Hotel Ilaria

Hotel Ilaria is the most practical good hotel in Lucca, and for many travellers the most enjoyable. It stands at Via del Fosso 26, a peaceful street along a small canal in the eastern part of the old town, near the Botanical Garden and a few minutes from the walls, the Guinigi Tower and Piazza dell’Anfiteatro. The hotel lends its bikes to guests free of charge, which is exactly what you want in a city whose best sight is a ring of tree-lined walls made for cycling. Breakfast is a buffet of local specialities, homemade breads and jams, served on a covered terrace, and there is an outdoor terrace planted with camellias and hibiscus with a six-person Jacuzzi in the warmer months. A complimentary snack buffet runs from midday to early evening, with beer and prosecco from 17:00. Pets stay free, and a twelfth-century tower on the property houses the meeting room.

Location and getting around: the walls are about three minutes away on foot, the Guinigi Tower about five and Piazza dell’Anfiteatro and San Frediano around six, while Via Fillungo and the Puccini Museum are within ten minutes. Lucca station is around an eleven-minute walk, so a day trip to Pisa by train is easy. Pisa airport is roughly forty minutes by car, and private transfers can be arranged.

The rooms: there is a wide choice, from small doubles and standard rooms to superior rooms, suites, triples and family rooms, plus doubles in an annex. Rooms are comfortable and modern rather than historic, with good bathrooms and air conditioning.

Who it suits: families, thanks to the family rooms, free bikes and relaxed atmosphere; couples who want a calm base inside the walls; and anyone arriving by car, since parking inside the old town is rare.

Good to know: private parking with valet service costs a nightly fee and should be requested in advance, and there are two electric car chargers. The Jacuzzi opens from April to October. Booking direct on the hotel website adds small extras such as a bottle of local wine, subject to availability.