Palermo the worst comments

Sep 27, 2004 Anonymous Georgio's House - I visited there 15th Sept 2004. It is really a hostel with 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a dining area and a kitchen. It is clean and serviceable although the rooms are basic, but you don't need anything more! Georgio is a helpful guy and I have no qualms with him or his 'house'. However, what people have failed to mention is the slight surprise that it is an apartment on the second floor of a block of flats, and that Palermo is the nosiest city I have ever come across! I don't mean night life, I mean mopeds, and cars, and the dustbin men emptying the bins some 30yds from the place at around midnight each night! It is non-stop!It really gave us a good insight to Sicily! There is a lot of litter, hourds of Stray dogs (albeit well fed ones) but most of all the noise! C'est La Vie! Eastern Sicily was much the same, but the public trains & buses are so easy so use them (fares around 3 euro per 45km) and Go West for a quieter (albeit more 'touristy') holiday. I recommend Trapani and best of all - San Vito Lo Capo. By all means use Georgio's house as a base, but only if you don't mind the lack of sleep!Georgio is helpful and my problem was with the City (far worse than any I've ever come across), - not with him or his hostel.	Management response from Giloc, Manager (Management representative) Sep 30, 2004 Response to: "Georgio's House, Palermo, and Sicily.," A TripAdvisor User, Leicestershire, UK, September 27, 2004Ciao "ANONYMOUS REVIEWERS"You wrote in Tripadvisor: "Georgio is helpful and my problem was with the City (far worse than any I've ever come across), - not with him or his hostel"But You gave us 2 Star!Palermo is a Big City and Giorgio's House is in the Center...It's not more noisy than hundreds other Big Cities.If You need peace and relax You don't have to stay in the Center of a Big City...In Giorgio's House You spend 23 euro per person, You are in the Center of the city You have a Big Italian Breakfast and You don't need any bus, You have the Free Palermo tour and day trip around Sicily(Everything for FREE!)....I think that this is the best we can do.I didn't mention that Giorgio's House is an appartment inside a building because for the 2.000 happy Guests we had it was not so important but...we can write that...it's not a secret :o)What we wish is to make our Guest very happy and to show them Palermo and Sicily with the eyes of a Sicilian...(All for FREE)...If You are tired and You need just relax You have to stay outside the Center of a big city...You didn't say that I picked You up in the Airport for Free (Normal Taxi cost is 45 euros), You didn't write that You booked 7 nights and You didn't pay 2, You Didn't write You made a FREE tour for palermo by night and...Normally a Guided Tour in Palermo By night (3 hours) costs 100 euro...You didn't Write that You got the Breakfast after 10.40 a.m when normally the breakfast room (Also in 5 stars hotels) close at 10.00 a.m. and everything You eat later You have to pay.Maybe You live very far from London...I TRIED to sleep in London Bridge area and...It's much more noisy than Palermo...But I am sure that You don't know that :o)!I Know... "C'est la vie" as You wrote ....In 2000 Guests You were the 1st who Wrote something so bad...but if You make a Bad Comment, You should have to write All...RegardsGiorgio Lo Cicerowww.giorgioshouse.com
Roma Jul 17, 2009 Sono stato da Giorgio'house e ho passato un pessimo week-end con la mia compagna.Le stanze erano buie e sporche..l'arredamento a dir poco decadente, i bagni sembravano quelli di un pessimo pub.Avevo letto alcune recensioni sul sito di trip advisor e la maggior parte erano positive.Arrivando lì mi sono reso conto che tutto quello che avevo letto era molto "gonfiato".Non penso tornerò nuovamente Date of stay March 2009 FAKE COMMENT Posted in Tripadvisor. This person has NEVER been at Giorgio's House cause Giorgio's House on March 2009 was closed. The Second time we sent this e.mail to Tripadvisor: ;Hello Giuseppe... You wrote that you spent a weekend at Giorgio's House on March.....well....Giorgio's House on March was closed...ant that's for the Sicilian regulation....so...next time...before writing something so bad about us, choose a period we are open :o) Well....Tripadvisor replied and wrote us that our answer didn't respect the Criteria! :o)) Messaggio originale-----Da: hotelrelations@tripadvisor.com [mailto:hotelrelations@tripadvisor.com] Inviato: lunedì 3 agosto 2009 22.58A: info@giorgioshouse.comOggetto: La Sua replica della Direzione inviata a TripAdvisor. Gentile Proprietario, grazie per il tempo dedicato a rispondere ad una recensione presente su TripAdvisor. Purtroppo non possiamo pubblicare la Sua risposta, poich infrange uno o pi criteri del nostro regolamento. La invitiamo a inoltrare nuovamente il Suo messaggio, modificandone il contenuto nel rispetto delle linee guida che pu leggere cliccando qui: http://www.tripadvisor.it/pages/userrev_mgmt_rsp_rules.html Non pubblichiamo risposte che contengono gli insulti personali. Rimaniamo a Sua disposizione per ulteriori chiarimenti. Cordiali saluti, TripAdvisor Assistenza e Relazioni con gli Hotel	(Management representative) - Never Published by Tripadvisor! Jul 25, 2009 Giuseppe... We have NEVER had any Italian Guest this year yet so we are sure you wrote about another place and anyway the Bed and Breakfast you described definetely is not Giorgio's House....maybe you spent your weekend at the Catacombs of Cappuccini and not in a Bed and Breakfast cause from your description it looks like that. and Anyway in Tripadvisor you wrote that you stayed at Giorgio's House on March 2009 and on March 2009 Giorgio's House was CLOSED!!! We invite Tripadvisor to make some Better controls about the reviewers...Maybe they should prove with a receipt that they really was in the place they reviewed. We think there are some people payed by someone to hurt the competitors! Regards Giuseppe Quest'anno non abbiamo ancora avuto 1 solo ospite Italiano quindi ci sembra molto strano e sospetto questo tuo commento e quello che hai descritto decisamente non è Giorgio's House, sembra più la descrizione delle Catacombe dei Cappuccini!....e comunque in Marzo 2009 (in Tripadvisor tu asserisci di essere stato da noi in quel periodo) Giorgio's House era CHIUSA per chiusura stagionale!) Invitiamo Tripadvisor a fare maggiori controlli sui commenti fatti da anonimi. Magari esigendo una prova della loro effettiva presenza presso la struttura da loro commentata. Saluti
Boston, MA Mar 13, 2006 Ok, it's true that Giorgio is a fantastic host, and this place can be a great bargain, but if you have a few extra euros to spend I DO NOT recommend it. None of these raves have even mentioned that the place is in a borderline slum. The neighborhood is noisy and dangerous. Giorgio had to warn us about automobile break ins in the neighborhood. Also, the amenities are fine for young backpackers, but if you are going to Sicily to relax or have a romantic time with your wife/girlfriend, you can probably do better than a place where two twin beds pushed together counts as a "matrimoniale."Look, nothing against Giorgio; again, he's absolutely the man. He had a fridge stocked with beer and only asked for .80 cent donations for taking one. He'll take you out on the town in Palermo for a real look at the city, and he's incredibly warm and helpful. By all means, stay here if you are a budget conscious traveler and if you don't mind things being a bit rought around the edges. But be prepared!	Management response from Giloc, Public Relations Manager (Management representative) Mar 17, 2006 Dear "Anonymous.You staied in Giorgio's House just 12 hours...If you didn't like Giorgio's House you could go. You didn't get any breakfast because your flight back was at 6 a.m. but you also wrote a review about the dining that of course you didn't get! Giorgio's House is in a VERY SAFE AREA...POLICE HEADQARTER of PALERMO is just 3 minutes walking from us and Palermo is not more dangerous than many other big cities in the world! YOU WROTE that we are quiet expansive!Well...We pick our Guests up for free. We offer Free Palermo by night tours almost every night and for FREE.Often we offer day trip around Sicily for FREE. There is no place in the world that does the same for FREE....and....we are one of the cheapest place in Palermo...If you are interested in our rooms(from 16 ssm to 20 sqm) you can check check our website.This is NOT a promotional reply...we just replied to your points...There is no secret in Giorgio's House...we are always very clear with our Guests...we always try to do the best . If you are friendly, if you want to have fun, if you want to know some more people, tourists and Sicilians too...Giorgio's House is the right place for you...If you don't like that, maybe it's not the right one :o). Thanks anyway and we'll try to continue to do our best."You can please some of the people all of the time; you can please all ofthe people some of the time; but you can't please all of the people all ofthe time!"
Philadelphia, PA USA Apr 20, 2008 We were picked up at the port and and were instantly scolded by a moody Giorgio because we were standing in the wrong spot...Sorry but we're not from Palermo and we were only about 50 feet from the right spot, so sue me..Giorgio drove us to his B&B through the historic district and pointed out a few things and seemed completley irritated that he had to do so... also- not very pleased that we were Americans! Once we got to the apartment (which is by the way in the worst most dangerous part of Palermo according to taxi drivers and polizia!!), Giorgio tossed us the keys, pointed to the Marqueda and left! We were alone in a totally dodgy area & with no telephone. The entrance to the apt building is surrounded by derelicts. The blankets were filthy and freshly stained, we had to use our travel towels as blankets!! There is no phone in the apartment at all which is ridiculous and dangerous. Giorgio returned on the 2nd morning and conned us into staying, promising a pub crawl later that night. That evening 2 older women with 2 very small children showed up. When I asked Giorgio about the pub crawl he promised, he said that we would all go together... We declined as it did not seem realistic or fun to take 2 (8 & 9 yr old children) on a pub crawl!! Giorgio is not very friendly and not any fun as he claims to be on his website. Giorgio does not even live at Giorgio's house!! If you are looking for someone to show you around ...this is not the guy. He was particularly crabby!! Again, maybe because we were Americans. PLEASE DO NOT STAY HERE!!!	Management response from giorgioshouse1, manager (Management representative) May 4, 2008 We are very surprised to get a so bad comment. The worst comment since Giorgio's House exist and that's really sad...but maybe there was a mistake...You wrote that the person who picked you up was bad , irritated and didn't like Americans. you wrote that in the place you stayed there is not heat. You wrote that place where you stayed is in a very dangerous area, you wrote that in the place you stayed nobody organized anything etc. etc. etc etc (The description of the place you stayed is even worse than a Prison) ...Definitelly I am sure you didn't stay at Giorgio's House Greetings
Calais, France May 22, 2009 Nous avons dormi une nuit .. et heureusement car nous n'aurions pas tenu une nuit de plus !! Une chambre d'hote disposant de chambres spacieuses sans climatisation. Chambre double mais avec des lits jumeaux collés et draps séparés !! A première vue, nous avons eu une bonne impression, les deux salles de bain sont grandes et propres. Une cuisine est à disposition des hotes. Il semble que Giorgio n'habite pas là. Donc c'est un peu un hotel convivial !! Petit hic, coté propreté, j'ai marché pied nu de la chambre à la salle de bain et de la salle de bain à la chambre et mes pieds etaient déjà noirs !!A l'extérieur de l'immeuble il semblerait que nous soyons dans un quartier pas très recommandable, du verre pillé à tous les coins de rues. Des poubelles qui débordent, bref un quartier très sale. Une fois la nuit tombée, l'HORREUR ! Un bruit incessant, quand c'est pas les jeunes qui passent en voiture avec une musique si forte que tout l'appartement se met à trembler ceux sont les éboueurs qui passent à minuit et qui font un bruit d'enfer. Nous n'avons pas dormi avant 1H du matin car nous étions souvent réveillés en sursaut par les jeunes et leur musique ultra forte. C'est incroyable. Je plains les personnes qui ont des bébés qui dorment, ils doivent être tout stréssé !! Nous regardions un DVD et devions soit augmenter incroyablement fort le son soit faire pause le temps que les jeunes partent ... jusqu'au prochain !! Bref un endroit où il ne fiat pas bon dormir pour se reposer !!! Ceci dit, Giorgio semble très sympathique et accueillant. Il parle français.	Management response from Giloc, manager (Management representative) Jun 13, 2009 Dear Guest..(I know who you are but you provided a nik name so I guess you don't want me to say your name)...Sometimes people book in a B&B but they expect a 5 stars hotel Treatment...That's sad cause a B&B is like a family and Giorgio's House even more than a Family. 1) We picked you up for free (and rarely you get that even in a 5 stars hotel)2) You joined us for a By night tour of Palermo (for free as well) and rarely you get that even in a 5 stars hotel. 3)On May the Average temperature during the night was around 20 C° so you didn't need the Air Con. 4)You broke a bed and we didn't charge you. 5)You said that you walked without shoes and your feet were black...did you check your feet before taking your shoes away ?6) In Palermo there was a Garbage Strake so...it's not our fault if they didn't collect the garbage and anyway even without strake I run a B&B I cannot collect the Garbage of Palermo even if sometimes i would like . Palermo is a noisy City...you cannot travel to the South of Italy if you are looking for peace and relax ... You should visit Austria or some beautiful villages of Germany. It's not our fault as well. Our Website is very clear...we only accept friendly persons for this reason 99% of our Guests are GREAT and nice :o) But of course we cannot get the 100%....that's stastistic. Regards Giorgio
Ontario Jul 12, 2009 (tripadvisor) Everyone here comments on how great giorgio's was and yes, he does offer many day trips and transportation and a nice breakfast and clean rooms. HOWEVER, it doesn't seem like anyone comments on Palermo itself. I went there with a few friends and felt very unsafe. I was using it as a base from which to do day trips around sicily but felt very unsafe and uncomfortable there so left prematurely. The area feels deserted and sketchy and there are MUCH nicer towns to stay in if you want to explore sicily. I ended up going to a small town called Balestrate and stayed at a WONDERFUL bed and breakfast called casa ruffino. I HIGHLY recommend it, it is right on the water in a little town that is easily accessible from the palermo airport (only about a 20 minute cab ride). A few peopel that i spoke to while traveling also said they felt the same way about palermo. I am shocked nobody's mentioned it. thetravelerteacher FAKE COMMENT Posted in Tripadvisor. This person has NEVER been at Giorgio's House infact in her/his comment he/she writes only about Palermo and another "great" Bed and Breakfast (good advertisement)...I am sure he/she even has no idea about how Giorgio looks...because of course he/she has never been at Giorgio's House	Management response from giorgioshouse1, manager (Management representative) July 24, 2008 Dear "thetravelerteacher"... You didn't write like a Travel teacher but like a person that had never travelled in his/her life. Anyway you rated us very low but you just talked about Palermo!... I had 2 Guests that were robbed in Canada (where you live) and they were upset about it but robbers are all around the world and the prisons as well so if they had a bad experience it's because of the stastistics not because Canada is a bad country. Palermo is a City with 3.000 years of history. If you travel to Palermo is because of its history and not to get drunk in the pubs...I mean...In Palermo there are a lot of problems but it's a part of its hard history...really great to discover walking in its narrow streets full of art. You can love it or you can't ....Palermo has a great history and anyway...if in Palermo there are some problems I cannot understand why you rated us so low. 1) We had some persons who gave us a bad rating cause in Palermo there are a lot of Straight dogs 2) We had some guests who gave us a bad rating cause the girls in the bakery downstair didn't smile them 3) We had some guests who gave us a low rating because Palermo is not that clean ....and now you...because you didn't like Palermo :o) I mean...if I was the Mayor of Palermo you were right but I can do nothing cause I am not the Mayor...so...I really cannot understand your comment...we have NOTHING to do with what you wrote about Palermo...anyway you made a great advertisement about another bed and breakfast....that looks strange to me ... are you sure that you don't work for that bed and breakfast? ;o) I think that before deserving the nik name you choosed for yourself....you should travel much much more :o) Regards

	GIORGIO'S HOUSE You can please some of the people all of the time. You can please all of the people some of the time but you can't please all of the people all of the time. We are trying to do our best!
Guesthouse Buenos Aires	The WORST Comments we got.	Guesthouse Palermo
2003/2004		2003/2004