Ostello Bello Palermo

Ostello Bello was beautiful and so much fun! Right next to the heart of Palermo so you could easily walk anywhere. Loved the pool and the staff. We had a private room which was big, although loud, but not super surprising.

Amazing vibe, kindest staff and great pool!

The hostel was spacious, welcoming, and had a great atmosphere. We received a warm welcome on arrival and were given a thorough introduction to the facilities and how everything worked. The location was excellent—close to the waterfront while still being within easy walking distance of the city center, making it a great base for exploring. The building itself was full of character. We really appreciated the high ceilings and the original doors and windows, which gave the rooms a lot of charm. However, some of the doors could use a bit of maintenance. They creaked quite loudly when opened or closed, so it was easy to hear both your own door and the neighboring rooms’ doors. The hostel organized a variety of activities every day. We only joined a couple of the evening parties with DJs, but they were fun and created a lively social atmosphere. We had breakfast at the hostel on two mornings. It was good, but fairly simple. With just a few small improvements, the breakfast could easily be taken to the next level.

The hostel is ok, however, the room I was in was to me very unwelcoming.

I attempted to check in on Friday, April 17 at approximately 01:30 AM. Despite informing the staff member that my stay was already prepaid, he insisted that I pay again and stated that it was “not his problem” if I had to pay twice, and I should just talk to the morning staff. I initially spoke to him in Italian and presented my passport along with my Italian documents, none of which are Chinese. Nevertheless, he continued to insist on a second payment, something I have never encountered in any of my previous prepaid stays. When he became frustrated, he switched to Google Translate and began speaking to me as if I only understood Chinese, despite the fact that I had spoken exclusively in Italian and English with the staff, and Spanish with my friends throughout the night. At no point did I present a Chinese passport, speak Chinese, or indicate any connection to that language. His assumptions were inappropriate and unprofessional. The insistence on double payment demonstrates a lack of competence in handling check‑ins, and the remarks and behavior displayed toward me were discriminatory. This experience reflects a concerning lack of professionalism and cultural awareness, and it significantly impacted what should have been a straightforward check‑in process.