A group of friends (couples) stayed at the Balbi Hotel for one night after a week long cruise. We chose it because it was close to the train station, and 2 of our friends had to leave for Milan the next day. We really wanted a quaint place with character but also reasonable in price, and we found it all at the Balbi. We LOVED our rooms, the ceiling paintings are even more striking in person. Dario, who was at the desk when we arrived, was absolutely wonderful. He gave us great directions to drive down to Portofino and made us feel very welcome. It was also great to have wi fii and be able to skype my family at home in the USA. At night we walked around and stopped in a great local restaurant for some good pizza and red wine. There is a small charge for breakfast however there are also places very close to pop in for great coffee, pastry, etc. It was easy for our friends to walk down the street to the train station the next morning, even with luggage. The only drawback (if you have trouble with stairs) is that there are a few flights to go up before you can check into the hotel, but well worth the effort in our opinion. What a great find for us!! Especially if you have to catch a cruise or train, perfect location!