49 Marvellous Friendly Hotel in Tuscany 1/10/2009 Just returned from my second trip this year. Hotel makes all its guests feel so special. The food, wine and service are superb and the Simoncini family, Paulo and all the family are so helpful and interested in their guests. I have booked to go for three weeks next year and booked flights with British Airways from Gatwick at a c ompetitive price.         48 If you want to know how to run a hotel - this is how! 28/09/2009 I won't bother repeating the huge number of compliments posted by others. I'll just say that it would be a real shame to visit Montecatini and not experience the warm glow that comes with a stay at the Torretta. We are already planning our next visit! P.S The food is fantastic!         47 Perfect stay.. 28/09/2009 This is a comfortable family-run hotel with exemplary service from the management team who are only to happy to offer advice or assistance with any aspect of your stay. Our room was spotlessly clean and the beds comfortable. Nice soft bed linen and walk in marble shower room. We were booked on a 'room only' basis, but if you wished, you could purchase breakfast, a light lunch by pool, or full 4 course lunch or evening meal. The meals we chose to take in the hotel were good regional dishes (with choices on each course). Typically it would be soup, pasta, meat or fish main course, then a dessert trolley. Price 24 eu pp. The walk to town from the hotel was a pleasant 10 min stroll, often we took the route through the park. The hotel kindly organised a taxi pick up for us from Pisa airport, the driver was waiting for us on arrival and arrived promptly to drive us the 45 minute journey on our return. The cost was 80 euros each journey, payable direct to the driver. Have no worries, as the driver is connected to the Hotel, so all will run completely smoothly. I particularly recommend the half litre pitcher of Prosecco (6 euro), lovely with a home made pasta dish lunch (7 euro), very nice taken sat by the pool on a sunny day. As well as taking the funicular up to Montecatini Alto (runs on the half hour), I would recommend taking the train to Lucca and to Florence. Train tickets can be purchased from the tourism info centre (small agency fee per ticket), much better than the Montecatini Centrale station whose ticket office is seldom open! The tourism info centre will also give you a timetable. If going to Florence, stay on the train until you get to the Santa Maria Novello station which is the last stop (there are other Firenze stops before!) Should you need it, there is a small SPAR type shop up the road behind the hotel - go out through pool area, go left, then go right up the hill for about 150 metres. There is also a bigger supermarket, about 100 or so metres to the left of Montecatini Terme station, it is called Conad We shall certainly return to the Hotel Torretta and Montecatini Terme. Good traditional comfortable accommodation and service, a pleasure to stay there. p.s. for ladies who are big shoe shoppers, factor in plenty of shoe shopping into your budget/luggage weight allowance.. I came home with 7 pairs..!         46 Great place to stay 22/09/2009 Great place, great service, hartly welcome most peopel speaak different languages, makes it somewhat easier         45 すばらしいバカンス！10/09/2009         44 Fantastic place..... 21/08/2009 I don't often visit places twice as there's always new places to go and new things to see. But I've just come back from a week in Tuscany, 5 days of which were spent at Montecatini and I really fell in love with the place and want to return! Undoubtedly, one of the things that really made the trip was staying at the Torretta. It has apparently been run by one family for many years - decades I think - and it shows. They obviously take a huge pride in the place. We got a very warm welcome and felt instantly at home there. The rooms were spotless, the pool area was lovely and it was kept immaculate. One of the nicest things was being so near the park - fantastic for an early morning or evening wander. I'm going to miss it!         43 Another wonderful stay. 13/09/2009 My third visit and each time it gets better. This magical family run hotel never disappoints. The food, service, sunshine and happy faces help me de-stress, relax and recharge ready to take on the world upon my return to the wet and windy UK. The family and staff should start a hotel school demonstrating the art of fantastic service. Well done, we'll be back next year.         42 Perfect hotel for relaxing holiday 5/8/2009 We choose this hotel because of the positive reviews and we must say that we were not disappointed. Everything we had read is true, so no need for me to repeat it. The only thing I can say is that the hotel is mostly visited by elderly people which is not negative because this creates a relaxing atmosphere.         41 Great Staff! Nice proximity to Finiculare to the top of the mountain. 04/08/2009 We really appreciated the wonderful staff at the Hotel Torretta. They welcomed us, arranged our spa services, answered our questions, gave us directions and called our cabs. They treated us like good friends. We enjoyed the lovely pool and happy hour that ran late into the night around the pool. We appreciated being just a few blocks from town and 1 block from the entrance to the finiculare. We rode to the top for the fantastic view from the mountaintop and the phenomenal restaurants. Try the polenta with sage and butter, wonderful!!         40 Excellent! 29/07/2009 I stayed at this hotel 3 nights in July 2009, with my husband Style: family run hotel. The hall is big with sofas and comfortable armchairs. Hotel facilities: it has a nice pool, not too big and a Jacuzzi tub. You can enjoy sunbathing with sun beds on a terrace around the pool. Location: in front of a big park. Ten minutes walking from the Thermal Buildings. A bit far from the train station. If you come by train, you probably need a taxi to reach it with the luggage. Rooms: my room (n° 106) was on the first floor, looking on the pool. It was quite big and beds were very comfortable. It had two wardrobes and plenty of space to store the luggage. The receptionist gave us two beach towels, to use them for the pool. This hotel is in a quite area, so it is very good for light sleepers Food: I had half board accommodation. The food was excellent. I have some problems with some kind of food and the staff was very helpful and attentive. You can have a 4 courses meal and you can choose each course among three options. You can also have a salad buffet. The best is dessert: don’t miss it! Breakfast is ok for Italian tastes (I am Italian): croissants, cereals, fresh yogurt, jam, biscuits, fruit, etc. however, you can also have ham, boiled eggs and cheese if you like. Staff: that’s the plus! The staff was kind and attentive in every need you have. A special thanks to Dante, Gabriele, Nicoletta and her mother for the precious advices they gave us during our staying there. The good: mostly everything. Cannot complain on anything. Price: I suppose it is a deal! We paid € 65 p.p. in a double room, half board and they also applied us a discount. Final comments: I advice my friends to stay there if in Montecatini, I found this hotel very suitable to all my needs. I will probably go back to Montecatini for the thermal cures and would never change the Torretta for another hotel.         39 Excellent service makes this hotel highly recommended 27/06/2009 My wife and I stayed at this hotel on our honeymoon and nothing was too much trouble for the friendly staff which made us feel very much at home. The hotel has a nice pool, a very reasonably priced restaurant and a comfortable lounge. The rooms were spacious and very clean. Overall, we had a very pleasant and enjoyable time here.         38 Lovely, friendly and comfortable hotel 11/07/2009 We chose this hotel thanks to the Trip Adviser reviews. We were surprised to find such a class hotel at such a reasonable price and we were not disappointed. From the start the service was excellent and although not all the staff speak English they go out of their way to be friendly and helpful. Evening meal was very good value, buffet style breakfast was ample and varied and the lunchtime menu offered a formal and poolside option which were also very good. One minus point would be the distance to the town centre (about 15 minutes walk) - a nice stroll the first night but a little daunting after a full day in Florence! The nearby Montecatini Alto, served by funicular railway and only a 5 minute walk from the hotel, was the unexpected gem of the holiday - do not miss. The poolside is very attractive and we very rarely struggled to get a sunbed whatever time of day we used the pool. Overall we would highly recommend this hotel.         37 Very good hotel in a lovely setting 07/07/2009 We stayed in this hotel as part of a group tour in early June. The owner is very proud of his hotel, and greets every guest on arrival - he is also seen regularly in the evening. Many of the staff, if not family by blood, have worked there for many years. The rooms are spacious, and those overlooking the pool and surrounding parkland are very pleasant indeed. It is immaculately clean, and the public areas are delightful. The breakfast is good - a nice touch is the steamer to cook fresh boiled eggs - but the cappucino machine is dreadful. A la carte guests get individually made cappucinos - but it was made very plain that those on tours definitely do not. This is a low point. I cannot agree with the rave reviews re the food. It was of an acceptable standard, but very definitely average. I would rather pay more and have better quality. The salad bar was interesting, with some nice variations (fresh cherries one night, green beans another). Internet access is available - one computer in a very public location (so everybody coming down the stairs can comment!), but a reasonable cost. Overall we enjoyed our stay, and would come back - just not as part of a tour! The town is a gem, and we would readily use it as a base for exploring Tuscany.         36 Must return to this fabulous hotel soon. 28/05/2009 Stayed for five nights as part of a BikersOracle motorcycle tour. This hotel is just about perfect. Dante. his family and staff really do go the extra mile. Food very good and only a short walk from the town centre. Looking forward to returning soon.         35 freindly family run hotel in lovely setting, with extremely helpful staff. 3/5/2009 We booked Hotel Torretta based on Trip Advisor reviews. I can't tell you how the hotel exceeded even the reviews. Our experience was wonderful...we arrived and could not park in lot because it was full, no problem, we parked across the street, and Gabriel was right there to assist us with our bags. The hotel had just opened for the season, but there was no indication of that, it was as if they did not miss a beat, and even the pool was open and glistening surrounded by lovely lemon trees, and greenery. The large room was very clean, with a nice balcony overlooking the pool. We were there for Easter, and had decided to have Easter lunch at the hotel, the food was delicious! Breakfast each morning was wonderful as well. The hotel is an easy ten minute walk to town. I would most definetly recommend this hotel if traveling to Montecatini.         34 Pure class,excellent family run hotel by a wonderfull family 11/04/2009 Ihave been to torretta many times now and will stay ther many times more.I find dante & his wonderfull family very pleasant.On my last visit last june i had my wedding at colli di bugiano then the reception back at the hotel.To say the day was excellent would be a huge understatement.Dante and his family and wonderfull staff pulled out every stop for us to make it as nice as it could possibly be,he even got me a classic fiat 500 to drive my new bride away from the church,magical.I am very fond of montecattini so as you can imagine i can not wait to return. I strongly recomend montecattini & torretta to all romantics looking for a place to marry . Pure class.         33 Family Vacation 28/03/2009 Our family of 7 traveled throughout Italy for a month from Venice, to Lake Como, Cinque Terra, Tuscany and Rome. Our favorite, and most relaxing time was spent at Torretta Hotel. All of their family was extremely helpful and friendly! Returning to the hotel in the evenings was wonderful to sit in the jacuzzi, go for a swim or sit and read in a quiet corner on the property. All of their restaurant suggestions were fabulous. They made train reservations for us as well. Each morning they had a reserved table for breakfast by the pool, without us even asking! The gondola up to Montecatini Alto is a short walk down the block. Since we stayed for 5 nights they even gave us a package rate, the best price we received at any hotel during our trip. The train station is about a 15-20 minute walk, a nice walk without luggage, but I'd take a taxi if you have luggage. We would definitely stay with them again!         32 Everything you read here is true. 11/09/2008 Everything that you read here is true. We booked the Torretta Hotel after reading all the reviews below and were not dissapointed. Although the room was small it was spotless and had everything that we needed. The staff were very helpful from the moment we arrived until we left a week later. The food was excellent and the waiters/waitresses very efficient. Being a chef myself I am usually critical about food but had no complaints at all for the whole week. We booked half board and will definately do so again. The hotel is family run and you do feel that you get that personal touch. We hope to return there again next September.         31 "Tuscany Treasure" - discovered by Canadian travellers 26/08/2008 We are pleased that we booked The Torretta Hotel for 5 days in May, 2008. Dante and his family members were very hospitable and helpful with our "many" questions about the area, and Tuscany, in general. Day trips from the Hotel can be made by car (train & bus-nearby) to many cities eg:- Lucca, Sienna, San Gimignano, Pisa, Florence. Spending a couple of days in the Montecatini Terme/Montecatini Alto Tuscany area is also enjoyable (pool area at the Torretta is relaxing in nice weather). The Hotel is welcoming and intimate. Meals are nicely pre- pared and served. Rooms aren't elaborate or spacious, but guests can sit and relax in comfortable areas off the lobby.         30 the lovliest small hotel we have ever stayed in 24/08/2008 we (a family of 4, with son age 9 and daughter age 14 and accompanying grandparents) enjoyed a lovely stay at this friendly hotel where everone of our needs were met. The hospitality that this hotel has to offer is faultless. The attention to detail from the waiting staff was excellent. the rooms were spotlessly clean, the food, delicious and you could order off the menu too which was great for my children. the town itself is lovely and you can walk to it easily by a pleasant stroll through the park . there is a thursday morning market and there are ice cream parlours galore. a trip on the vernicular is a must, and we found the local train service most reasonable and very punctual. we are missing those glorious days basking in the Tuscan sunshine, cooling off in the pool and having our poolside 'tea' served to us in style on a damask clothed tray with china cups and saucers by the waiting staff who couldn't do enough for us. we all felt truely looked after and although we had a relaxing break there our 10 days went all too quickly. definately worth going back to, highly recommend it.         29 Great Hotel 12/08/2008 Just returned from a 6 night stay at this hotel & I have to say it really is a lovely hotel. The staff are extremely helpful & friendly. The dinner in the hotel was the nicest meals we had through our whole trip in Italy. It was excellent. The bedrooms are a bit old but clean. Would definitely recommend this hotel & will hopefully return to it in the near future.         28 Under the Tuscan Sun - a real gem ! 15/07/2008 We have just returned from a wonderful stay in this hotel. The sevice was outstanding, every member of staff greeted customers with a smile and friendly manner. The superb reviews I had read were absolutely accurate and I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a peaceful break in a beautiful location - The perfect place to escape and unwind from the stresses of modern living ! A gem of a place ! Thank you for a wonderful holiday.         27 Best hospitality in Italy 14/07/2008 It is impossible to imagine that any hotel in Italy , never mind Montecatini Terme can be more hospitable. Dante Simoncini and his family were fantastic hosts and couldnot do too much for us. The Tuscan cuisine was excellent. The four course evening meal usually, if not always included,a fish choice as well as other typical Tuscan dishes. The home made soups. pastas and suites mean that if you don't want to put weight on you have to be very careful. I am going back in October - can't wait!         26 Gerne wieder 13/07/2008 Sehr sauberes, familiengeführte Hotel. Alle Mitarbeiter sind deutschsprachig.         25 Superb little private hotel 21/06/2008 The Hotel Torretta in Montecatini Terme is a wonderful little hotel in the town of Montecatini, it is close to shopping and many fine restaurants and bars, one of the finest restaurants is the hotel itself. Montecatini is well placed to visit, Firenze, Lucca, Viareggio, Pisa and all the Versilia coast, most of these places approx 40 mins away by train. The Simoncini fam will take the best care of you and will also pick you up and drop you off at Pisa Galileo Galilei airport for a small cost. The staff are totally dedicated to making certain that you have a pleasant stay and we will return to this hotel time and time again. Thank you Hotel Torretta a happy customer.         24 Excellence 27/05/2008 We have just had a week spentat the hotel on recommendation of friends.Everything that had been said about it was true! The proprietors Dante & Fredirica are to be congratulated on how this hotel is run and its standards All the staff have an excellent grasp of English are outgoing and friendly and happy to converse with you The food at the hotel ticks all the boxes ,plentiful ,a mixture of traditional Tuscan cuisine and innovative dishes beautifully presented and cooked Its situation is ideal for the town itself the spa facilities and travel access to the region We experienced a medical problem on holiday whose effect was minimised by the propreitor staying with us all day translating and advising so that a what could have been a traumatic incident was reduced to a holiday adventure although not to be repeated! We will return to the hotel though         23 Excellent place to stay 22/02/2008 We stayed there last September and really enjoyed our stay. It's a family run hotel and we were well looked after by everyone. When we arrived, they arranged a lovely light lunch for us even though it was past the lunch time and the restaurant finished serving lunches. We stayed as half-board. Food was excellent, portion was always generous and good selection of courses every night, with good local wine. The room was spacious and very clean. The hotel is about 15 minutes walk from the town centre, however it's a nice walk and very near to the vernacular that goes up to the hilltop village Montecatini Alto. We found a lovely place, where we enjoyed Chianti and local cheese, alfresco, overlooking Montecatini Terme under the warm Tuscan sun. We also booked us for massage at one of the spas in the town centre and enjoyed a very relaxing afternoon. Montecatini Terme is ideally located to visit other towns and cities; we went Pisa, Lucca and Florence by trains, also visited Sienna and San Gimignano with a one-day coach trip. Train service is very good and efficient, but you need to ensure to get your tickets validated at the train station before boarding trains, otherwise you will get fined! We enjoyed our stay so much, we are thinking about going back to Montecatini Terme and stay at Hotel Torretta again this year.         22 lovely hotel with owners and staff who can't be faulted 12/02/2008 Picked this hotel because of previous reports, but was a bit sceptical that the owners could be as helpful as they were made out to be. How wrong was i! Not only were they the nicest people when my daughter and i were there, 5 months after we returned home the owners son was prepared to assist me with a car hire problem i was having with the Italian authorities. In conclusion if you like big hotels where you are just another holiday maker then don't go to the hotel Torretta, but if you like to feel like a very valued customer choose this hotel.         21 A wonderful wonderful hotel 10/11/2007 We stopped at the Hotel Torretta based on reviews we had read on Trip Advisor. We had always wanted to stay in Montecatini as we love the Tuscany area of Italy. We were not disappointed in any way whatsoever. The Simoncini family arranged for a taxi to pick us up at Pisa Airport and the drive down was speedy and relaxing. We were greeted most warmly upon our arrival and shown to our room which had a balcony overlooking the pool and the distant hills. The staff could not have been more friendly and attentive and the food was out of this world. In addition, there is a good selection of wines and beers. Our room was kept clean and the bathroom was spacious. Breakfast was served either in the dining room or al fresco. The large buffet had everything one could wish for! Whilst at the hotel we visited Montecatini Alto via the quaint wooden funicular and enjoyed fabulous meals watching life slowly pass us by. Montecatini Terme is a nice small town with a great spa and some good shops. There is a railway line enabling travel to Florence, Pisa and Lucca. We loved Lucca as it is a walled city where bikes can be hired very cheaply and ridden around. There are many small cafes to enjoy a glass or two of wine and a pizza. We cannot praise this hotel high enough and would recommend it unreservedly.         20 Wonderful small, family run hotel who could not do enough for their guests. 8/11/2007 We were treated 5-star calibur in this smaller, mid-century hotel. The common areas decor was comfortable and sumptuous enough for its size. The family run atmosphere is immediately evident in the most professional and amiable manner. They will answer every need and question, and go beyond. We were lucky enough to be given pointers for local sights and restaurants we never would have known about if not for the enthusiam with which the proprietors run this hotel. Our room was clean and adequate for our moderate price range. Proximity to the famous Montecatini Spa is a short walk away. Stay here!         19 Highly recommended 7/08/2007 After a lot of research we chose the Hotel Torretta. Tripadvisor rated it highly and other sources agreed, though the choice of hotels in Montecatini is immense. The Website looked very modern and functional, maybe it could have a few more photos and we suggested that to Dante, the owner. Some reviewers raved about him and we have to say that this time it was no exaggeration. The whole hotel is full of family members, the man at the reception, Paulo, is there for ages as well and the property is very well kept. The pool area is ideal to recharge the batteries after a day's sightseeing which was our main purpose in choosing Montecatini as a central base between Florence and the sea. Parking is ample and secure. The food was the great surprise. Home cooking, very nice staff, nice dining room. Torretta hosts groups as well but in a way that is quite nice as it livens up the place. One day we went to La Torre in Alto but had to wait quite a while for the food to arrive, though the young lady serving us was delicious to look at!! Great smile!! Paulo strongly suggested to take the train to Florence - and he was spot on. It cost us all of 14 Euros for the two of us - much cheaper than parking, motorway fees etc.         18 Superb Service-Wonderful Food 10/07/2007 We just spent six weeks travelling through Europe. Hotel Torretta and Montcatini Therme were not on our agenda. We had left a few days free in case we wanted to stop somewhere and a friend recommended Hotel Torretta. What a pleasant surprise we had. Montecatini is beautiful and the Hotel was fantastic. Shortly after arriving we met Dante, the owner. My husband and he discussed their mutual acquaintance and Dante invited us to see a "special" place the next day. He took us and another couple on a tour of many little villages built into the hillsides and a very special church. He is quite a historian and went intro great detail telling us the history of the area. The staff at this family run hotel are very friendly and helpful and provide excellent sservice. The common areas are lovely and arranged for relaxation and conversation. The rooms are comfortable and very clean. We had only planned on having bed and breakfast (you can have bed and breakfast, half board or full board) and decided our first night we would eat at the hotel. We ended up eating there both nights. The food was excellent, some of the best we had in our three weeks in Italy and they have a very good wine list. Dante made us feel like family, we were only sorry our stay was so short. We loved it so much that we plan to retrn in two years time. This hotel is highly recommended.         17 Highly recommended 3/06/2007 This traditional family hotel is well situated, a short pleasant walk from the town of Monecatini Terme. We were introduced to the hotel by a friend who has visited the hotel for nearly 20 years. We were impressed by the atmosphere and hospitality of the staff. Many staff speak excellent English which is real help. The hotel is clean. Our room was nicely decorated. The food is excellent. Lunch and dinner was never the same. A lovely selection of pastas, soups and main courses. Delicious! The swimming pool area has been modernised this year. It is a lovely area to sit and have pre- dinner drinks. We visited the town and other Tuscan treasures during our stay. Parked our car in the hotel car park or in the street directly behind, using a permit from the hotel reception. Suitable for families and couples alike. We throughly enjoyed our week.         16 Tips for eating out in Montecatin . 21/05/2007 We stayed for 6 nights late April/early May and found the hotel a good choice. The plusses were Very friendly staff , good sized room overlooking the pool and park with sunsets , conveniant location particularly for funucular up to Alto ( a must see). Good cheap rail service to Pisa, Florence and Lucca. Minuses - the road was a bit noisy and breakfasts were very average. Eating out - really limited choice if you want a decent italian meal but the good news is that close to the hotel away from the town we found a great restaurant where we ate for the remainder of our stay.Its called the Il Discepolo and is about a 5/10 minute walk from the hotel on the road to Alto. The seafood spaghetti followed by Sole was brilliant . We were also given a complimentary glass of Prosecco before ordering and Vin Santo and biscottis to finish . The place was full of locals avoiding the more obvious tourist eateries . Also for a simple lunch try the hotel Villa Gaia on Alto - spectacular views and good food.         15 Great Food, Family, and Spa Town 19/05/2007 Stayed for 3 nights with my teenage daughter. Felt well taken care of by the Simoncini family who went out of their way to make our stay enjoyable. When we mistakenly left the lights on in our rental car, they immediately called and the next day brought their own car to help us jump start the engine. The room was clean, a little small, but well equipped with a nice balcony overlooking the brand new pool and jacuzzi. The bathroom was marble and included everything we needed. Dinners were magnificent. The Tuscan food that was served was delicious, traditional and really tasty and unique. We loved it. We also visited Montecatini Alto, via the funicular which was really fun. A grerat little town on the top of the mountain. Explored the Grotto Giusti Spa during the day which was really special. The thermal waters, the pool cafe, the grotto - an authentic Italian spa experience. Highly recommended. Only wished that we had more time to explore the spas in Montecatin Terme's park. We will definitely return to do this.         14 MuchtravelledYork 14/05/2007 Reviews do not mention position which is on what amounts to main road and therefore quite noisy, nor that it is some distance from the centre and would be quite a trek in hot weather. Breakfast also was not special.         13 Wonderful Hotel 14/05/2007 My mother and I stayed at the Hotel Torretta for three nights in May 2007 and had a wonderful time. The hotel is very close to the spas and 10 minutes from the train. Our room overlooked the pool and we had a great view of the mountain. Our room was a very nice size and very clean. I corresponded via e-mail with Gabriel (the owners son) before I left and he was very helpful with hotel and spa reservations. He also organized a driver for us to head to the designer outlets (a must for shoppers - Gucci, Tods, Burberry, etc). We at La Torre (excellent) and at the hotel (excellent - best potatoes we ever had). I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone staying in Montecatini. Gabriel was the best!         12 Older crowd, older building 23/04/2007 We stayed at eight different hotels during our trip in April 07. This is an OK hotel. We originally booked this hotel because of its location to available termes. We wound up visiting a terme outside of town. This is technically a four-star hotel because there is someone to take your luggage and the property contains a restaurant. There is a very nice pool and patio area and is across the street from a big park. It was clean and quiet. There is gated parking and nice views. However, this building looks like an apartment builiding from the outside and has dated furnishings inside. Our room and bathroom were small. The hair dryer in the room was very old and hard to use. Our shower head was old and contained mineral deposits - the water did not come out very well and the tub did not drain very well. Our friend had a different room with better plumbing fixtures. When we requested a different room because of the shower situation, they told us that we had a nicer room because our bathroom had marble. The cold buffet breakfast is not automatically included. They helped us get a reservation in Montecatini Alto at a nice restaurant (their counterpart Torre). It was an expensive meal, and the service was adequate. We took the funicular up which was fun. We walked to the center of town's market area on Sunday afternoon to peruse local shopping. The hotel staff spoke English and were helpful providing maps and directions. We felt out of place as it seemed to be very popular with retired vacationers from neighboring countries.         11 A Real Home From Home 7/01/2007 My husband and I stayed here in September 2006. Well run hotel with a few real stars among staff and family who own it. These include the chief concierge, who used to work at the Savoy in London, the French waiter who recommended choices of food and wine, and last but not least the owner, Dante Simoncini, who gave us an unsolicited lift to Florence and as an amateur archaeologist gave us an insight into nearby Etruscan remains and history of the region. All of them spoke good English. Food and accommodation were excellent, we enjoyed the pool (though unheated) and we went to two excellent evening concerts featuring young classical singers from Lucca and one teatime piano concert in a nearby 18C spa building. Montecatini Alto was charming and the funicular was nearby. It was a brisk walk into town but very charming through woods and past spa buildings. Above all the access to Florence, Pisa, Lucca and even Arezzo by train was first class. We had a great time. The hotel has a linked farmhouse available for Tuscan cookery courses and art weeks and also offers golf and spa weeks. Would definitely go again. A real home from home and really excellent value.         10 Leafy idyll 28/08/2006 We have just spent a week in Montecatini and were delighted with our choice of hotel. Dante Simoncini and his family are very welcoming, even picking us up from Pisa airport (a 40 minute drive) and dropping us there at the end of our stay. Our room was spacious and had a small balcony from which we had a lovely view over the leafy park in the centre of the town. We opted for half board and the evening meals gave us a true flavour of Tuscan cuisine - we were often encouraged to try a couple of the starters, but soon realised we would be unable to move if we did this every day! The staff were courteous and helpful, and often allowed their natural sense of humour to surface - definitely service with a smile. Most of our fellow guests were German or Italian, but many of the staff seem to have a smattering of several languages, so there was a very friendly atmosphere. Montecatini is a lovely spot and has good rail connections to Lucca, Florence and the coastal resort of Viareggio, as well as to smaller virtually undiscovered towns such as Prato and Pistoia, where we encountered few tourists of any nationality. The funicular railway close to the hotel takes you to the old town of Montecatini Alto, which is very pretty. We would thoroughly recommend the hotel and hope to stay there again in the future.         09 Wonderful family run hotel 26/08/2006 This is a wonderful hotel in a charming town. The family who owns the hotel went out of their way to make our stay terrific. We arrived after the lunch hour was over and they put together a meal for us anyway. The rooms are clean and nice. The bathrooms are modern. The meals were tasty and satisfying. This is a great place to stay in this area.         08 Wonderful Hotel and Superb Value - Deserves its #1 Rating 20/08/2006 My Husband and I stayed in the Hotel Torretta for a two-week sightseeing and golfing holiday in July. The management and staff were extremely helpful and friendly, providing itinerary suggestions for sightseeing, printing train timetables, booking golf, etc. The food in the restaurant was always appetising and tasty and varied throughout our stay, with a good selection of quality local wines. The room was large, well furnished with plenty of hanging space and drawers and was kept spotlessly clean. We have no hesitation in recommending the Hotel Torretta to anyone visiting this area of Italy.         07 Nice location 20/07/2006 We enjoyed our 5 night stay. We particularly enjoyed the free bikes that we used daily to explore Montecatini. The hotel itself is nice, although I wouldn't really describe it as 4 star. It's fairly basic, but has everything you need - nice bathroom, airconditioning, daily cleaning, balcony, etc. The pool is nice too, but the communal areas of the hotel are a little dated. The restaurant in the hotel looked fairly well lit, and not very romantic, so we didn't eat there, however it could be good for groups, and I think they do a good deal on full board. The location of the hotel is good. It is a 4 minute walk to the funicular railway up to Montecatini Alto, which is beautiful, and full of lovely restaurants; we'd highly recommend it. It takes maybe 10-15 minutes to walk into the centre of montecatini through a lovely park, and only a few minutes on the free bikes! The owners were very friendly, and very helpful. However, some of the other staff were much more typical of italians in the service industry... and not so helpful!         06 Relaxing time at the Torreta 17/07/2006 We spent a delightful week at this small family run hotel in Montecatini. The staff could not have been more helpful. Rooms are well appointed and clean as is the rest of this hotel. Our visit coincided with some extremely hot weather so we appreciated the air conditioned rooms. Travelling as a family of four we were given an apartment with interconnecting rooms which was ideal and even received a 30% discount for our girls although they were 16 and 18. We would all happily return to the Torreta.         05 Lovely base to see Tuscany 15/07/2006 My husband and I stayed at the Torretta for 6 nights in July. We used it as a base for touring northern Tuscany. We found it to be a thoroughly enjoyable hotel with excellent service that you might expect from a family-run establishment. The staff were always helpful and welcoming. The room was large and very adequately equipped with effective air conditioning. Breakfast was adequate but perhaps not the hotel's greatest asset. The public areas are spacious and comfortable and there is a decent swimming pool. We had a car for the time we were there and always managed to park in the small hotel car park. Montecatini itself was a decent base though in itself not terribly exciting. Montecatini Alto can be reached by funicular and is a nice alternative for dining. We would thoroughly recommend the Torretta and would be very happy to stay there again ourselves.         04 The Place to Stay! 07/07/2006 We stayed at the hotel Torretta three years ago while on a group tour. We came back this year and based ourselves there for 14 nights. We drove 1,500 miles in exploring the backwaters of Tuscany and Umbria. Torretta always felt like "home" at the end of the day. Family owned and operated, the hotel was comfortable with understated elegance. The meals in the formal dining room were some of the best we've ever had. The owner and desk staff are friendly, efficient and incredibly helpful. They gave us many "insider" tips that increased the enjoyment of our drives. They made arrangments for a Florence guide for one day and also made museum reservations for us when we returned to Florence a second day. In both our stays we've never seen Americans. The hotel is very popular for Germans and other Europeans, both in groups and traveling independantly. The two weeks cost us $1,600 for the two of us which we felt incredibly reasonable when you factor in the wonderful five course dinners served nightly. I'm a professional tour director and I can't think of higher praise than this: they treated us like welcome friends.         03 Great friendly service 19/06/2006 We stayed in this family run Hotel while attending the fantastic MyBike cycling festival. There was secure storage for the bikes and all the staff were most accomodating and really helpful. The food was tasty and very plentiful, more than enough to keep 5 hungry cyclists fuelled. The location of the hotel is at the top of the park, close to the Funicular Railway to Montecatini Alto (worth a visit) and Spas and a 5/10 min walk to the main shopping area and bars. All in all excellent value with a warm and welcoming atmosphere from Mr Dante Simoncini and his staff         02 Fantastic family run hotel and the BEST value in Italy 11/08/2005 La Torretta is a wonderful place to stay during your visit. This family run hotel is intimate and nurturing while providing cost conscious customers incredible value. The rooms are spacious, clean, and well tended to in your absence. The meals, if you choose to take that option, are all 3 courses and just wonderfully cooked. Save room for dessert because it is a family member who is the pastry chef. This region is a wonderful area to be pampered in and you see many wealthy clientele passing through. The service at La Torretta is tailor made for the most demanding clientele. This is where I will stay on every future visit to Montecatini.         01 Direktion und Mitarbeiter waren... 16/06/2003 Direktion und Mitarbeiter waren sehr freundlich Essen war sehr gut. Gemütliges Hotel mit centrale Lage. Gute Preis/Leistungsverhältnis! Eine kleine Bemerkung: die Zimmer haben eine Minibar mit Getränke aber leider keine Gläser dazu.