room for the day. - the hotel is in need of money being spent on it to bring it up to scratch. I know it’s an old building, but it has been a long time since money was spent to upgrade facilities. The spa didn’t reopen after Covid, the shower water pressure is low, the bed frame was extremely basic etc. There are essentially no facilities or services other than the restaurant, a pool would be a great welcome addition.

We stayed for an aperitif: very weak cocktail, seemed stretched with water, maybe not but still really slow, as an accompaniment only to olives. Asked if it was possible to have chips or peanuts, nothing. You can only order saucers, dear and rather contained. Too bad, with such a view it would take little more.