Although it was our first time in Naples, we did a fair bit of research until we settled for the Belle Arti Resort. We took into account the location, the duration of our stay in Naples (4 days), proximity to attractions, etc. We are always trying to immerse ourselves into the local style, culture, vibe.
As I stated in the title of my review, the location cannot be better. The B&B is located in the historical district, close to one of the main commercial streets in Naples - Via Toledo. Two minutes away is the "Museo Nazionale", a must see for anyone spending more than a couple of days in Napoli. Metro (underground) stations are close by and so are a couple of other means of city transportation, among which the funicular "funicolare" takes you up the mountain, to "Sant'Elmo" a castle where you can admire Napoli from above. The panorama on a clear day is to die for. Still in the vicinity, The Dome of Naples "Il Duomo" and Via Gregorio Armeno are two destinations that anyone should check of their list. While the Dome doesn't need any further introduction, the narrow street, Via G. Armeno, is the place where you can buy - directly from their makers, from hand carved tiny Christmas figurines to complex and animated Nativity scenes as high as a grown up person. Here you have the chance to see and talk to the artists "artigiani" who have passed this craft through generations. I'll stop here with Naples' attractions as the theme of my review is the Belle Arti Resort. I'll just add that the historic district is the university district so get ready to mingle with the students and share the patios sidewalks and the boutiques with them.
As stated on the B&B's web site, the reception is not "manned", which means that you have to announce your arrival time, ahead of time, in order for someone to be there for your check-in. Although this sounds like an inconvenience, it isn't and in case you arrive early, just call them and in a few minutes someone will come to greet you.
Once you have checked in and you've received a set of four keys!!!, you'll understand why this place is "special". From the moment you set your foot inside, you will notice the specific decorative style that combines modern art with the traditional Napolitan "corno". Everything exudes good taste.
I mentioned a set of four keys and I owe an explanation: one key is your room's key, the other three will unlock the reception door, the front door of the building and the gate of the interior yard (which close at 6 PM). It may seem bizarre, but it makes sense.
The rooms are spacious and the ceilings are tall and of course painted. This is probably the main attraction of this property. Although not every ceiling is in pristine condition, one can appreciate the age of the construction. Some rooms have windows to the main street and that can cause a noise problem, so please ask when you check-in. The furniture in the rooms matches the ceilings, there's satellite TV and free WiFi. In the reception area there is even a computer that can be used to send and receive emails in case you didn't bring your own. The bathrooms are OK, but I have to point our two things: in our room, there was a switch on the wall beside the outlet which turned off the water heater and we went without hot water one night until we asked someone. The second thing was, again only in our room, the bathroom looked a bit worn-out (the wallpaper on the door was a bit peeled off and there were holes in the floor...). You could also see the water heater on top of the bathroom - which could be a turn-of for some people. I have to add that the beds are not too soft, but we like them hard and we always slept well.
Every night we have ordered the breakfast, which was good and fresh, but nothing to write home about. If all you need is ham and cheese, eggs (boiled, scrambled or fried), butter, jam, various coffees and fresh buns, then you can't beat the price - EUR 5/pers.
So, in conclusion, is this the perfect B&B in Naples? No, but I would definitely go back and recommend it, for the atmosphere, the friendliness of the people we interacted with and for that "je ne sais quoi" that made us enjoy the four nights we spend here.
