tl;dr: This was the best choice for a stay in Bologna. I would even say that this is the best one can expect from an Italian apartment. But there are some things one should know before booking. Read below for more.
And now some detailed information about this apartment…
(Keep in mind that, despite of the negative things I list in this review, this was an excellent experience and I do recommend it a lot)
Layout:
What is not directly obvious on the pictures is that this is an apartment with two floors. The upper floor, where the entrance is, houses the living room, a kitchen and one bedroom with its own bathroom. There are two more bedrooms on the lower floor (i.e. in the basement) as well as one bathroom.
Every bedroom has a television and an AC unit.
Kitchen:
Luckily there is a very helpful dishwasher, though we only received two pieces of dishwasher detergent. However, when we arrived, the baking sheet in the oven was dirty and the manager had to clean it for us. I have seen other people reporting this as well, so you should expect that, too. The amenities are excellent. Make sure you bring your own tissues or towels, since there are none in the kitchen.
Hint: There are no scissors in the kithen.
Location:
The apartment is located directly next to a railway junction with two lines (Bologna S. Vitale). One must expect loud freight trains passing by from time to time. I personally don't have a problem with that, but others might have, so I wanted to mention it anyways. There is also a third station nearby (Bologna Rimesse), which makes it easy to each the central station in a few minutes because there is always some train heading there.
Groceries:
There is a Lidl and an inCoop in walking distance (500 m). A larger Coop and Esselunga are located a bit further away (25 minutes by foot).
Check-in and Check-out:
There is no proper reception. When you arrive, you have to call the manager at your own cost. After letting us in, the maanger gave us their number and we were able to ask them questions via WhatsApp. The response time was very quick.
Bathrooms:
The bathrooms have high-end equipment, including a large rain-type showerhead and a whirlpool bathtub for one person. The upstairs bathroom has a double shower for two people.
Overall we had a very pleasant stay and we would definitely stay at the Apparthotel Sant'Orsola again. This is a place where you get a high-end luxury equipment at a low cost.