La Terrazza di via Elisa

The terrace is a nice extra if you want breakfast outdoors, and there's also a sweet breakfast waiting area and a little reading corner with books. The room was super comfortable and had everything needed for the bed and bathroom. You're within walking distance of everything in Lucca. Getting there can be confusing since it's inside an apartment building, so contact the owner first. After that, arrival and departure were seamless.

Our family suite was modern, clean, and spacious, and the host was lovely. Everywhere in Lucca city was at most a ten-minute walk away. I loved my stay.

The price and location are hard to beat in Lucca, and the owner even brought me the keys while I was in an impromptu work meeting. That kind of availability is hard to find anywhere else here. From the hotel you get a view of Porta Elisa that feels like a thousand and one nights, with a double vantage point over Lucca's streets. It was a privilege to sleep here, though some guests clearly don't appreciate that. The single room is narrow, and putting a bedside table in its tightest corner wasn't a great idea, though it wasn't a major issue. A fake plant takes up a lot of room too, which felt like a personal style choice that didn't make much sense when space is limited. On the plus side, the cleaning was surprisingly excellent, the two pushed-together singles were comfortable for my tired back, and there was a suitcase rack and attractive designer lighting. The wardrobe had two piles of soft blankets, and there was selected coffee to make with a De Longhi machine. I didn't have time for breakfast, though the photos made it look decent. A few thoughtful adjustments could make the hotel stunning.

The king-size beds were very comfortable, and the host kindly checked us in even outside the usual hours. The location is excellent, practically in the centre. Still, the bathroom was tiny, there was no breakfast, and the restaurant kitchen across from our room made a lot of noise at night.