Italy for me From Italy with love
Where to stay in Lucca and which hotel to choose? On the one hand, it is preferable to live in the historical center or near it. But, on the other hand, in the nearby suburbs, there are lovely mini-hotels with good transport accessibility, allowing, among other things, to admire the natural beauties of the Tuscany region (Toscana).
In this review, I have selected popular hotels in different locations, leaving the choice to you. Except for the latter option, the cost of living ranges from 120 to 250 EUR per night.
Lucca is ideal for spending at least 2 nights here, and the location can also be used as a base for exploring Tuscany – during the day, you can ride to explore neighboring towns and return to a comfortable hotel in the evening.
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Hotel Palazzo Alexander 4*
Price: from 200 EUR per night.
The 4-star Hotel Palazzo Alexander 4* is located in a historic XII-century mansion in the city’s central area.
The beautiful boutique hotel has 12 rooms: standard, family, and junior suites. The classical interiors are decorated with antique architectural elements, frescoes, antique furniture, art, marble, and original parquet floors.
Next to the reception, there is an elegant lounge where a continental breakfast is served every morning. The buffet offers hot and cold snacks, fresh pastries, traditional sweets, and natural juices. The 24-hour bar offers a wide selection of branded spirits, fine wines, and cocktails.
A parking space with access to the restricted traffic area (ZTL – Zona a traffico limitato) is available at an extra cost. In close proximity is the National Museum (Museo Nazionale di Palazzo Mansi) and the parental house-museum of the great composer Giacomo Puccini (Museo Casa Natale di Giacomo Puccini). In the same house, you can dine in the wonderful Italian restaurant Casa Puccini.
Hotel Ilaria 4*
Price: from 190 EUR per night, and also includes wireless internet, bicycle rental, and audio guides for self-guided tours of the city.
Hotel Ilaria 4* is a romantic boutique hotel located in the green area of Villa Bottini, opposite the powerful 13th-century fortress gates of San Gervasio (Porta San Gervasio).
The hotel provides accommodation in 41 rooms (from 13 to 35 sq.m.). The standard options are located in the building of the reconstructed old stables, while the two-level family rooms and suites are in the former medieval chapel of Oratorio dell’Alba. The flagship Tower Suite provides an exclusive opportunity to stay inside the mentioned fortress gates. The cozy interiors are distinguished by their exquisite design with attractive design solutions, for example, in the form of exposed fragments of ancient stonework. The windows open a view of a well-groomed park and a defensive moat with water.
On the outdoor terrace, breakfasts are served for every taste – with hot dishes, cold cuts of meat and cheese, salmon, fragrant croissants, seasonal fruits, sparkling wine, and excellent cappuccino. During the day, you can relax in the jacuzzi and order drinks and snacks free of charge. In the evening, champagne and beer are served in the elegant lobby.
Hotel San Marco 3*
Price: from 160 EUR per night.
The modern Hotel San Marco 3* is located in the quarter closest to the historic center, within walking distance from the gates of San Jacopo.
Its convenient location outside the ZTL zone and free parking make it an excellent option for those traveling by car. Having a modest grand appearance, the hotel pleasantly surprises with lovely interiors, which a good designer definitely worked on. The two combined 3-storey buildings consist of 42 comfortable rooms. A rich buffet of fresh products is served in the breakfast room or on the summer terrace. The bar offers tasty pizza, light snacks, and exclusive craft beers.
If it is hot outside, one can relax at the swimming pool in the garden.
Free WiFi and bike rental are available. Within walking distance, you’ll find Piazza Anfiteatro, which has preserved the correct oval shape of the ancient Roman amphitheater. Many cafes are open here, where locals and tourists enjoy spending time over coffee.
Hotel Alla Corte degli Angeli 4*
Price: from 180 EUR per night.
Hotel Alla Corte degli Angeli 4* is located in the Old Town, within walking distance from iconic sights and the famous Fillungo shopping street.
The atmosphere of home comfort is created by friendly staff and wonderful interior design, including ceiling and wall frescoes with soothing landscapes, oriental carpets, antiques, and wooden floors.
The hotel has 20 spacious rooms in several categories, including superior rooms with hot tubs and two-bedroom family suites.
In the mornings, an Italian breakfast is offered without hot dishes but with the opportunity to boil eggs and, among other things, enjoy delicious honey in combs. After that, you can dine deliciously at the hotel’s Tuscan restaurant La Parte degli Angeli, The Angels’ Share, which has a cocktail bar. A few steps away is the Pfanner Palace Museum (Palazzo Pfanner) with a compact and very beautiful garden, and the Basilica of St. Fridian (Basilica di San Frediano), built in the 6th century in the Romanesque style and decorated with magnificent mosaics on the pediment.
Tenuta San Giovanni Lucca – Editor’s Choice for Families
Price: from 150 EUR per night.
Tenuta San Giovanni Lucca is a former 18th-century noble estate surrounded by green hills 4 km from the city center.
In a nice three-storey building there are 8 apartments with a different number of bedrooms (from 1 to 4), fully equipped and pretty specious for large families and groups of tourists up to 9 people. Every apartment has a separate living room, a kitchen with a dining area, a furnished terrace, or a balcony. The living rooms are furnished with taste and simplicity in typical Tuscan style. It offers free Wi-Fi, a seasonal swimming pool with a relaxation area, a well-kept garden, BBQ facilities, bicycle rental, and laundry.
The bus stop is nearby, so you can quickly get to the city center and back. In addition to the mentioned location, 10 km from the center of Lucca, there are 2 comfortable villas, Belvedere and Regio, which occupy former monastery buildings of the XV century.
Il Pozzo di Santa Zita
Price: from 140 EUR per night.
Il Pozzo di Santa Zita is one of the oldest buildings in the city center, a few steps from the lively Fillungo street.
There are 5 individually designed double rooms (from 20 to 45 sq.m.), featuring an elegant combination of period décor and modern comforts. There is free WiFi, a 24-hour front desk with multilingual staff, an in-room coffee machine, and a refillable minibar. Breakfast is not offered, but there are many cafes around for all tastes.
Within a 5-minute walk, there are high-rise monuments of the Middle Ages with viewing platforms: the 44-meter Gvinigi Tower (Torre Guinigi) with pistachio trees on the roof and the highest 50-meter Clock Tower (Torre delle Ore).
Il Cortile di Elisa
Price: from 135 EUR per night.
It’s like a small oasis in the city center. Il Cortile di Elisa invites you to enjoy the silence and scents of a flowering garden in an enclosed courtyard.
The hotel 2 elegant rooms: Camellia (12 sqm) and Magnolia (15 sqm), with a kitchenette and dining area. Modern interiors are decorated with attention to detail, fresh flowers, designer furniture, and stylish accessories. The cozily furnished patio is the perfect place to unwind with a glass of wine and read the latest news. Other amenities include Russian-speaking staff, free WiFi, and bicycle rental.
Upon prior request, the friendly hostess can organize a cooking class or dinner with a personal chef in her own professional kitchen. Near the hotel, there is a supermarket, numerous food outlets, as well as attractions such as the National Museum of the Palazzo Mansi (otherwise called Palazzo Orsetti) and the beautiful Church of St. Michael (Chiesa di San Michele in Foro), built on the site of the ancient Roman forum.
Read also about Forum in Rome.
B&B Antico Cancello
Price: from 100 EUR per night.
B&B Antico Cancello is ideally located at the beginning of Via Fillungo, the main pedestrian street of the city, next to the medieval Porta di Borgo.
The hotel is an apartment converted into 2 standard rooms with a shared dining area in the kitchen. In the morning, the owners of the apartments serve a generous breakfast with cold cuts, cheeses, omelets, fruit, homemade cakes, and delicious coffee. Nearby there are several bike rentals – a good way to explore the Old Town and the encircling fortress walls, which are about 4.5 km long.
A 2-minute walk from the wonderful gastropub La Cantina di Lucca with a rich selection of Tuscan wines, American whiskey, draft beer and local light snacks.
Hotels on the Map of Lucca
For convenience, I mapped all the hotels mentioned in this review below – so it will be easier for you to decide where to stay.
If you need advice on holidays in Lucca and Tuscany, I will be happy to answer your questions in the comments.