Seeing the positive online reviews, I thought I would give Hotel Sovestro a try. First, the pros. The front desk staff is very lovely and helpful, the hotel and the room were sparkling clean to the point it almost felt sterile, the bed is great and they provide plenty of pillows (if only all hotels would understand that!). The location is great to explore the area by car, there's available and easy parking (unlike many places in Italy), and San Gimignano is within walking distance (30 minutes, uphill). While the hotel somewhat shows its age, it is well kept and it is a comfortable spot. There seems to be, for the most part, a sense of pride by hotel staff and management to keep this place clean and tidy. Now, the cons. While breakfast was provided and options were plenty, the food quality was to me below average. This caught me by surprise as the breakfast is served under the same roof as Da Pode, a restaurant which gets good reviews for dining. Breakfast isn't their strength, I guess. As mentioned the bedroom was great, except from the weird fact that the shower was as big as a telephone booth, despite the bathroom itself being massive. Strange setup, really. Lastly, I would like to mention the employee who rudely called me out for "saying hi" to the hotel dog, some sort of beautiful german shepherd I believe, which sits in an enclosure pretty much between the parking lot and the hotel lobby. One employee that I assumed to be a restaurant staff rudely told me off "Don't talk to the dog!" in front of under guests, and just kept walking. I love animals, so of course I will greet the dog - as odd as this may sound! If there is something wrong about it, come see me, talk to me calmly and explain the situation, don't be rude in front of other guests. Or maybe keep the puppy elsewhere. While this may sound silly, it reflects badly on an otherwise good establishment and lovely colleagues who are indeed trying hard (and successfully at that) to make guests feel at home. This behaviour has no place in the hospitality business. Alas this sort of negative encounter casts a shadow on an otherwise good stay. …
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.