Palazzo Castiglioni Luxury Suites

We spent a week here in April 2018 and were so glad we did. I love checking out hotels when I visit a new city, and this felt like the most wonderful one in Mantova. It isn’t listed as a “Hotel,” I assume because there’s no front desk or breakfast room. But Sig. Castiglioni or someone from his staff is always on site or reachable by phone. He lives in this family palazzo, which I believe is the oldest in Mantova, even older than Palazzo Ducale. Breakfast is included, though it’s served at the cafe two doors down rather than in a breakfast room. We sat outside in Piazza Ducale, which is closed to traffic, and had a typical Italian breakfast: a few cappuccinos and wonderful chocolate-filled croissants. Sandwiches were available too, just like the locals have, and the cafe owners are lovely. We paid to park on the Palazzo grounds, which made day trips easy. Our lovely suite was in the main part of the Palazzo and looked out over Piazza Ducale. Mantova is a jewel, with wonderful restaurants and an evening “passeggiata,” when families meet friends to walk through the city or share wine and cicchetti. One thing to know: Mantova is surrounded by three lakes, and I was told they spray for mosquitoes in warmer weather. For the first time in Italy, I noticed screens on some of the windows, though certainly not all of them. I’m sure I’ll return to Mantova and Palazzo Castiglioni soon.

A warning for others: we booked and got confirmation, but the hotel was closed when we arrived. No one answered the phone or email, so we had to find somewhere else at the very last minute. It was a disgraceful experience. I hope nobody else has to go through that.

My friend was staying overnight on his wedding day, so I visited and we used the room to get changed and take photos on the roof. The room and views were absolutely stunning.

Such a pleasant, romantic experience.