AC Hotel Bologna

I have had reasonably good experiences with the AC Hotel in Bologna in previous years; not this time. There is really no public space at all, other than a banquette in the lobby that might seat four people uncomfortably. The restaurant/bar area (there is no real bar) is barely attended. I ordered my welcome drink and waited in vain for half an hour for someone to ask if I wanted something else. Getting the check required walking into the kitchen and asking if anyone was there. ||The desk staff are not always knowledgeable. I asked where I might go to buy some extra clothing. The response: "Um -- you might try going into the center of town."||Everyone seems agreed that the hotel's location is not ideal. A bus stops at the front door of the hotel, the desk could not tell me where it went or how to pay for it. The desk sells half bottles of wine that you can take to your room; they have corks, not screwtops, and the rooms are not equipped with corkscrews. I asked twice for them to send up a corkscrew. They did that after the second request; then, fifteen minutes later, someone knocked on the door to ask for the corkscrew back. Do we infer that the hotel only has one corkscrew? ||Housekeeping walked in without knocking on two of my four mornings there. ||Finally, the hotel insisted on charging me for five nights, rather than the four I reserved. I have Ambassador elite status; this got me three macaroons. ||This is the only Marriott branded hotel in Bologna. I wish that weren’t true. I won’t stay there again.

I’d give this a low 4-star as it was a pretty average experience here for 4 nights. There are likely better accommodations in Bologna, but it works fine for anyone loyal to Marriott. The location is good (15-minute walk to the main train station and 20 to the city).

We had a really comfortable stay here. The hotel was clean, the beds were comfy, and the night staff gave us a warm welcome when we arrived. Our room was well looked after each day, with everything restocked, and the location was great — about a 10-minute walk to the centre, so super easy to get around. The only downside was the front desk support. When we asked about parking nearby (while considering renting a car), the staff member didn’t know and didn’t make much effort to find out — even with a colleague right next to him. Same kind of response when we had issues with the Wi-Fi, just a vague “I don’t know,” and no follow-up. Overall though, it was a solid stay — just would’ve been nice to see a bit more initiative from the team at reception with these kinds of issues.

I went in Apr, and I really hated the hotel. The staff was very rude! Also, the cleaners just forgot to clean our room. When we reached out to them 2 times, again they ignored! and for third time, someone came to cursory clean it. Towels were torn and old, the gym was very old, the breakfast does not value the money. Coffee machine was broke for 4 days! there was a limited time when someone fix it, but very limited like a 15 min and there was a long queue! The breakfast was very limited too. I just had eggs. Overall, I had a bad experience and will never ever go to it again.

We stayed here for a few nights and overall had a decent experience. The hotel is about a 15-minute walk from the train station. The immediate surroundings aren’t the most scenic, but the location worked well for us—it was an easy walk both to the train and to the downtown area where most of the shops and restaurants are located. There's also a Lidl nearby, which was convenient for picking up affordable and healthy breakfast items since breakfast wasn’t included (even for Titanium members—they only offer a discount). The room was comfortable and did its job. We appreciated the large bed, the bath tub, and the small gym, which even had a balcony so you could cool off outside after a workout. One downside was the lobby, which was extremely hot and uncomfortable throughout our stay. Check-in wasn’t the smoothest either—it seemed like the staff might have been training, as there were three people at the desk chatting around a computer and no one acknowledged us for several minutes. That said, the service improved after that point, and the staff was helpful and friendly for the rest of our stay. If you're looking for a reasonably priced place within walking distance of the city center and train station, this could be a good fit—just don’t expect luxury or too many perks.

Very disappointed by this hotel. It is NOT “next to the historic center” as it claims; it’s a solid 10 block walk. It is really a business hotel; no way would a leisure traveler pick this sordid place. But, the pictures of the hotel exterior are closely cropped so that you can’t see that the surrounding neighborhood is sketchy to say the least. The picture below shows the actual graffiti strewn view from the hotel front door. We were given a threadbare blanket in our room. We were delivered a second blanket on request. The breakfast was inadequate and not worth the money, and we skipped it. We were there with friends; we literally abandoned the 2nd night of our 2 night stay and left. The hotel kept our prepaid monies. The only upside was the staff was polite, but that is expected. I’d never stay there again, and am seriously rethinking my entire relationship with Marriot over the stay, and in particular, the misleading description of the hotel, which to all 4 of us seemed fraudulent.

Good stay, friendly staff Reviewed Jan 10, 2024 via mobile Our ninth hotel trekking through Europe…the AC Hotel Bologna did not disappoint. We arrived quite early and were able to get into our room. Luca was very helpful getting us checked in and advising about the Elite benefits available. Our room was clean and pretty standard. Nice park view from the fifth floor. Heater control was the best we’ve encountered this winter…easy to understand and adjust. The only negative would be the bathroom sink design…with any more pressure than a minimum setting and the water shoots over the sink into the floor. Breakfast was standard and tasty with an egg and meat as well as plenty of nice cold cuts, cheeses, fruits, juices, pastries and breads. We had one dinner at the restaurant and the Tagliatelle with Ragu was very good. After we were settled in the room the front desk sent up a nice tray with sweets and a cordial…very nice in addition to a welcome gift of candy. We appreciated the generosity and welcome to Bologna. We walked two times into the city center. About 20-30 minutes depending on how many times you stop for a gelato. Safe neighborhood with Lidl Grocery Store on the nearby corner. Next time we are in Bologna, we will definitely consider returning to AC Hotel. The staff and property provided a quality stay at a fair price. Date of stay: January 2024

Terrible experience. Did not even meet basic standards. The room was very hot and we were not informed the AC was broken until we asked. Staff offer a fan and said to open the window. The USB plug is broken, unable to charge phone. Staff offer an international charger adapter, but none even fit the room outlets. Shower water was going in and out hot and cold. We can hear loud music playing all night long. This was such a bad experience for family with kids.

The hotel is a 5 min. walk from the train station yet it cost over 12 euros & takes :10 by taxi, it must be close to the airport as airlines staff stay here. It was a :30 walk, over the train tracks, to the main square. The area near the hotel is nothing special. Early Check in isn't available. Although we are platinum elite plus breakfast is not included, it is 13 Euros each morning. There is a large Nespresso machine in the lounge but no charging stations downstairs. There is a small fitness room directly above our room. Room 515 was efficient with a king bed, fridge, safe, coffeemaker, t-v & bathtub. There were many European outlets & no USB ports. We asked at the desk about an extra adapter it costs 60 euros . The fridge was stocked with expensive items for sale. We have a view of the tennis center. The room was barren and felt more like a college dorm room needing to be decorated. The furniture had a used feel & the bed felt like my dorm cot, it felt like I was sleeping in a HOLE with starched white sheets. It was 2 twin beds on wheels pushed together. I woke up during the night screaming in back pain, I never had a back problem, I was always fine. I had to literally crawl out of the dip / hole in my bed in PAIN! It took @ 2 hours afterward to stand up straight only to get back into bed & have the same problem. I was surprised we didn't have a box of tissues but a small plastic envelope with 5. There were no glasses provided just 2 paper cups. The bathroom had dark brown wallpaper, the room was dark & didn't have a window. A magnifying mirror & better lighting would be helpful. The shower had nice water pressure. The air conditioning didn't get very cool. We need a reservation to use the gym and it wasn't available for 2 hrs - wish we knew in advance. The breakfast buffet is from 7 to 10:30, Alex a trainee was friendly & helpful but a little over his head replenishing the breakfast bar & cleaning up. The offerings were slim compared to other European hotels. Pastries weren't fresh, fruits looked sad, just packaged white bread & considering that Bologna is like one giant food hall I expected a lot better. Martin at the front desk was helpful, when provided recommendations, maps & directions. This was the only Marriott brand in Bologna , we try to stay loyal to Marriott but find the premium brands are more conducive to the way we travel .

Do not stay at this hotel or any other Marriott hotel outside the US. They can and will charge you a "no-show" fee even if your flight is suddenly canceled and it is no longer possible to cancel within the free cancelation period. This hotel charged me 223 Euros. I am retired so this is not easy for me to handle. The manager at the AC Hotel Bologna told me they could not refund me the money. Marriott headquarters also said the same thing. British Airways also would not refund me that money. COMPLETELY UNFAIR!

3.5 Star AC Hotel by Marriott Bologna is a reasonably priced hotel located around 20 minute walk from Bologna Centrale Station. 5 Star to the front desk team! Really helpful with answering questions, getting us a cab for 6 am and even make us an espresso while we were waiting for our ride! The room is A-OK and have a lot of amenities! Robes, Slippers and even package of tissues! There is a supermarket across the street perfect to pick up some snacks, water and bottles of wine! If you have heavy luggage, I would suggest just take a cab to get to the hotel from the train station, The walk can take up to 30 minutes as the sidewalks are narrow and uneven.

What was good: clean, modern, friendly staff, good buffet but not a large variety of food. Location as well. The negative: the water didn't get hot enough, poor soundproofing in the room and a lot of noise - probably because I was facing the front Street. Also, I noticed after checking out a beer from the minibar had been charged to my room which I did not have. Oh and possibly the most important, the Wi-Fi cut out more than once during my three night stay. I enjoyed my stay overall with help from my earplugs at night.

We are loyal Marriott folks. The AC Hotel Bologna was unassuming on the exterior, but we were pleasantly surprised with the hospitality, services and even the bar/restaurant. Everything about it felt very high-level and personable from all staff. We would go back in a minute if we are fortunate enough. We highly recommend.

It's a Business Hotel, with everything that goes with that. It's clean, and efficient, and given it's location, prices are usually low-ish. (About the location - not optimal for centro, but pretty good for getting elsewhere) Check your rooms though - my room had warped flooring from an apparent bathroom/shower leak. Also, re: the room, the insulation is kinda minimal - so you'll hear people banging around in the hallways, and in the adjacent rooms (and vice-versa!) Lastly, didn't get a Platinum-Premier upgrade - if that matters to y'all...

As I picked this hotel of course I wanted to earn Marriott points and was concerned with the distance to the town square. One review said it was too far out - Wrong. Maximum 15 walk to town square. Yes, you earn points w Marriott staying at this property. While checking in the staff recognized my membership. Having walked most of Bologna's downtown and yes there are some beautiful old structures I found the exteriors to be run down. The AC is new and clean. My rate did come with breakfast. Coffee was good and selection was bountiful. Good stay! Oh, young guy at front desk keep up the good work and bartender thanks for the conversation! Cheers!

Not only is this Marriott far from the city center, but it's also far from anything besides a crumbling industrial sector. To top it off, AC brand has next to no perks for Marriott Platinum members, and when coupled with a fairly out-of-place vending area, it's hard to not get the feeling that you're staying at a cheap airport motel when you walk in. However, the rooms are fair enough, and room service does an excellent job. The hallways and lifts are a step below par, but still passable. Really, I could forgive all these things were it not for the abysmal trek needed to get closer into the city center -- or even to a single cafe or restaurant. Alas, negligence to this factor earns it but 2 stars.

The hotel is not far from the train station - walked with luggage without any problems. There is a bus nearby to go to the center of the town - a little far to walk, but possible. The rooms were clean.

Upscale, Simple, Modern Being a Marriott Rewards member, I often look for the Marriott hotel in the area and build my itinerary around it's location. This visit to Bologna was no different. I felt welcomed when we arrived from a long trip with decent English (which I don't require, but was nice) and set up our reservation quickly with the nickel tour. I appreciate the personal touch for each guest I noticed arriving around the same time with varying languages and needs being accomodated. The exterior of the building doesn't really hint at the modern, clean designs inside, but does it really need to be flashy? The simple decor is perfect, and just enough to make you feel upscale in a not-so-upscale part of town. Now, the reason for the lacking fifth-star... The area surrounding the AC Marriott doesn't make you feel cozy when walking to and from anywhere near Centrale. This isn't meant to say that I felt unsafe in anyway, but the wall across the street with graffiti doesn't really go with the upscale hotel. Maybe it's just me, but that is how I felt about the area in front on the street. All-in-all, I would return to this Marriott location in a heartbeat, but that would require visiting Bologna again, which may not happen for a while. We did all we set out to do, and tried pretty much everything we wanted (save for the Ducati factory).

When the Bologna Book Fair changed its 2020 dates due to the Covid outbreak, I tried to change the date of my stay to the new Fair dates, one month later, but the AC Marriott was booked. I called the same day, at the end of Feb, and was told by the person I spoke to that they would honor my cancellation request. Two weeks later on 3/7, I still had no refund and got back in touch. They again put me in touch with the hotel. They emailed me again promising a refund but asked me to PLEASE be patient. Again, I emailed, then they sent a new provision saying they had 100 days to refund. I was outraged. PLEASE BE PATIENT they wrote. At 110 days, they emailed to say, we will not refund you, you have 1 yr from date of stay to use a credit at this hotel and here's a new law that was just passed which allows us to do this. All I can tell you is this, it doesn't matter that it's Marriott, an American co. if the hotel doesn't follow thru on its promises, you will be out thousands of dollars, as I am. I'd strongly consider another hotel chain for all of your travel. I'm a small business. The way I was mislead, purposely LIED TO, is an outrage, and Marriott should be ashamed.

This hotel is a Marriott who makes a lot of money charges us a lot of money no air conditioning and they can do nothing to help there guests really? Someone should having been working on this all day to ensure there guests have a good experience. Not the case before you come to this hotel you may want to be sure they have air conditioning. It is hot here. Thank

Both the hotel and restaurant are new but despite their minimalism, proved quite good. The hotel was a little noisy due to lack of carpets, but the bed was nice and bathroom clean and spacious even by American standards. There is a full bathtub and the amenity kit was lovely -- it even includes slippers! The restaurant was a big surprise. I was jet lagged and didn't really want to go out, so I went in with low expectations. What a shock when the risotto with peas, braised leeks and guanciale wound up being some of the best risotto I've ever had! The radicchio and orange salad was only mediocre despite the large portion. But the espresso was good and the pistachio semifreddo was a standout dessert. I recommend the AC Bologna. I would say it's a good restaurant and not a bad place to stay; it's just a bit of a walk to the center of the city. There is also a large public park out behind the hotel with a nice playground if you're traveling with kids.

I arrived late in the evening and my first thought was, oh no, what have i booked due to the location, every wall with graffiti and not too safe looking but during the day time, this changed. We had a car with meant this option was much better than centre of city. For a decent price, we had a spacious modern room. There was some free parking but if not, a garage but that cost 15 euro a day. The car allowed us to drive to the centre in about 10 minutes. There was a bus stop 2minutes from the hotel which went directly to the city centre too. So depsite the first impression, this hotel turned out to be a good choice.