Grand Hotel Palazzo Livorno anmeldelser

Location: An ideal location right at the sea front. 20-30-minute journey to the train station- which is directly accessible by bus- with the stop right next to the hotel. Nice tourist attractions nearby including a great aquarium and local markets. Rooms: We had two rooms & 3 people in our party 1st room: We were given a disabled room despite none in our party having a disability. The bathroom gave off a semi-putrid smell, but it was not so strong to reach the bedroom itself. When we mentioned this to the reception they only suggested an aerosol spray. Clearly however there was something wrong with the plumbing and/or a structural issue. No room swap was suggested or offered. 2nd room: Great room for one. However, I would suggest including more wardrobes, as they may not be enough space for a couple’s clothes. Could also do with a couple more sockets & USB connective sockets These suggestions should be standard for a modern 5-star hotel Hotel staff: Breakfast Restaurant: Great, respectful and fully in line with a 5-star experience. We had an early flight and they were kind enough to offer us an early breakfast before their normal service. This highlights their professionalism & respect. Front-desk: During the first two days, the staff at the desk were below average and certainly not at a 5-star level: It took an absolute age to check-in with the staff’s manner (although not rude) was not welcoming or warm. Neither did they apologise for the delay. Also dealt with other standard requests, in a below average manner However, staff during the last c. 3 days were much better. For example, no charge was levied for one of the bottles drank in the fridge Food: Breakfast: Great breakfast in a beautiful room. Catered towards international tourists as well as preserving Italian breakfast culture. Dinner: The restaurant, I believe is not run by the hotel themselves. The selection is okay but too pricey. There are much better options offered locally. General, important points to consider: Be EXTREMELY careful with the local busses. Make sure to buy your bus tickets at the local tobacco shops Although reception staff tell you to pay on-board this is NOT recommended AT ALL (especially as a tourist with foreign cards). Whatever you do NOT try buying tickets directly from the bus driver: Most do not speak English and will either not serve you and/or make mistakes We actually ended up paying a fine totally unnecessarily because of the lack of information we had at the time and the fact that most drivers do not speak English (surprisingly however the people administering fines speak perfect English- What a coincidence!!!) Overall Thoughts: Not a 5-star experience but the location is great and the rooms are nice and spacious. Provided there are no structural issues, you will most likely enjoy your room. Some of the reception staff in particular, need to improve their manner and be more helpful to tourists (bus information, local customs, recommendations etc