Gran Paradiso Hotel Spa

The staff in the group dining room really impressed me. With a large party, the waiters were attentive, helpful, and knew the dishes and menu well. The room was spacious and comfortable, and the food was carefully prepared. I travel with groups often, so I know that kind of service takes real care. I also loved the hotel’s location near Padre Pio Shrine, along with the rooms and food. My whole stay in Italy this summer was very pleasant, and I’d definitely recommend it.

I was here on a Catholic pilgrimage, but I wouldn’t book it on my own. The beds were cots and the towels felt like paper towels. The pool was green, and construction equipment was all around the outside of the building. There was even a sign on the door warning about sensors on the linens if you stole them. Ha, who would want them? At the banquet, jug wine was put on the table by mistake, then taken away so we couldn’t drink it, though they offered us a glass before removing the cheap wine. This is not a 4-star hotel. They did offer free wifi because renovations were underway.

The room was clean enough for a night, and the location is handy for visiting the Church of Padre Pio, though you still have a bit of a hike to reach it. My travel agent booked this as part of a pilgrim tour, so there were lots of other tour groups around, and breakfast was crowded during the jubilee year. I was given a wheelchair-friendly room on the reception floor, with a fairly large bathroom. The amenities were sparse, just two small bottles of soap and two bottles of water in the fridge. I couldn't find the AC, but the weather was cold, so the room was fine without it. It did the job for a short church visit, but I wouldn't choose it for a fancy, relaxing stay.

The one real plus was how close the hotel is to the Padre Pio Shrine. We were traveling as a Catholic pilgrimage group of 35 and have just returned to the US. The room smelled, felt outdated, and had some mold in the shower. We had hot water on only one of the four shower occasions, and the food didn't taste good. We couldn't get anyone to answer the front desk phone. When we went down to ask for another room, they said there were none left and told us to open the window. I wouldn't recommend staying here.