Hotel Al Prato

Location was the best especially for pilgrimage to St. Anthony's. Room was very clean and convenient (although shower cubicle was tiny even by Asian standards). The different young staff at reception were sincerely helpful and energetic and eager to provide local info.

Firstly, staff were all outstanding in hospitality except for one person. Sadly, in a small hotel or similar bed and breakfast, breakfast is half the amenity paid for and expected. Breakfast here is a late 7.30am everyday. I say late because we were in town for work. No matter, the other days we just followed the schedule. On the day of our departure, we had previously requested the night before to have early breakfast because of an early departure. We were told by the really excellent lady the night before at reception, a lovely girl named Matilde, that 6.30am was okay (also, the hotel info sheet indicated you can request for early breakfast if you notify the night before). When we went down 6.45am and requested for coffee, at first the breakfast lady (staff in question) was like okay, fine. When I asked for a juice (ordinarily only coffee and juice were on offer anyway), she started muttering loudly under her breath in Italian that she was still busy preparing and can't finish her preparations. So instead of sitting on the breakfast table, we settled for one of the lobby tables. Since we had a few minutes and the buffet was half set anyway, I stood to help myself to some fruit. At this point, she was almost glaring at me as to why I was approaching the breakfast area. I meant to get some fruit but the fruit was overipe and old anyway. Instead I got a packaged cracker and a couple of bottled water (from the bar fridge) as I didn't want to 'disturb' her. Again, she was giving me a look and an attitude the whole time. When I went to trash the plastic water bottle I had consumed (meaning to be helpful) , she even lectured me on how it was the wrong trash bin because it was supposed to be segregated. So we just stood up and left. It was already past 7am anyway (not like we requested breakfast at 5am or something). This departure really left a sour note on my stay.