Palazzo Alexander

An elegant looker for not much lucre in central Lucca

I’ve not met anyone who’s been to Lucca and been unimpressed. Come to think of it, I’ve not met many people who have been to Lucca at all – and that’s part of its appeal. Perfectly enclosed within massive medieval walls, this delightful north Tuscan town has bags of charm and culture – cobbled lanes, Renaissance churches, manageable museums, stylish shops – and relatively few tourists, especially considering how accessible it is via nearby Pisa airport.

The Palazzo Alexander is one of a handful of guesthouses within the city walls. Dating from the 12th century this four-storey ex-boarding-school has been converted into a nine-bedroom hotel, ornately (some might say over-ornately) decorated with embossed gold fabrics, polished wooden floors and Regency-type armchairs. If you’re lucky you might have an angel smiling down at you from the newly frescoed ceiling, or a balcony overlooking the Lucchese roofscape. It's clean, cared-for and efficiently run by English-speaking owner-manager Mario Maraviglia.

Highs

• Excellent, thoughtful service worthy of 4 or 5*
• Jacuzzis, balconies and sofas in the suites
• The medieval town centre on your doorstep
• Grand villas and formal gardens outside town
• Puccini museum and summer music festival

Lows

• You may find the décor a bit overblown
• Some bedrooms are a little cramped and occasionally things like blown lightbulbs are overlooked
• It’s a small town hotel so don’t expect a pool, restaurant or garden