Bagni di Pisa Palace and Spa

Here are the good things about this hotel: the staff are lovely, knowledgeable and helpful - thank you Elena, Dario and Patrizia. The water in the various pools is really restorative and pleasant to be in. I also slept well. My stay was only one night, and I had kids with me, so I didn't have any treatments. I imagine they must be quite good as the hotel was completely full. The breakfast, included in our rate, had lots of great choice and was delicious. This is my problem with the hotel: the thermal water and frescoes can only take you so far. I wouldn't mind so much if this hotel advertised itself and charged as the 4 star it really, and barely, is. It needs a serious infusion of cash and an excellent designer to actually become a 5-star hotel. Our room (the only one available that night and the most expensive and touted in the hotel) lacked good lighting and had a tired headboard and coaches. The bathroom, while renovated, looked like something you would find in your great uncle's house in the suburbs. The shower didn't work and we had to wait around while a workman came to fix it. My daughter eventually had a cold shower. When I suggested that the hotel take this into consideration as far as the bill was concerned, I was dumbfounded when the woman I first spoke to said the hotel would have really liked to have known about the situation sooner than I told them (as if that were my responsibility!) Our room also had a lot of ants and a few flies. The dinner, which was included in our room rate, was indifferent at best, and in the case of my John Dory, inedible. We were coming from a true 5 star hotel in Florence, which made the contrast that much more painful. In it's current form, I really could not recommend staying at the hotel, but visiting the spa and its pools alone makes sense. Incidentally, I was given a 10% discount which I think should have been offered without my asking for it.

The Bagni di Pisa is a charming, old style spa resort. The team that manages the hotel is very good. You are made to feel at home. The services are excellent. The dining room was very good and there is a good wine list. The spa is complete with all traditional treatments and a wonderful hot spring. The hotel is about due for a bit of a refreshment- including the fitness room- but it was really a very nice stay for me and I recommend it.