Need suggestions for Lucca hotels in October for three nights. Want some place at least three stars but nothing looks great to me. Tried to book La Romea B&B but they only have the Green Room left which looks very small. Thought about the Palazzo Alexander but it is larger and doesn't seem very appealing. Would like quaint, small Italian property. Any advice would be appreciated. Also would like to stay in the city walls.

Have you looked at www.tripadvisor.com? And venere.com?

A few years back we stayed at the Piccolo Hotel Puccini. It was very centrally located and we had a nice biggish corner room. There was no breakfast room, and we tried out all the bakeries and cafes. Recent reviews seem mixed.

We stayed at the Ilaria this past summer and really liked it but not sure it is quite what you are looking for. The rooms, actually the building they are in, does not have much charm. The bathrooms are very nice tho! However the breakfast area is out on a terrace that has a very nice view and the breakfast is very good. The staff is very pleasant and helpful. There are free bikes for exploring Lucca and the city walls. The property is inside the walls - I think they also have parking but we did not need it. The room was comfortable but the interior hall was just like being in a US motel - not a converted / charming European property. So if you don't find anything else you may want to consider the Ilaria. We LOVED Lucca!

We stayed last year at Hotel La Luna which is right in the heart of the city inside the walls. It was perfect.

http://www.hotellaluna.com/

We too stayed at La Luna and found it to be the perfect location and the price was right. You can walk everywhere you need to go in Lucca, so anywhere within the city wall is good.

Palazzo Alexander is very, very charming and the staff/owners are warm and helpful. They have parking too. We had a wonderful 4 day stay in the room named "Madame Butterfly."

We stayed at Piccolo Puccini, also, and I recommend it. There was no A/C, but we didn't need it in May, nor would you in Oct. Great location w/in the walls.

One I would not recommend is Albergo San Martino. Lots of other people here have liked it, but I found it skeevy.

We actually stayed 2 nights in the Green Room last July and had similar concerns, but it was totally fine for us. It's well decorated, light, airy, quiet. Faces the terrace of a nearby building. Ample closet space, but the bathroom is small. Then again, this is Italy. We didn't spend much time in the room anyway, as one day was spent attending a friend's wedding in Lucca and another a day trip to Cinque Terre. If anything, we loved the hospitality of Giulia & Gaio, who have creating a very comfortable and homey environment. Excellent breakfast with eggs made to order by the grandmother, tasty bruschetta, and other filling goodies. One of the more memorable B&Bs!

I have also stayed at one of the properties by La Torre (they have several so you may not know which one you end up with), a single for ~40 euro/ngt (assume 2x this for a DBL). It wasn't in the pensione itself but a nearby bldg and the room was lovely, clean, and even had a small counter/stove/fridge. There are plenty of options outside the walls but personally, I like the charms of the town center.

We stayed at the San Martino last year. It was perfectly o.k., within the walls, but nothing special. I have not stayed in, but did consider staying at A Palazzo Busdraghi which looks more upscale:
http://www.apalazzobusdraghi.it/home_ingl.php