Hotel Porta San Mamolo - Bologna, Italy     

I picked Hotel Porta San Mamolo for our three nights in Bologna based on the reviews here on TripAdvisor. I was not disappointed. It is located on the southern edge of the historical city center and so is a bit farther from the Piazza Maggiore than other hotels, but with Bologna's porticoed sidewalks it's an easy walk in any weather. Finding the hotel was difficult as it's in the middle of a maze of one way streets. I even got lost a few times trying to get back on foot. It's not well known to locals, so be prepared with a map if you're navigationally challenged. Parking, though, was a breeze (they essentially valeted from the front door). The hotel itself has a very welcoming, airy feel with a lovely central garden area and simple elegant decor throughout. The staff was helpful but not intrusive. They gave us good recommendations for dinner. (Trust them over TripAdvisor for Bologna.) The air conditioning, while not powerful, kept the room at a comfortable temperature even with near 100 degree (F) heat outside. The bathroom was large, but the shower enclosure was unnecessarily small. Breakfast was very nice with coffee to order and a good selection of fresh fruit, pastries, cereal, yogurt, cold cuts, eggs, and juices. Bologna has few Americans compared with Venice, for example, but it seemed that the majority of the clientele at this hotel were from the States. Must be TripAdvior's fault ;). Overall, this hotel was worth the price, and I would recommend it to anyone travelling to Bologna.

We have recently returned from Italy. Wonderful trip. We picked Bologna as our base with planned day trips to the region. I found this charming hotel on TripAdvisor and I can see why it's rated #1. The staff was amazing and so helpful...from site seeing suggestions,dinner reservations and extra wine glasses in our room. Bologna is a large city with busy streets and finding the hotel with our rental car for the first time was a challenge, but after that is was a breeze. Our room was nicely decorated with a large bathroom. The breakfast room and garden are inviting. We ate at the corner Sangiovese restaurant three nights in a row.....very yummy and the owners are great. The hotel made reservations at Biagi two streets over and the homemade pasta was to die for. It's central location was my initial reason for booking but this boutique hotel offers so much more.