San Giuseppe

Good.

The only thing I missed during my stay was a night guard. It would have made it easier for evening visitors to get in and, more importantly, addressed security concerns. Otherwise, the facilities are a good standard and fairly priced. The Casa della Spiritualità di San Giuseppe has a lovely park and a beautiful Monastery just a few hundred meters away. The rooms are attractive and feel like they belong in a high-end hotel, though they don’t have a TV, which seems unnecessary for this kind of accommodation. The food wasn’t gourmet, but it was delicious. Inside the Monastery are valuable accounts of the missionary Allegra and her work in Asia, including a striking Chinese Mary with baby Jesus holding the globe. It’s in San Marino, at the foot of the capital’s picturesque historic center, near Rimini. The exterior is plain, but inside there’s a welcoming lobby, appealing shared spaces on several floors, and plenty of parking.

From the window, we had beautiful views. The rooms were bright, spacious and very well kept, and the staff were friendly. The hotel sits at the foot of the mountain where the Principality and city’s old town are located, in a very picturesque part of San Marino.

The paths here include the Stations of the Cross and the Way of Light, along with plenty of quiet spots for meditation and reflection. The grounds around the Sanctuary are beautifully cared for through the work of volunteers and the dedication of some of the faithful. The Spiritual House / Hotel San Giuseppe is run by the Friars Minor of the Sanctuary of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Valdragone. It sits within the Sanctuary grounds, near the geographic center of the small state of San Marino.