We stayed in the Hotel Crystal in mid-July, unfortunately during a heat wave (34 - 35 C for typical daily highs). The place did not advertise as having air conditioning, something that we overlooked during booking. But nevertheless I believe the hotel did have a marginally functional air conditioning system that began to cool the place comfortably after a couple of days. To be more precise, there were AC controls in the room that didn't seem to do anything at first, but after setting them to cool, the place somehow cooled off eventually even while it stayed just as hot outside. I never could actually hear or feel much air moving though. The first couple of nights were a bit sweltering and we simply opened the balcony door, but I did find it astonishing that there were no fans in the room. From what I can tell, though, fans are not common in Italy. They should have more fans.
The decor of the hotel was charming, with naval motifs abounding -- antique maps on the walls, old corroded ship anchors strategically placed, a couple of spent 75mm shell casings in the main entry way, and a tasteful combination of hardwood and brass finishings. The complimentary breakfasts were simple but quite good, although the Cafe Americanos that my wife ordered were consistently burned. But they served wonderful cappuccino and espresso.
Hotel Crystal is just across the street from a park, and on the other side of the park is a beach that is just right -- not overly crowded, but not sleepy or secluded. The beach is within easy walking distance of the hotel, and so is a fantastic restaurant called La Bussola. If you go a kilometer the other way, you find Fortezza Medici, which was visible from our balcony.
We ended up paying about €140 per night, but we did book at the last minute. It's possible that better deals may be available for those who do a better job of planning. read more
