helen

Piccolo Hotel Puccini is fully booked for the times I want, but Hotel Diana has space. It is listed in "The Rough Guide" as: "would be a fine budget choice if it weren't for the frequency of complaints about surly staff." It looks great on their web page and their e-mail response was prompt and helpful. <BR>Anyone stayed in the main hotel? (not the recently built, expensive annex.) Also, are 2 nights too much for Lucca and surroundings?

Paulo

Can help you with the hotel. Concerning the time to spend in Lucca, I think that 2 nights would be never too much because it may actually mean only a full day for sightseeing (if one arrives late and departs early) and then there's Pisa nextdoor that deserves at least 1/2 day. <BR>Paulo

cmt

I think Hotel Diana was where I stayed for one or two nights in Lucca in October 1997, because all of the other hotels I'd tried were filled or did <BR>not answer my faxes. <BR> <BR>The hotel is in a good, quiet location and my room was fine. It did not include a bath, so I had to use the bath down the hall. (I don't <BR>remember whether the basic toilet was in the room, and I think it was, but I know that I did not have my own shower or tub.) The room was very inexpensive. There were fees for use of the <BR>shower and I think for a bath towel, but I don't think anyone ever collected it. The hotel does have some rooms with their own bath, but they <BR>were filled when I reserved. <BR> <BR>When I was there the hotel did not accept credit cards. I was very surprised. Fortunately, I had <BR>enough time to run to the ATM to get cash to pay my bill at check out just before catching my train. <BR> <BR>For me, the worst thing about it was that the older man who ran the desk all day and evening smoked constantly, so my room on the ground floor <BR>reeked of smoke, and I'm somewhat allergic to it. <BR> <BR>This man was gruff, to put it mildly, but certainly not obnoxious. I'm never very good at unlocking hotel rooms and getting my bearings in a dark strange room, so when I left for a while <BR>in early evening, I left my room light on. When I returned, the man told me to make sure I turned off the lights if I went out again because I was <BR>wasting electricity. (He had gone into my room and turned off the light while I was out.) <BR> <BR>This man did not speak English at all, but could understand a few words of it here and there. At the time, my knowledge of Italian learned 30 <BR>years earlier in college was still lying somewhat dormant deep inside my brain. (It has since been revived.) I was able to speak Italian to him <BR>enough to meet my needs, but I'm not sure what would have happened if I hadn't been able to. The maps and brochures that he had available at <BR>the desk were mostly in German, which I cannot read at all, and which he believed was "English". <BR> <BR>Tourist brochures in English, French or even ITALIAN were hard to find in Lucca; the tourist industry in the town caters mainly to Germans, or at least that was my impression during my limited two-day experience there. <BR> <BR> <BR>

kal

Hello, <BR>We were in Lucca in Septmeber and had a fine stay at San Marco Hotel. About 2 blocks outside of the wall. Great walk to the city through a neighborhood with some beautiful houses. Bus stop right at the corner if you don't want to walk. <BR> <BR>About a $5 (US) cab ride from the train station. <BR> <BR>Very modern/art deco style hotel. Staff spoke pretty decent English and were very helpful and professional. Good breakfast. <BR> <BR>We even used the laundry service which was A-OK too. <BR>Ciao

liz

Helen, I have not stayed there yet, but quickly passed through 2 years ago for a few hours and loved it. We are going back this summer for a couple of days and are really looking forward to it. Two or three days would be perfect in Lucca, act like a native and ride a bike ride through town or on the towns walls! It's one of my very favorite towns in Italy and hardly any tourists to speak of. Enjoy!

xxx

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