Greta Garbo, appartement dans le cadre suggestif d'un ancien cinéma

This is a truly lovely apartment and very comfortable. It had very high ceilings and two full window walls of glass looking onto two terraces (one private and one shared), one in the living room and one in the bedroom. This meant that it was very spacious. The bed was very comfortable and there were two deep sofas in the living room - perfect for naps after a long day of exploring Bologna.

The bathroom was luxurious and the hot water abundant. The air-conditioning worked very well and we put it to the test on some hot days. There were big closets and other storage space. There are 2 washers and a dryer in the building basement available for use - just keep in mind that it takes 2 hours to wash and over 2 hours to dry.

The apartment is called "James Dean" since the building was formerly a movie theater and has a movie theme. There were movie posters and photos as decoration, which was fun.

Francesca, the concierge, was very nice and accommodating. One of the restaurant recommendations, Trattoria Da Me, was almost next door and absolutely fabulous - but also popular so make a reservation.

The only reason why I rated it with 4 stars instead of 5 is that the kitchen was so minimally equipped. No wine glasses? Really? We still managed to cook breakfast every morning and dinner most evenings, but you need to be adaptive. The refrigerator and freezer worked great. There is a dishwasher but we didn't use it. The stove and oven are electric. No microwave or toaster and only an on-stove espresso maker (which I luckily knew how to use).

Nevertheless, we would stay here again. There is a bus stop right out the door that takes you to Piazza Maggiore (except on the weekend when that area is pedestrian-only). There is a grocery store a block away. This made it convenient for touring Bologna and taking the train for a day trip to Ravenna. Both cities were fun to visit, a nice mix of the ancient and the contemporary. I definitely recommend this place.