Bonacolsi Collection , Mantegna Hotels

Breakfast is well worth having, especially in that historic room with frescoes overlooking the main square. We had a very spacious, recently renovated room, and the welcome kit with a razor and toothbrushes was a nice touch. The hotel is very central, and parking right beside it in the blue lines was handy. You can pay at the hotel, €5 per day.

The bathroom was the weak point for us. Hardly any water came from either the overhead shower or the sink, and the fixed showerhead looked badly scaled, spraying water in every direction. The sliding bathroom door wouldn’t shut unless you used the latch to hold it ajar, and the fan didn’t work. We also spotted a cobweb, though that was minor. Since each room in this historic building is different, including the bathrooms, ours may have been an exception. The location is excellent, opposite the Palazzo Ducale complex in Mantua’s historic center. Staff were helpful and the facility felt new and modern.

The room was comfortable, with really good beds and pillows, and it had a kettle, tea and instant coffee. It’s a B&B right in the city center, so getting around was very convenient. The room had a lot of technology, maybe too much for my taste, and the air conditioning failed to switch on one night even though the set temperature hadn’t been reached. The staff came across as cold and not very friendly. I also hadn’t realized breakfast wasn’t included. I should have checked the booking option, but I thought the bed and breakfast choice meant it was. At €12 per person per day, I found it too expensive. All in all, an average stay, nothing especially memorable.

The breakfast room is stunning, with its frescoes, and we had a quiet room. The hotel is in a historic building, but our room felt clean and modern. The staff were friendly, and we really appreciated the two bottles of water they provided.