I have no idea how this can qualify as a 3 star hotel! If your primary concern is having a hotel where the air conditioning works, then okay -- but you'll want the ac in part because if you open the windows, you get the full extent of the stench and noise rising from the street below. The rooms are dark and depressing, overlooking an alley in a very seedy part of town where you'll get the full spectacle of a port city that enjoys its vices. The rooms are poorly insulated and sound travels through the thin walls, so you'll hear every door opening and closing, every comment made in the hallway, every remark form the reception area. The worst aspect of this hotel, however, are the staff, who are (with one exception) actively rude and apparently take great amusement from making fun of foreign travelers whom they think won't understand their remarks. Further, they often choose not to put calls through from outside the hotel and many rooms don't get any cell phone signal whatsoever. In short, DON'T DO IT. For $100 a night or more, there must be better options!

Only stay here if money is a factor. You get what you pay for and this experience was no exception. The hotel is basic but fine for a very cheap weekend away. Don't stay here if you are fussy though! To begin with, the location details on the hotel's site are inaccurate. We spent an hour looking for it as it is not 'only 500 metres' from the central train station. It was about a mile from it, so if we'd known that, we wouldn't have had to lug our bags around getting lost! It's not in a salubrious part of town, as two girls on our own, we felt a bit intimidated at night as the streets are reminiscent of Marrakesh's souks – you need a map with you. But this is also part of the city's charm, the narrow alleyways and towering buildings are unique. Also, we came out of the hotel one morning to have to jump over a pile of dog's mess or vomit. Breakfast is basic, a couple of croissants (not overly fresh) and a dodgy old coffee machine. The tables are packed in so you'll be practically sat on someone. But the main complaint was the desk staff. One evening a different man came round from behind the desk and wouldn't let us leave, he kept offering my friend a shiatsu massage having told us his life story. On checkout day, a different man told us checkout was 11am but when we returned that morning at 10.25 a different man told us 10.30, knowing full well we only had 5 minutes to get ready. Also, no one speaks English, which is fine but make sure you have a phrase book. I think this wouldn't have been such a problem for us but we did have a feeling we were being ripped off from time to time - like when the manager told us our bottles of water cost 2 euros on checkout and then upped it a second later to 3 euros. We didn't get a twin bedroom either, even thought I specified this upon booking. The toilet/shower room was the smallest one I'd seen and the seat was broken. As I say, you really do get what you pay for!

I stayed at the Hotel Acquario with a group of 18 travellers (some in a double room others in a single room) for three days (25.05. - 28.05.2006). We had to secure our reservation with a credit card but we where really surprised when we were told that the first night stays on the card and the second night had to be paid seperat by each person. The Hotel itself is quite difficult to find and I would avoid going there by car - very narrow (!!) street and no car park nearby the hotel. The location is convenient if you like to stay nearby the "Centro Storico" and the harbour area - with plus (e.g. aquarium) and minus (e.g. people you probably don´t want to meet). At the entrance there is a steep staircase, no elevator and nobody really ready to help with the luggage. The only elevator (max. capacity 2 people with 1 suitcase) leaves from the first floor up to the others. Our room was very small, so was the (new renovated) bathroom. Beds are tiny and the food they serve in the morning I wouldn´t call breakfast. Although the place was quite clean I´m surprised who gave the Hotel Aquario a three-star rating. The rate in a double room was EUR 95,00 per night, in a single room it was EUR 80,00 per night - breakfast included. After all I´m pretty positiv that you will find a better place for your money.