Palazzo Durazzo Suites — Hotel in Genoa

We very much enjoyed our stay at the Palazzo Durazzo. It's a large beautiful place with equal parts authentic historical grandeur and renovated modern luxury. Also, the staff is truly friendly and helpful. To point out that the hotel recently opened, is apparently going to add/finish more rooms, and is still a work in progress is not a criticism, and for one thing none of that work is at all visible/noticeable from the parts of the hotel that are open. In fact, much of the time we felt like we had a ducal palace to ourselves, and the renovated 16th century building is impressively massive. Our last night we enjoyed the super-chic bar area (wine, beer, cocktails, and snacks) which we also had mostly to ourselves. If you're looking for a more crowded scene or a big fitness center/swimming pool then this place isn't for you (at least, in its current form). Or, if you want a hotel in a sleepy suburb, this also isn't the place. We came to Genoa to eat, drink, and see the sights/museums in the old town district, and this location is ideal for all of that. Genoa is a story unto itself, because it's a bit gritty and tough feeling around the waterfront and some parts of the old town areas, while at the same exact time being often crowded with visitors or locals walking around, shopping, and eating. I'd say this part of Genoa is spicey, but nevertheless seems pretty safe (there's also a strong police presence everywhere nearby). Understand in advance, therefore, that this will be a city experience, and Palazzo Durazzo is right at the heart of it all, and a short walk from great restaurants (we loved Hostaria Ducale, which was a scenic 15 minute walk from the hotel). On the topic of food, the daily breakfast in the hotel is good, and they have a decent-looking room service menu that we didn't try (because Genoa has so much good food to offer), but there was no restaurant (for dinner) in the hotel (as of our visit). Overall, Palazzo Durazzo is a magnificent hotel, centrally located, with a relatively small number of rooms, and great, friendly people...

Palazzo Durazzo is a truly beautiful place, with exquisite architecture and decoration. The cleanliness and building conditions are excellent. However, the staff, while good, do not meet the luxury standards one would expect from a hotel of this category.||One of the major inconveniences is the lack of air conditioning in the common areas. We had breakfast in a beautiful space with an impressive view, but without air conditioning and with 30-degree heat in the morning, breakfast was not enjoyable. Both check-in and check-out were done without air conditioning, which was very uncomfortable given the extremely high temperatures.||Additionally, from the main entrance to the elevator, there are stairs, so we had to carry the baby stroller up at least 20 steps before we could use the elevator.||The location of the hotel also leaves much to be desired. The area is not very pleasant and does not feel safe for going out for dinner or a coffee. The street where the hotel is located smells strongly of urine and there are people sleeping on the street, even on the same block as the hotel.||We would not choose this hotel again, which is a shame because its architecture and decoration are...

1 year old, this converted part of a palace is charming, mostly original, with wonderful staircases, frescoes and hangings. Attentive staff, excellent breakfast, and good location. I stayed in The Orient which is wonderfully proportioned, with a grand canopy over the bed, and huge ceiling heights with the original gilded cornices. An utterly modern bathroom was cut out of the room, which, in my opinion, strikes a wrong note. Uncomfortable deep bath, which takes at least 30 mins to fill, a very slippery, dangerous shower floor (poor design & no handles to grip), and poor lighting over the mirror such that it is hard to shave & do makeup. I think the bathroom detracts from the room's beauty. Nevertheless, I applaud the ambition & would definitely recommend...