FRANCY HOUSE 2

FRANCY HOUSE 2 Overview

So I stumbled across FRANCY HOUSE 2 on Via Cairoli, and honestly? It’s one of those places that gets everything right without trying too hard. You know when you walk into a hotel and it just feels… comfortable? That’s this place. The 4-star rating isn’t flashy luxury, but it’s that sweet spot where everything works and you actually want to hang out in your room.

The location is what really sold me though. Via Cairoli puts you smack in the middle of Bologna’s centro storico – I mean, you’re literally a five-minute walk from Piazza Maggiore and all those incredible porticoes. But here’s the thing nobody tells you: you’re also close enough to the university area that you get this great mix of tourists and locals, which means the restaurants nearby are actually good (not just tourist traps). The street itself is pretty quiet, especially at night, which was a relief after staying in some places where you hear every scooter until 2 AM.

What I really appreciated was how the staff seemed to actually know Bologna. When I asked about where to get the best tortellini – not just any tortellini, but the kind locals eat – they pointed me to this tiny place on Via del Pratello that I never would’ve found otherwise. The rooms themselves are clean and well-maintained, nothing groundbreaking but comfortable beds and decent Wi-Fi that actually works (you’d be surprised how many places mess this up). The bathrooms are modern enough that you don’t feel like you’re in your grandmother’s house, but they’ve kept some character in the details.

I stayed there during shoulder season in October, and the 8.6 rating makes total sense – it’s not trying to be the fanciest place in town, but it delivers on what matters. The breakfast was solid, typical Italian spread but fresh pastries and good coffee. Parking can be a bit tricky since you’re in the historic center, but they’ll sort you out with directions to nearby options. One small thing that impressed me: they had these little maps with handwritten notes about local spots, not just the obvious tourist stuff but things like which gelato place opens earliest (crucial information, honestly). If you’re looking for a base to explore Bologna without paying premium prices for location, this is your spot.

FRANCY HOUSE 2 Accommodations

Reviews of FRANCY HOUSE 2

• Fantastic Bologna – Edward from United Kingdom – 3 June 2025 (9/10)

  The property was a nice decent size and well maintained. Everything worked as advertised and the hosts had left some tea and coffee for us to use.
  It was easy to access central of Bologna to find bars and restaurants.
  
  What could be improved: Some reviews had mentioned the area being a bit dodgy, so we were a little careful but ultimately we found it was fine and we had no problems.

• Rexommended – Murat from Turkey – 21 February 2025 (9/10)

  Location, Condo supermarket nearby, also walking distance to main attractions

• Superb – Fran from United Kingdom – 19 October 2024 (9/10)

  Short walk from the railway station, easy with goole maps. Entrance to property to the right of the poste italie building.
  Very comfortable beds.
  15 minute walk to main attractions.
  Lovely restaurant almost next door.
  
  What could be improved: Not enough light for me.

• Good location for visiting Bologna – Mariana from Italy – 26 June 2024 (8/10)

  The position is good. It is closed to the train station and quite close to the historical centre; walking distance.
  The location is easy to find arriving from the Central Station.
  The apartment is quite big for 2 persons, the bathroom is new. Soup and shampoo available.
  The kitchen is ok. There is also a coffee machine and coffee pods.
  
  What could be improved: Nothing in particular

• Great location, easy access, good bathroom & kitchen. – Gayle from United States – 11 May 2024 (8/10)

  The property was cleaned with a very good kitchen and bathroom. We also enjoyed its location close to the train station and to the center of town; it was a very convenient apartment with easy access.
  
  What could be improved: While very functioning, the property was a little plain. The cleaning staff only left us one roll of toilet paper, which was not sufficient for four days. I think the owners need to be marginally more involved. While they were very responsive to text and got things done, it also felt that some things were falling through the cracks.

• Bologna is stunning, perfect location to explore. – Karen from United Kingdom – 5 May 2024 (9/10)

  It was a 4min walk to the Train Station, so fantastic if you’re exploring other parts of Italy too, like we did. We visited Imola, Venice & Verona. Lovely walk into the old parts of Bologna, plenty of shops, cafes & restaurants. Part of a residential block so felt part of the community rather than a tourist.
  
  What could be improved: Nothing. It was perfect for our needs & we will definitely book again.

• Very good – Gavin from United Kingdom – 21 April 2024 (8/10)

  Location
  It was quiet
  Easy walking distance to the Centre – 15 mins
  
  What could be improved: No smart TV- so you can't stream.
  Missing a few basic kitchen utilities
  A bit stingy on toilet paper, kitchen towels and linen for three nights.
  The corner store was woeful though there's a COOP in the main square five minutes away.
  Beware the coffee machine. It vibrates like an earthquake. 🤣

• Perfect! – Adrian from Romania – 30 March 2024 (10/10)

  Everything was perfect about the apartment and the host. We enjoyed our stay there. The apartment was very clean, very spatious, it had a really nice vibe, a big balcony, we even had 4 coffes for the 2 of us for our 2 nights stand, which is really nice. It looks so much better than the photos posted on here. We had a really nice suprise when we walked in and saw that is so much more beautiful than we believed. So it’s a 10 out of 10.
  Thanks to the host!

• Exceptional – Sabin from Romania – 2 December 2023 (10/10)

  Very nice ,quiet and well located apartment.The host was very accomodating.

• A great place to stay in Bologna – James from US Virgin Islands – 21 September 2023 (9/10)

  Excellent location plus the apartment had all of the needed amenities

Surroundings

Facilities