Hotel Abbazia

I booked and stayed at this hotel for two nights in late June. I only realised after booking when I was asked to complete some arrival information that this small hotel did not have 24hr reception. My train from Milan did not arrive in Trieste until 21:30 and 21:00 appeared to be the latest you could select from the the online form for arrival at the hotel. I did message directly and was assured a later arrival would be fine. The hotel is only a short five minute walk from Trieste Centrale, even with bags this was easy. We were greeted by a friendly gentleman who scanned our passports and then issued us with a real room key and a pass code for the main entry door. We were allocated a large street facing twin room on the third floor. There is a lift, but it can be challenging to use it for more than three people or two with luggage, almost the size of an old phone box, but it works. I was pleased with the size of the room. There was plenty of storage, a small fridge which didn't really chill very well, a tv and air-conditioning included. There were shuttered windows to the street outside, incredibly the bathroom did not have opaque glass, so you needed to use the shutters in there as the window was almost full length. The bathroom was equipped with bath and shower above, but the curtain really didn't work all that well. Since the hotel is an old building the bathroom had a strange layout, but it all worked perfectly well. The room was quiet, except for the air conditioning. We never heard any other guests or really any noise outside at all. We did not have breakfast in the small dining area off reception, but it looked perfectly fine. We went out walking around Trieste, the main canal area is only five minutes walk and the piazza with shopping another five minutes beyond. There are lots of things to see and do in Trieste, it is certainly overlooked in my view and highly recommended. I'd probably return for a longer period, so I could see more of the wider area next time. If you walk to the Viale Venti Settembre, you will find a much more relaxed and more local eating and drinking street, away from the main tourist traps of the canal and piazza. I definitely think this area has more character and it's not very far from the back of the canal or the hotel. I think a lot of day trippers will miss this area, it's lovely and marginally cheaper. If you need drinks or snacks for the room, there is a charming Aldi hidden inside an old building between the hotel and Viale Venti Settembre. Good quality small hotel in a great location with polite and friendly staff