The hotel staff are amazing, from Mario the night clerk greeting us with a huge smile after a…read moreverrry long day of travel to arrive in Lucca and to top that smile he knew our name. I was impressed. Robert another front desk person was so helpful lining up a guide to explore outside the walls of Lucca and just an all around good guy to have as a resource for the six days we were in Lucca. The rate was reasonable, the location great with easy access to walk the wall and the breakfast buffet was delicious, Maria took very good care of us. If you are looking for a place to stay in Lucca, look no farther, stay here.

My family and I stayed at the San Luca Palace hotel for 5 nights. I can not recommend this hotel…read moreenough. The location is central to many beaches, Pisa, Florence etc to use as a home base. It is extremely reasonably priced and the rooms are clean and very spacious. The service is absolutely unbelievable and the staff goes over the top to accommodate. I highly recommend staying at this hotel if you find yourself in the area. You will not be disappointed.

We stayed at this lovely grand hotel on a tour in early April. Its located in a "spa town" in…read moretuscany about 30-40 min. from Florence. Although our group mainly traveled by bus, some of our group took the train back and forth to Florence. Theres 2 stops into montecatini terme and everyone said it was quite easy to do. Its also about 1 hour or so from Siena and 2 hours to the sea by car. The hotel itself was older but I thought quite lovely. My room had high ceilings and big shuttered windows that opened a la "a room with a view," and the bed was very comfortable. There's also a large scenic park next door that locals used and was great for exercising in the morning. Only not so great things were the showers which were pretty tiny. Some in our group didnt have wands in their showers. Also the included breakfast, while totally acceptable was not the extensive spread I've seen elsewhere in italy and Europe. Overall though, a great 4 night stay here! I wish we could have stayed longer!

We spent 7 nights at the Grand Hotel Vittoria in Montecantini Terme, Italy, recently. It's in the…read moreheart of the city and walkable to restaurants, shopping, and the park with lovely trails to wander through. Our room was rather unique. We had a king bed with an upstairs loft with a single bed. The bathroom was a little small, but we made it work. However the room didn't have a chest of drawers so we had to pile everything into the closet which only had 5 hangers. The staff at Grand Hotel Vittoria is amazing. From check-in, to dining, to check-out everyone was so helpful and nice. We didn't take advantage of the on-site spa or outdoor pool & steam room. D did hit the health club, but he came back shortly and said the weight machine was broken. We did dine at the restaurant for one dinner, which was very good. And we had their breakfast buffet every morning but it was the same thing each day for the 7 mornings we were there. The bar/lounge is very nice. They had have grand piano and allowed D to entertain us most evenings. The bartenders were a lot of fun and kept our drinks supplied. I liked staying at the Grand Hotel Vittoria. It's proximity to Pisa, Florence, Sienna and other Tuscan cities is perfect - no more than 1 1/2 to 2 hours of a drive. And Montecantini Terme is a nice city with plenty of restaurants and night life.

We stayed at Casa Joanna for almost two weeks October 2014. The on-line photos, description, and…read moreGoogle Maps & Street View did not do the property justice. It was so much better than we could have imagined. We stayed in the eastern half of the house with 3 large en-suite bedrooms, a large, fully equipped modern kitchen, free wireless internet, warm family room and huge beautiful, private yard, cabanas, swimming pool, and gardens. The views are unbelievable from the grounds and bedrooms towards the mountains to the south and Lucca and the the Apennines Mountains to the north. Working with the owners and reserving the property was very easy (international wire transfer with excellent instructions). The property is located in the quaint, quiet, and beautiful village of Vorno in the heart of Tucscany which contained several great small restaurants within easy walking distances - Bimbotto's, Osteria Cucina dello Scompiglio, La Bettola, and il Rio. The people are all very friendly and helpful and patient with our poor Italian vocabulary although most spoke some English. The village had great walking and hiking trails with fantastic views towards Lucca and the mountains north. The house is located 4 miles from the Lucca train station from which we traveled to Rome and the Cinque Terra. We rented an auto and easily navigated all over the area to the Mediterranean beaches close by - Marina di Vecchiano (10 miles) and Forte dei Marmi. We drove to Lucca, Pisa, several wineries, Volterra, and Montecarlo. The wine and food was fantastic. The Caretaker, Roman, speaks English well. He was invaluable in helping plan our trips, giving advice, making suggestions, and taking care of the property. He also met us at Pisa Airport where we rented a car and he escorted us to Casa Joanna only about 30 minute drive away. I would highly recommend vacationing at Casa Joanna and all of my traveling companions agreed that it was one of our most relaxing, memorable, and fun vacations we had ever taken.

This is a great and reasonably-priced place to stay in Pisa. Rooms are large and clean; all have…read moreprivate baths; some have kitchenettes. Breakfast is substantial and can be served whenever you wish. However, the best parts of this B&B are it's location and the private garden in the back. It's very near the center of Pisa and provides great access to tourist sites and night life. All rooms open onto the garden (where breakfast is served in good weather); the garden boasts lovely fruit trees, lavender, a group of palms, and a very cute turtle population. It's really a great deal and hard to beat in Pisa in terms of price unless you share a flat with students.

We stayed 5 nights here on an independent Gate 1 tour, and I loved it! It's classic Europe with…read moresmall rooms, tiny elevator, and probably not great heat/ac. But it's the perfect middle of Tuscany spot for access to day trips. It's in the perfect location to walk anywhere worth seeing/doing/eating/drinking in Montecatini. Easy parking all around pretty close too. I highly recommend. And the temperature in the rooms was great in the fall weather. I never did eat breakfast, but it looked great!

Definitely would recommend. The hotel itself is conveniently located in the city and there are…read moreplenty of eating options in walking distance. The train station is two blocks away. The rooms are comfortable and the bathroom in our room was recently remodeled and upgraded. Breakfast was a very nice selection of typical European breads, cold cuts, fruit, yogurt and eggs. The staff is truly outstanding. They went out of their was to be accommodating and all were very friendly. Our original room was across from the plaza and there was a band playing for a party late, they immediately moved us to an inside room, no questions. Breakfast staff likewise was very helpful. Only reason the hotel didn't get 5 stars is you could feel the faded elegance, like it was once a destination for the upper crust that was now more middle class. Did nothing to detract from the comfort, value, or the staff, just something to be aware of if you are expecting a brand new hotel experience. If traveling to Tuscany and staying in Montecatini, I would stay again without hesitation. BTW, park in any of the blue street parking locations around the hotel and then get the parking pass from the hotel when you check in. The pass let's you park in those spots unlimited.

Wonderful lodging in the town center! The house's parking lot very small, but saves the walk from…read morethe public parkings further away. Our room was clean, spacious, and airy, we loved it. Decorated in a fitting retro italian style and equipped with air condition and a small cooler. The service was perfect and the breakfast buffet italian style with lots of cakes. Highly recommended!

What a lovely place and comfortable stay! Daniela is such a gracious hostess. We stayed in…read morebeautiful Lucca for two days and had a huge room with a private sitting area and terrace. Everything was spotlessly clean and convenient, with motion-activated lights. The staff was lovely and helpful and breakfast in the communal area was great. Don't be put off by the staircase you have to climb to get there; this is a wonderful spot. We would absolutely stay again and hope to come back to Lucca.

This small boutique hotel is wonderful. The list of guests over the years includes Brooke Shields…read moreand Eddy Merckx, or so the guest book says. The staff is as good as any concierge at any hotel I've ever stayed at, and the view from our lanais was beautiful. Our room had all the amenities that one would want -- fridge, safe, (two) desks, plenty of outlets and a TV. The mattress was ultra firm, which I prefer. My wife ... not so much. Either way, we both really enjoyed this place and would stay here again in a heartbeat. Just one warning... Don't patronize the laundry service, which they contract out. Of course, our laundry came back clean -- at 5 Euros per item. We're talking socks, underwear and T-shirts. Two days of clothing for three of us was close to 100 Euros. Unacceptable. In fact, highway robbery. It is my hope that the laundry service gets flooded or struck by lightning (no injuries, of course), because they are thieves. The folks at the hotel also seemed surprised (though I doubt it) and gave me two free drinks. I encourage the management at this inn to find another laundry contractor. Otherwise, this place is wonderful.

Not sure where to start! Historic and wonderful! Sliding barn doors to the balcony blocks light…read morefor lazy mornings. The pool side bar are pool are nice. Montacatini Terme ay its best!

Located at the corner of two streets a long twenty walk from the train station when you can't get a…read moretaxi cab. Lovely reception by Alessandro aka Alex. Quiet room because we are inside the city walls where few cars are allowed. Breakfast on the ground floor. Custom order from scrambled eggs and bacon to waffles with syrup. Very attentive staff. Looking forward to a return visit!

Above and beyond service from the staff. We were upgraded to a fantastic corner room because the…read morehotel was not full. The staff walked us up to show the room and make sure we had what we needed. The room was large with a great view of the city from two sides. Comfy bed, nice bathroom, etc. it was rustic but clean and we loved it. We had breakfast included with our stay and the server was so kind. Made us eggs and two hot chocolates plus served us pastries. Normally we skip hotel breakfast to eat in town but we could not pass them up. They were so warm and welcoming. Fantastic spot and everyone should stay here.