Pensione America

After five nights at Pensione America, I think they've already made it a top destination in Forte Dei Marmi. The staff, and there are plenty of them, were courteous, helpful, quietly present, and clearly keen to please. Their service made all the lovely surroundings count. The grounds look like a movie set: flowers and lush plants, pergolas, bikes in the driveway, rattan loungers around a green and blue tiled pool, and white-columned terraces against orange stucco and green shutters. Inside the main house there are stylish seating areas, a restaurant, reception, and a spotless white marble staircase to the upstairs rooms. Our room was in a separate building on the second floor, one category above the cheapest, which was predictably unavailable at the last minute. It was laid out smartly, with a large sleeping area, sinks in an anteroom, a separate tub, toilet and shower, and a closet big enough for a longer stay. There was plenty of light, with four lamps you could switch on separately, or use along with the overhead lights. Some places seem to think darkness sets a mood. Here, the motto might be, “Let them have light!” The hotel was only three months old, so even the bathtub felt brand new. It was quite a stroke of luck that our first hotel in Forte Dei Marmi was a total dump; otherwise we never would have found Pensione America. “Pensione” may make some travelers think of something barely above a hostel, but this place is a world away.