Hotel Touring - Bologna, Italy     

We recently returned from a 3 night stay here. The location of the hotel is down various backstreets that get increasingly smaller! Although just off one of the piazzas, the hotel was very quiet. The staff couldn't have been more helpful, whether it was recommending a restaurant, providing a coffee before bedtime, or storing our case on the day of departure. We paid 20 euros extra per night to get a room with a small balcony, so we had a room on the 4th floor with a view of the hills behind Bologna. The roof terrace on 5th floor looked great, and I imagine it would be enjoyable sitting up there with a drink later on in the summer. If you want a good old-fashioned trattoria, try Trattoria Trebbi on Via Solferino. They have a fantastic buffet. It's not posh at all, looks like someone's old dining room. It would be helpful if you speak Italian, but we muddled through. The tiramisu is fantastic!

During our two-week stay in Italy, we had generally good hotel experiences, but none as great as at the Hotel Touring in Bologna. The location was fine, the hotel itself (the room, the rooftop garden, the courtyard and breakfast room) were all really nice, but the staff was exceptional. All of the front desk people made us feel welcomed like guests in their home. They were helpful with restaurant recommendations, directions and all sorts of advice and help. We recommend this hotel highly and plan to return for a longer stay next time.