HouSmart Milazzo 5

HouSmart Milazzo 5 Overview

You know what struck me first about HouSmart Milazzo 5? The name honestly sounds a bit corporate, but the place itself is anything but soulless. I mean, when you’re walking down Via Milazzo – which is this lovely tree-lined street just north of Bologna’s historic center – you almost miss it because it blends so naturally with the neighborhood’s elegant architecture. The building has that classic Bolognese charm with its warm terracotta facade, and you can tell they’ve renovated it thoughtfully without stripping away the character.

The location is actually brilliant if you know Bologna at all. You’re literally a five-minute walk from Piazza dell’Indipendenza, which locals use as a shortcut to avoid the tourist crowds in the main squares. I love that you can slip out in the morning, grab proper espresso at the little bar on the corner (not the hotel coffee – I mean, it’s fine, but why would you when real Italian coffee is right there?), and either walk into the centro storico or hop on the bus system that connects right from Via Milazzo. The university area is close enough that you get this nice energy from students and professors, but far enough that you’re not dealing with party noise at night.

What really won me over though was how the staff actually seemed to know the city. The guy at reception – I think his name was Marco – didn’t just hand me a generic map but walked me through which streets to take to avoid construction near San Petronio, and he was spot-on about the little osteria he recommended on Via del Pratello. The rooms themselves feel more like a boutique hotel than your typical 4-star place. Mine had these gorgeous hardwood floors that creaked just slightly (in a good way, not annoying), and the bathroom was modern without being sterile. Honestly, the bed was fantastic – I’m picky about mattresses, and this one had just the right firmness. The only tiny complaint? The air conditioning can be a bit loud, but Bologna in summer is no joke, so you’ll want it running anyway.

Here’s the thing about this place that you won’t get from reading other reviews – it feels like it’s run by people who actually live in Bologna and care about the city. They have this small library in the lobby with books about local history and art, and I noticed they stock local products in the breakfast spread. Speaking of breakfast, it’s not huge, but everything’s quality – proper prosciutto, fresh pastries from a local bakery, and they make decent cappuccinos. The whole experience just feels authentic in a way that’s getting harder to find. You’re staying somewhere that enhances your Bologna experience rather than isolating you from it, if that makes sense. For the price point and that 8.3 rating, it’s honestly a solid choice – especially if you want to feel like you’re actually in Bologna, not just visiting it.

HouSmart Milazzo 5 Accommodations

Reviews of HouSmart Milazzo 5

• Overall, very nice apartment. Highly recommended. – Oliver from United States – 29 June 2025 (8/10)

  Well equipped apartment. Excellent water pressure, water heater and air conditioning. Pretty comfortable beds. Full sized refrigerator and freezer, microwave. Complete kitchen tools.
  
  Location is very close to the Bologna train station – only 2 blocks away. Historic Center is walkable, around 1 km. Would have been even easier except we we're in the middle of a heat wave.
  
  What could be improved: The biggest negative was the lack of clarity about where to find the lock box to the apartment keys. Which was at a location separate from the apartment. If you expect to arrive after dark, I suggest you make arrangements to have the hosts deliver the keys to you even if you have to pay a fee.
  
  Also Booking dot com should require apartment to disclose square footage of the apartment. While the size of the apartment was comfortable, the photos made the apartment look bigger.

• Good – Kıvılcım from Turkey – 10 June 2025 (7/10)

  Ev güzel temizlenmişti. Check in talimatları bence yeterince açıklayıcıydı, zorlanmadık. Konumu tren istasyonuna 5 dk, merkeze ise 20 dk yürüme. Daha çok trenle gezecekseniz tercih edilebilir.
  
  What could be improved: Tuvalet kağıdı ve şampuan ve duş jeli çok az sayıdaydı. Kendimiz almak zorunda kaldık. Yorumlarda ev sahibinin koyduğundan fazla gerekli ise konaklayan kişinin alması gerektiğini belirtilmiş. Bence doğru bir bakış açısı değil. 4 gece 5 günlük konaklamamızda sadece 2 tane tuvalet kağıdı vardı. Ayrıca tesisin etrafı geceleri tenha oluyor ve çok güvenilir değil ancak bir sıkıntı yaşamadık sadece tedirgin olduk.

• Superb – Mark from United Kingdom – 14 May 2025 (9/10)

  Location. Very near railway station and short walk to the city centre.

• It was an ok stay, could be better. – Svetlana from United States – 4 May 2025 (7/10)

  It's a perfect location in relation to the train station if you plan to use Bologna as a base for day trips. Not bad for the old city access either if you don't mind walking.
  It's a one-bedroom apartment with the kitchen. The bed was comfortable.
  
  What could be improved: 1. Getting the key to the apartment was challenging. Video links sent by the host did not come through, and we stood outside, not knowing what to do until I called an "emergency" number.
  2. We were given 2 tiny soaps and 2 tiny bottles of shampoo for a 6 night stay. There were no paper towels or napkins or bottled water. There is a washing machine in the apartment, but no detergents or pods. Host could be more generous.
  3. The shower in the bathroom is very small, and no shelves to put your shampoo or soap, you have to hold everything in your hands while showering.
  4. Windows are to a very noisy street. Nothing to do about that, just something to keep in mind.

• Gemischter Gesamteindruck bei gehobenem Preis. – Volker from Germany – 3 May 2025 (7/10)

  Die Nähe zum Bahnhof. Es ist eine richtige kleine Wohnung in einer gepflegten Anlage.
  
  What could be improved: Schlafzimmer zu eng und ohne Türe. Keine Garderobe im Eingang, man kann nichts im Eingang ablegen außer im Schirmständer. Kein Couchtischchen. Kein persönlicher Kontakt.

• Superb – Irina from Russia – 6 January 2025 (9/10)

  Номер очень просторный, чистый. Есть всё необходимое: чайник, фен, плита, духовка, стиральная машина, гель для душа. В декабре было хорошее отопление, в номере было тепло. Интернет стабильный, есть телевизор.
  Апартаменты близко к вокзалу, буквально пару минут пешком. Так же недалеко идти до центра. Это удобно.
  Советую сходить в джелатерию в доме напротив, там делают лучшее мороженое!
  В целом номер очень понравился. Рекомендую!
  
  What could be improved: Инструкция по заселению и вправду неудобная. Сначала администратор забыл выслать инструкцию. Прислал только после напоминания в whatsapp. Первая ссылка была недоступна. Пришлось звонить администратору, чтобы выслал корректную, так как мы уже стояли у дома апартаментов с чемоданами.
  После прислал 2 ссылки в youtube. Первое видео – инструкция для получения ключей, второе – по поиску апартаментов. Интернет был мобильный, так что смотреть было неудобно, так же пришлось посмотреть кучу рекламы….
  Ключи были в соседнем квартале и не было ясно, с какой стороны их искать.

• Recomendable – Sonia from Spain – 17 November 2024 (9/10)

  La temperatura del apartamento era perfecta. La ubicación muy buena.
  
  What could be improved: Eché en falta una tostadora y una cafetera más grande.

• Bueno – Eduardo from Argentina – 28 October 2024 (8/10)

  What could be improved: El espacio del dormitorio

• Good room good location – Margaret from Australia – 24 October 2024 (9/10)

  Nice room and good location. The area felt safe
  
  What could be improved: The lockbox was on a building on another corner. Host sent a video of where it was but we still had trouble finding it.

• Very good – Xiaoli from China – 18 August 2024 (8/10)

  能做饭，有洗衣机，离火车站近，附近有超市，沙发床很有用，厨具齐全
  
  What could be improved: 空调声音有点大，建议备耳塞，建议多提供一些备用卫生纸和洗衣球，厨房调料也尽量备一下食用油，其他都挺好

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Facilities