{"id":13752,"date":"2012-09-10T10:39:51","date_gmt":"2012-09-10T00:39:51","guid":{"rendered":"\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/?p=13752"},"modified":"2015-03-19T10:20:42","modified_gmt":"2015-03-19T00:20:42","slug":"hotel-review-bagni-di-pisa-italy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.co.nz\/vc\/blog\/hotel-review-bagni-di-pisa-italy\/","title":{"rendered":"Hotel Review: Bagni di Pisa, Italy!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Calling all budding princesses! lastminute lovely Louise stays in a bonafide Italian palace. It’s a tough gig but someone’s got to do it.<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Last night I stayed in a palace. Yes, a real, bonafide 18th century palace where original frescoes still grace the ceilings and every nook and cranny is littered with exquisite European antiques. I thought I had died and gone to Italian princess heaven.
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Bagni di Pisa Palace and Spa<\/a> is a five star Leading Hotel of the World nestled in the Tuscan hills between the pretty medieval town of Lucca and the city of Pisa. Originally home to the Grand Duke of Tuscany, the site has long been popular with the rich and famous due to the natural thermal activity bubbling its way up to the surface and providing a restorative \u2018wellness\u2019 experience.<\/p>\n

Indeed the residence\u2019s past guest list reads like the who\u2019s who of the cultural and noble elite including: Lord Byron, George IV and Mary Shelley; even Puccini is rumoured to have regularly tinkled on the bar\u2019s grand piano. It was time for me to don my finest threads and play at being regal for the night.
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The Spa<\/strong>
\nUpon check-in Mr LML and I are handed a spa pack: some slippers and a golden robe (you are in a palace after all, a plain robe wouldn\u2019t do at all). The spa and wellness facilities are still one of the main reasons Europeans flock to Bagni di Pisa. With numerous treatment rooms, a couple of thermal pools and dedicated wellness experts, the place is fully equipped to relax and rejuvenate all holidaymakers \u2013 royal or otherwise.<\/p>\n

They even do weight-loss programs \u2013 which may come in handy after enjoying the gourmet heaven that is Italian cuisine. We side-step the detox packages and instead spend the afternoon lazing on the pool deck reading and casually nipping into the thermal pool for a hydro massage \u2013 bliss.
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The Room<\/strong>
\nOur room for the night is one of their junior suites and my hubby and I share an \u201coh wow\u201d moment when we enter. The suite is bigger than our whole two-bed apartment in Sydney. (This is simultaneously pleasing and saddening).<\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

The bedroom d\u00e9cor is stunning; rich fabrics and elegant furnishings. Oh and officially the largest bed I have ever seen! We have a separate lounge area to luxuriate in and drink champers; and, our marble bathroom is kitted out with classic yet modern fixtures.<\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

The Bar<\/strong>
\nNaturally our next stop after sharing a bottle of bubbles is the resident bar, a popular haunt of the hotel\u2019s past illustrious guests. The Shelley Bar is very striking with a large grand piano, burgundy velvet armchairs and a beautiful fresco adorning the ceiling. It\u2019s the perfect setting for enjoying a plate of olives and an Aperol aperitif before dinner in a local restaurant.<\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

The Breakfast<\/strong>
\nItalian\u2019s aren\u2019t big on breakfast, they\u2019re more of a grab a cappuccino and pastry type of gang, so I never get too excited about hotel breakfasts in Italy. So it\u2019s a happy surprise to discover a huge breakfast buffet spread at the Dei Lorena restaurant in the hotel. I go for fruit salad, yogurt and muesli washed down with freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and a cafe latte. As demands with global breakfast buffet etiquette, I return to the stand to collect some freshly baked, still oozing, pain au chocolate. I\u2019m on holiday so I have two\u2026 Kate Middleton would have done the same right??<\/p>\n

The Verdict<\/strong>
\nBudding princesses, aristocrats or culture vultures will relish Bagni di Pisa\u2019s historical value and unique character. Let\u2019s face it, Oz doesn\u2019t provide too many opportunities for us mere mortals to enjoy a classical mansion fit for a queen. Staying in an 18th century palace, adorned with Tuscan terracotta, marble and frescoes, is a truly unique experience and one that I will certainly remember forever *sigh*.
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