Albergo San Martino

I don’t usually write reviews, but this place earned one. The people running it are lovely, and the staff were welcoming, kind, friendly, and easy-going. The hotel sits in a quiet corner right in the city center. Our room was lovely, the interior pleasant, and breakfast was good.

We stayed here as a base for Lucca parkrun, with the start about a 5mins walk away. Get back quickly and you can make breakfast before 10am, which is a real bargain. It’s a lovely little hotel inside Lucca’s walls.

The entrance at Albergo Diana is a real issue for older guests: there are 5 steep steps with no handrail or other safety support. The doors are heavy, and as they close toward you, it’s easy to get pushed down when leaving. After a shaky start there, we were moved to the adjacent Hotel san martino, which was better all around and had a far superior room. The management is the same, and the staff at San Martino are marvellous, especially Fabriscio and Nicola, the managers. I recommend San Martino to avoid the entrance problem.

The location is great, close to both the railway station and the old city. Staff were friendly, and breakfast deserves five stars. The rooms look a bit dated, though the bathroom doesn’t, and the walls are thin enough that you can hear everything.