Hotel Impero

The staff were professional and genuinely helpful, and breakfast was what I expected. Even during the late June heatwave, the air conditioning worked well. With such a central spot, I was very satisfied and already know where I’ll stay next time I’m back in Cremona.

The rooms were cozy, with a lovely view of the Duomo and Palazzo Comunale, a little balcony, a king-size bed, and a cute coffee machine with free pods. The hotel’s location is breathtaking, and the staff were very courteous. It’s a charming historic building, and the rationalist architecture stands out. The restored 1930s-style breakfast room has kept its original charm, and the breakfast itself was good, though it had only industrial sweets and cakes, with little local character. We weren’t told that the public parking was underground, and our vehicle couldn’t fit because of the height limit. We ended up parking on the outskirts, about a 10-minute walk away. For a four-star hotel, I also missed having a shared space such as a lobby, lounge, or bar. The room decor felt rather plain, with new, low-quality materials, and the hallways had what looked like plastic or linoleum flooring. It came across more like an ordinary 1960s hotel than a carefully restored 1930s landmark. Still, we had a pleasant stay.

The only real snag was the noise from a bar or something right outside our window. It stayed loud until midnight, so an early bedtime was tough. The hotel probably couldn’t do much about that. The staff were nice and accommodating, breakfast was a good typical European spread, and our room was a decent size and comfortable.

Breakfast was delicious, and there are plenty of good restaurants close by. We had a roomy, clean place just a short walk from the cathedral square. The train station was about 15 minutes away on foot. We only booked one night, and the location worked out great.