"We stayed at Grand Hotel Bonanno during a particularly hot period in Pisa. On arrival, we informed reception that the air conditioning in our room did not appear to be working properly and that the room was very hot.
Maintenance was sent to check it the following day and we were told that there was nothing wrong, despite the room temperature being around 26°C.
We then asked whether it would be possible to move to another room where the air conditioning might work better. We were initially told that the hotel was fully booked. While trying to find a solution, we were subsequently lied to and told that the rooms are set to 24°C and cannot be adjusted below this controlled centrally at reception and cannot be adjusted in the roomo. This was disappointing, particularly as the reception area was noticeably cooler than our room, not that we want to be sleeping in a freezer, but just cool enough to not be sweating with the air conditioning on.
We understand that we were visiting during a heat wave and appreciate that this made the situation more difficult. However, our main concern is that the room was advertised as having air conditioning, while in practice we were unable to get the room to a comfortable temperature. The communication from reception during this situation was also disappointing and did not leave us feeling particularly well supported.
The breakfast was average, with a limited selection and some of the food lacking freshness and flavour. The mini fridge in the room also did not keep items particularly cold.
On the positive side, the hotel is in a convenient and relatively affordable location, with many of Pisa's main sights within walking distance.
Overall, Grand Hotel Bonanno would be fine for a short stopover, but based on our experience, we would have expected the advertised facilities and level of service to be more consistent than with what was actually provided. Not really reaching the 4 star service in any way as advertised."