Crowne Plaza Caserta Naples / Italy Master Thread - now a Golden Tulip
Feb 23, 2010, 1:06 pm
#1
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Crowne Plaza Caserta Naples / Italy Master Thread - now a Golden Tulip
***NOTE: AS OF JULY 2012, THIS HOTEL APPEARS TO BE CLOSED AND NO LONGER APPEARS AT ICHG.COM.***
Highs= Gorgeous property, mostly friendly staff, attractive rooms, price is often reasonable, evening shift bartender
Lows= Mediocre location, difficult to find by car, primary bar closed during slow nights, goofy shower arrangement, some rooms noisy
Overall=
A classy place to stay in Campania. Or -better yet- to host an event.
Stayed here last Saturday night on a 65 EUR rate plus 1000 bonus points (same as the Best Flex rate).
Let's get the biggest issue out of the way first: This hotel is hard to find... by car, anyway. It's possible to get there from both the Caserta Sud and Caserta Nord exits from the Autostrada A1, but Caserta Sud was a debacle of a mess on Saturday evening so I used Caserta Nord. The hotel *is* well-signposed from that exit, as I assume it is from Caserta Sud, though you have to be dedicated to following the signs - one takes you down a *very* narrow alley that eventually opens up. Once I arrived, the hotel had a multi-level free parking garage with an elevator up to the lobby.
The hotel is on the outskirts of Caserta in a former industrial zone partially reclaimed into a business and residential park. This is a weird part of town near the railroad tracks with some green lawns and clean streets but piles of construction debris and unfinished roads in places. Then you see THIS hotel, which seems like an oasis of order in chaotic Caserta.
And inside is... holy cow, this is a beautiful property. I am not a frequent IC guest and I'm sure a good number of ICs have this place beat. But this is the most beautiful ICHG property I've seen. The entire hotel lobby, food service facilities, and even gardens are under a glass dome five floors above. There are waterfalls over glass partitioning the lobby that are illuminated in various colors at night. The section of the lobby behind the waterfalls and adjacent to many of the meeting rooms is a quiet (well, on a Sunday morning in low season) and tranquil place where I could easily enjoy reading a book for hours. Despite its large size, this area of the lobby offers a real sensation of privacy.
Check-in was fast.... after the clerk wrapped up his personal phone conversation, anyway. The clerk recognized me as a PC member and gave me a voucher for a free prosecco at the bar. I don't know if this is a Plat benefit or given to all PC members. He did NOT upgrade my room, although the hotel was dead and better rooms than the KNGN I reserved and were probably available. Sorry - I really should have pushed for the upgrade, but I got to my room and didn't feel like asking to switch once I saw it was the same one I reserved. I promise to be a better FTer next time.
I used that free voucher at the smaller lobby bar, as the larger bar on the floor above the lobby was closed. The bartender was very friendly and opened a new bottle of prosecco for me. Ordering an alcoholic beverage gets you a tray of snacks and a bowl of olives to snack on. I then asked if it was still possible to order food in the restaurant. As the bar was empty at the time, the bartender seated me in the restaurant and took my order himself (an actual waiter stopped by only to find my order had already been taken). Someone went to wake the chefs up, and my food showed up in less than 10 minutes.
I ate mozzarella di bufala with tomato slices as an appetizer. This being Campania, the mozzarella was very good, though the tomatoes were green and mushy (I wanted to ask if they had been imported from the US).
I ordered a very simple dish of spaghetti with tomato sauce, which was good and made with fresh cherry tomatoes... and which made the lousy tomatoes with the mozzarella even more bizzarre. More complicated dishes are available, but not many more - the menu is pretty darn short; I expect it changes daily.
I ordered a glass of white wine and the waiter (actually the bartender again) poured me a glass of what I believe was a Falanghina from Benevento. I'm mostly a beer drinker, so that's all the detail I can provide on the wine other than that it tasted good. I was the only guest in the restaurant at the time. The restuarant has a pleasant atmosphere and is dimly lit with grey and black decor. The illuminated waterfalls in the lobby outside are a nice touch.
The room:
Appearance: Very attractive and inviting. Similar grey and back decor as in the restaurant. Mostly very clean with one spot on the wall (but not really noticeable)
View: Lousy view of an empty office building and construction area. Car alarms went off a couple of times at night and became very frequent when construction resumed the next morning.
Bed: Comfortable king bed, thin comforter. Two big soft pillows.
Climate control: Is set by the season. Heat was fairly weak. I prefer a cool room but it took cranking the heat up to 28*C to get the room to warm up noticeably.
Bathroom: Somewhat limited sink and counter space. Bar soap and tubes of shampoo, lotion, and conditioner. Bath towels very large. Deep bathtub suitable for those who like to immerse most of their body, but not quite Japanese style. No shower curtain - just a moveable glass partition that blocks some of the shower's spray but not enough to keep the floor (and foot towel) dry. Lack of a shower curtain/door ensures you have a refreshing breeze while in the shower
Food & drink: Hot water heating pitcher. Minibar with standard Italian minibar prices. Beer is 5 EUR; booze prices go up from there. Free bottle of Ferrarelle sparkling mineral water. Small box of cocktail peanuts; no other food. Bottle of (Bombay) gin had been opened(!) and possibly refilled with water. I called the front desk, who sent a rather scruffy maintenance dude who smelled like three packs a day to my room. Said dude took the compromised gin bottle and replaced it with an unopened one. At check-out I was not billed at all for the gin, which I drank, as a courtesy... just the tonic water I consumed
Nestle instant coffee, Italian Perugina hot chocolate mix and Twinings tea were available. No coffee creamer was to be found. Some individually wrapped Biscoff-like stale cookies were mixed in with the coffee amenities (Biscoff are better). I did not order room service, but I noticed prices were merely expensive and not outrageous. These did not inlcude the 30% gratuity, however.
TV: older CRT model. Clock is on front panel of TV so you'll have to unplug the TV if illuminated clocks disturb you when you're trying to sleep (the time will reset automatically when TV is plugged back in). There was at least one English channel and one German channel in addition to 12 or so Italian channels. PPV was available, but I didn't bother.
Internet: LAN connection. I saw nothing to indicate fees, but net access is rarely free in Europe. My PC's ethernet card is broken, so the LAN was a no-go for me, and I could not get a wireless signal in the room.
I stopped by the fitness center the next morning, which has new LifeFitness equipment. The gym is on the top floor and is in a space which looks a lot like an attic - it looks like it can become hot, but the hotel is modern enough to where I hope the gym would be cooled appropriately in summer.
Notably, in the fifth floor hallway I saw spots on the carpet and holes in the ceiling that suggested the roof leaks. I stayed on the fourth floor, so I can't speak to the condition of the rooms. But I would avoid the fifth floor if rain is in the forecast.
The next morning I stopped by the lobby bar for a cappuccino and cornetto. It looked like everyone who was actually staying at the hotel was there with me. The friendly bartender from the night before was gone and replaced by an unsmiling lady who provided grudging but fairly quick service. The cornetto turned out to be two small marmalade-filled ones from the restaurant breakfast buffet. They were very fresh and delicious. Total price was about 6 Euros.
Check-out went very well, with the clerk apologizing for the opened gin bottle in the mini bar. Drive back to the A1 took about 12 minutes to Caserta Sud (Sunday morning, no traffic)
Please note that as this hotel is in a reclaimed industrial area. Add that to the water issues Campania has and I wouldn't drink the water here (and buy some on the way, since I didn't see any grocery stores nearby the hotel).
Now - about access. I would almost certainly take the train here next time and cab it to the hotel. Caserta Station is about 1km away and the cab fare shouldn't be more than 10 EUR if you don't let yourself get ripped off. You could probably walk from the station too by more or less following the train tracks, but I can't speak to the neighborhoods on the way. The train station is "across the street" from the Reggia di Caserta (Royal Palace).
In fact, I'd be inclined to choose this hotel over the Holiday Inn Naples for a base for seeing Naples. Firstly, the rooms at the CP Caserta are much nicer, the service is better, and the internet connection seems like it would actually work (as opposed to the HI where is certainly does NOT). Secondly, a cab ride to the HI Naples from Piazza Garibaldi is around 20 EUR... and you pretty much have to cab it unless you can meet the shuttle bus, since the HI is in a horrible neighborhood. For 20 EUR you can easily buy two train tickets to Caserta and a cab ride to the CP. Although I don't think Caserta is a very pretty place, if you're planning to see the Reggia anyway as part of a visit to Naples, the CP would be a worthwhile option. Try to get a room facing the courtyard to avoid the eyesore and noise of the construction and car alarms.
The Crowne Plaza Caserta is a impressive property in a weird location. It's a steal if you can find a discounted rate. To be honest, the soaring architecture makes it feel more like a convention center than a hotel... and it would really be a fantastic place to hold a meeting or conference.
I say... if you're planning a trip to southern Italy, this place is worth a look.
Highs= Gorgeous property, mostly friendly staff, attractive rooms, price is often reasonable, evening shift bartender
Lows= Mediocre location, difficult to find by car, primary bar closed during slow nights, goofy shower arrangement, some rooms noisy
Overall=
A classy place to stay in Campania. Or -better yet- to host an event.Stayed here last Saturday night on a 65 EUR rate plus 1000 bonus points (same as the Best Flex rate).
Let's get the biggest issue out of the way first: This hotel is hard to find... by car, anyway. It's possible to get there from both the Caserta Sud and Caserta Nord exits from the Autostrada A1, but Caserta Sud was a debacle of a mess on Saturday evening so I used Caserta Nord. The hotel *is* well-signposed from that exit, as I assume it is from Caserta Sud, though you have to be dedicated to following the signs - one takes you down a *very* narrow alley that eventually opens up. Once I arrived, the hotel had a multi-level free parking garage with an elevator up to the lobby.
The hotel is on the outskirts of Caserta in a former industrial zone partially reclaimed into a business and residential park. This is a weird part of town near the railroad tracks with some green lawns and clean streets but piles of construction debris and unfinished roads in places. Then you see THIS hotel, which seems like an oasis of order in chaotic Caserta.
And inside is... holy cow, this is a beautiful property. I am not a frequent IC guest and I'm sure a good number of ICs have this place beat. But this is the most beautiful ICHG property I've seen. The entire hotel lobby, food service facilities, and even gardens are under a glass dome five floors above. There are waterfalls over glass partitioning the lobby that are illuminated in various colors at night. The section of the lobby behind the waterfalls and adjacent to many of the meeting rooms is a quiet (well, on a Sunday morning in low season) and tranquil place where I could easily enjoy reading a book for hours. Despite its large size, this area of the lobby offers a real sensation of privacy.
Check-in was fast.... after the clerk wrapped up his personal phone conversation, anyway. The clerk recognized me as a PC member and gave me a voucher for a free prosecco at the bar. I don't know if this is a Plat benefit or given to all PC members. He did NOT upgrade my room, although the hotel was dead and better rooms than the KNGN I reserved and were probably available. Sorry - I really should have pushed for the upgrade, but I got to my room and didn't feel like asking to switch once I saw it was the same one I reserved. I promise to be a better FTer next time.
I used that free voucher at the smaller lobby bar, as the larger bar on the floor above the lobby was closed. The bartender was very friendly and opened a new bottle of prosecco for me. Ordering an alcoholic beverage gets you a tray of snacks and a bowl of olives to snack on. I then asked if it was still possible to order food in the restaurant. As the bar was empty at the time, the bartender seated me in the restaurant and took my order himself (an actual waiter stopped by only to find my order had already been taken). Someone went to wake the chefs up, and my food showed up in less than 10 minutes.
I ate mozzarella di bufala with tomato slices as an appetizer. This being Campania, the mozzarella was very good, though the tomatoes were green and mushy (I wanted to ask if they had been imported from the US).
I ordered a very simple dish of spaghetti with tomato sauce, which was good and made with fresh cherry tomatoes... and which made the lousy tomatoes with the mozzarella even more bizzarre. More complicated dishes are available, but not many more - the menu is pretty darn short; I expect it changes daily.
I ordered a glass of white wine and the waiter (actually the bartender again) poured me a glass of what I believe was a Falanghina from Benevento. I'm mostly a beer drinker, so that's all the detail I can provide on the wine other than that it tasted good.
I was the only guest in the restaurant at the time. The restuarant has a pleasant atmosphere and is dimly lit with grey and black decor. The illuminated waterfalls in the lobby outside are a nice touch.The room:
Appearance: Very attractive and inviting. Similar grey and back decor as in the restaurant. Mostly very clean with one spot on the wall (but not really noticeable)
View: Lousy view of an empty office building and construction area. Car alarms went off a couple of times at night and became very frequent when construction resumed the next morning.
Bed: Comfortable king bed, thin comforter. Two big soft pillows.
Climate control: Is set by the season. Heat was fairly weak. I prefer a cool room but it took cranking the heat up to 28*C to get the room to warm up noticeably.
Bathroom: Somewhat limited sink and counter space. Bar soap and tubes of shampoo, lotion, and conditioner. Bath towels very large. Deep bathtub suitable for those who like to immerse most of their body, but not quite Japanese style. No shower curtain - just a moveable glass partition that blocks some of the shower's spray but not enough to keep the floor (and foot towel) dry. Lack of a shower curtain/door ensures you have a refreshing breeze while in the shower
Food & drink: Hot water heating pitcher. Minibar with standard Italian minibar prices. Beer is 5 EUR; booze prices go up from there. Free bottle of Ferrarelle sparkling mineral water. Small box of cocktail peanuts; no other food. Bottle of (Bombay) gin had been opened(!) and possibly refilled with water. I called the front desk, who sent a rather scruffy maintenance dude who smelled like three packs a day to my room. Said dude took the compromised gin bottle and replaced it with an unopened one. At check-out I was not billed at all for the gin, which I drank, as a courtesy... just the tonic water I consumed
Nestle instant coffee, Italian Perugina hot chocolate mix and Twinings tea were available. No coffee creamer was to be found. Some individually wrapped Biscoff-like stale cookies were mixed in with the coffee amenities (Biscoff are better). I did not order room service, but I noticed prices were merely expensive and not outrageous. These did not inlcude the 30% gratuity, however.
TV: older CRT model. Clock is on front panel of TV so you'll have to unplug the TV if illuminated clocks disturb you when you're trying to sleep (the time will reset automatically when TV is plugged back in). There was at least one English channel and one German channel in addition to 12 or so Italian channels. PPV was available, but I didn't bother.
Internet: LAN connection. I saw nothing to indicate fees, but net access is rarely free in Europe. My PC's ethernet card is broken, so the LAN was a no-go for me, and I could not get a wireless signal in the room.
I stopped by the fitness center the next morning, which has new LifeFitness equipment. The gym is on the top floor and is in a space which looks a lot like an attic - it looks like it can become hot, but the hotel is modern enough to where I hope the gym would be cooled appropriately in summer.
Notably, in the fifth floor hallway I saw spots on the carpet and holes in the ceiling that suggested the roof leaks. I stayed on the fourth floor, so I can't speak to the condition of the rooms. But I would avoid the fifth floor if rain is in the forecast.
The next morning I stopped by the lobby bar for a cappuccino and cornetto. It looked like everyone who was actually staying at the hotel was there with me. The friendly bartender from the night before was gone and replaced by an unsmiling lady who provided grudging but fairly quick service. The cornetto turned out to be two small marmalade-filled ones from the restaurant breakfast buffet. They were very fresh and delicious. Total price was about 6 Euros.
Check-out went very well, with the clerk apologizing for the opened gin bottle in the mini bar. Drive back to the A1 took about 12 minutes to Caserta Sud (Sunday morning, no traffic)
Please note that as this hotel is in a reclaimed industrial area. Add that to the water issues Campania has and I wouldn't drink the water here (and buy some on the way, since I didn't see any grocery stores nearby the hotel).
Now - about access. I would almost certainly take the train here next time and cab it to the hotel. Caserta Station is about 1km away and the cab fare shouldn't be more than 10 EUR if you don't let yourself get ripped off. You could probably walk from the station too by more or less following the train tracks, but I can't speak to the neighborhoods on the way. The train station is "across the street" from the Reggia di Caserta (Royal Palace).
In fact, I'd be inclined to choose this hotel over the Holiday Inn Naples for a base for seeing Naples. Firstly, the rooms at the CP Caserta are much nicer, the service is better, and the internet connection seems like it would actually work (as opposed to the HI where is certainly does NOT). Secondly, a cab ride to the HI Naples from Piazza Garibaldi is around 20 EUR... and you pretty much have to cab it unless you can meet the shuttle bus, since the HI is in a horrible neighborhood. For 20 EUR you can easily buy two train tickets to Caserta and a cab ride to the CP. Although I don't think Caserta is a very pretty place, if you're planning to see the Reggia anyway as part of a visit to Naples, the CP would be a worthwhile option. Try to get a room facing the courtyard to avoid the eyesore and noise of the construction and car alarms.
The Crowne Plaza Caserta is a impressive property in a weird location. It's a steal if you can find a discounted rate. To be honest, the soaring architecture makes it feel more like a convention center than a hotel... and it would really be a fantastic place to hold a meeting or conference.
I say... if you're planning a trip to southern Italy, this place is worth a look.
Last edited by keihin_242; Jul 7, 2012 at 7:46 am Reason: Update
Mar 9, 2010, 10:47 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2006
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How easy is it to travel from here to Pompei via rail? Looking at some maps, it appears I can take a train from Caserta to Naples, and then another regional train to Pompei. How long would that take? Does the Rome-Naples high-speed rail line stop at Caserta station?
Mar 12, 2010, 12:40 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: 神奈川県
Programs: Route Inn Super Mega Ultra Plataimond, Fee-Paying Customer of JL, NH, LH, OneWorld Boarding Group 5
Posts: 525
www.trenitalia.com
From Napoli Centrale you can take the escalator downstairs to Piazza Garibaldi station and look for the Circumvesuviana railway. You can then take the Circumvesuviana to Ercolano/Herculaneum, Pompei, or all the way to Sorrento.
You can check the Circumvesuviana schedule here:
http://www.vesuviana.it/web/en
It's about 36 minutes to Pompei Scavi-Villa Misteri station on the Circumvesuviana if you take the local train that stops at every station, and 23 minutes on the express. Avoid the Circumvesuviana trains to Pompei/Sorrento on weekends during summer, as they'll be filled with enthusiastic beachgoing Neapolitan youths.
It's possible to make the entire trip from Caserta to Pompei with an all-day "Giornaliero" Unico Campania ticket. These tickets are coded for different "fascia" zones based on distance from Naples, with Caserta and Pompei being Fascia 4. You ought to be able to buy two 2.90 Euro Fascia 4 tickets -one for each direction- from the ticket office at Caserta Station, though it can be harder to get the all-day 5.60 Euro or all-day weekend 4.80 Euro tickets.
Complete fares are here:
http://www.unicocampania.it/uploads/...tatici/5_1.pdf
Look up fare zones here:
http://www.unicocampania.it/index.ph...onna=biglietti
This trip is definitely doable from Caserta, but allow two hours in each direction to get there and back. If you have a Eurail pass it will be valid on Trenitalia from Caserta to Naples but not valid on the Circumvesuviana.
You can also take Trenitalia to their Pompei station, but that station is further from the ruins and you may need to take a cab. I've never been there.
Caserta Station is a stop for a lot of long distance trains and it can make a good base for exploring southern Italy. It's certainly a good alternative to the Naples Holiday Inn.
