jama

Any suggestions for a nice (four or five star) hotel in Parma. How about some great restaurant suggestions.

ThinGorjus

Darling, go to www.nytimes.com. They did a travel piece on Parma last Sunday.

jama

ThinGorjus...
Tried to find that article but could not. Any suggestions ?

Eloise

Thingorjus is confused; the article was about Genoa, not Parma. A search in the New York Times Travel Destinations yielded one article with restaurant reviews from July 2001. Here they are, although, quite frankly, none of them sound like "great restaurants"...

PARMA : The Antica Cereria, Borgo R. Tanzi 5, (39-0521) 207387, stays open until 1 a.m. for dinner Tuesday to Sunday; lunch Sunday. Bomba di riso with squab available without having to order beforehand. Excellent list of regional wines; $39 for three courses, not four.
Il Trovatore, via Affò 2/A; (39-0521) 236905. Closed Sunday. Disappointing pasta, but recommended for its donkey (pot roast) and horse (steak) on the menu. The donkey was delicious -- really; $68.
I Du Brasè, piazzale Cervi 5; (39-0521) 286098. Closed Sunday. A delightful place, offering dishes with fresh truffles from Umbria, including potato gnocchi as a first course and sunnyside-up eggs as a main course; $54, including an extra first course.
July 29, 2001

SusannaL

I don't believe that Parma has a 5 star hotel, but there are several 4 star choices. We stayed at the Hotel Verdi (4*) which is located at the edge of the Parco Ducale. The park is beautiful, filled with stately chestnut trees and statuary. It is much used by locals for strolling, biking and chatting and there is a wonderful little cafe in the center of the park. The Verdi also has free parking. A stroll through the park puts you right in the center of Parma.

Other 4* choices in the center are the Grand Hotel Baglione and the Park Hotel Stendahl. I've not stayed in either of these, so I can't really comment on them.

Some restaurants that we enjoyed (all in the center) are:
Angiol d'Or. There is some outdoor seating and it looks onto the baptistry. Expensive.
Trattoria Corrieri. Vaulted brick ceilings, bustling lunch business, casual. Inexpensive.
Trattoria del Ducato. Nice ambiance, moderate.

Many consider the top restaurant to be La Greppia. Very expensive.

jama

SusanaL:
What did you think of Hotel Verdi ?

SusannaL

I feel a little mixed about it. The staff were very nice, it was easy to drive to and park, but I felt that the public areas (namely the breakfast room and lobby could use some refreshing. The hallways seemed somewhat institutional. Our room was very nice (it was a jr. suite, the only room available), but nothing to swoon over. We grew to love having to walk through the park and stopping at the little cafe for a drink and people watching. The charm of that might have worn a little thin if it had been pouring down rain though.

I would stay there again, but I would be tempted to check out some alternatives.