Grotta Giusti Thermal Spa Resort Tuscany, Italy, Autograph Collection [Master Thread]
Aug 15, 2021, 6:16 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Europe
Programs: ex-SPG Platinum, Marriott LG, *G United
Posts: 245
Grotta Giusti Thermal Spa Resort Tuscany, Italy, Autograph Collection [Master Thread]
Anyone have any experience here? How likely are they to accept SNAs, or give upgrades? All the rooms seem only for two people, do they accommodate families of 3?
Sep 5, 2021, 7:35 am
#3
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Milano (Italy)
Programs: Marriott TITANIUM, BWR Dia, IHG, Millemiglia Alitalia
Posts: 487
Sep 5, 2021, 8:39 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Europe
Programs: ex-SPG Platinum, Marriott LG, *G United
Posts: 245
When we arrived on Sunday afternoon the thermal pool was crowded, but it was not busy at all the rest of the week. There is also a nice 'cold' pool on the other side of the hotel. We didn't use the spa area, the caves. Breakfast was good with lots of choices. A great stay overall.
Feb 21, 2022, 3:54 pm
#5
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 138
When we arrived on Sunday afternoon the thermal pool was crowded, but it was not busy at all the rest of the week. There is also a nice 'cold' pool on the other side of the hotel. We didn't use the spa area, the caves. Breakfast was good with lots of choices. A great stay overall.
Jun 16, 2022, 7:02 am
#6
Join Date: Jun 2022
Posts: 2
Grotta Giusti Autograph Collection, Italy
Grotta Giusti Autograph Collection, Monsummano Terme/ Italy
Hi, anyone know for sure if there is a free breakfast offering for Platinum member?
Thank you
Hi, anyone know for sure if there is a free breakfast offering for Platinum member?
Thank you
Last edited by Antje77; Jun 16, 2022 at 7:05 am Reason: Typing errors
Jun 3, 2023, 2:48 am
#9
Moderator: Mileage Run, InterContinental Hotels
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 5,919
I wrote one after a stay a couple weeks ago, but looks like it disappeared. Spent 5 nights as Titanium, and had a pretty mixed experience.
Allegedly received an upgrade, but this could only have been a minimally larger room. Most importantly, we were looking out at a wall. Beds comfortable, but the furniture (and indeed much of the hotel) is showing its age. Not sure why, but I assumed everything would be brand spanking new. There was no heat in the room or bathroom, and beacuse of the lack of daylight, no way to dry our swimwear.
Breakfast given in lieu of points, a buffet with all the basics, but obviously not worth paying for. Service really not good. Had dinner once, €136 for appetizers and bland pastas, really disappointing. Much better to head down the street to the trattoria (don't remember the name, but can't miss it), which had great, reasonable food, and one night we crashed a huge family party where people started singing karaoke at 10pm. Had a couple drinks at the hotel and poolside food, once again nothing memorable.
The Grotto is really exciting to explore, although not free (€25 for entry IIRC, and you can also book treatments there). Thermal pool outside is fun, but I don't know how busy it gets in peak season.
The clientele was mixed, some good people watching (late midlife crisis German with his 25 y/o model companion, flashy Italians), but also large student tour groups. In terms of exploring the area, some nice villages nearby, Lucca is easily accessible, but daytrips to Florence would be too much hassle for my liking, and Siena, San Gimignano etc are too far.
Revenue rates were eye-watering (€450/night) and I don't know what points rates look like now. When I booked (almost a year ago), it was just under 100k points for 5 nights, so pretty good redemption value. But definitely not a must-stay.
Allegedly received an upgrade, but this could only have been a minimally larger room. Most importantly, we were looking out at a wall. Beds comfortable, but the furniture (and indeed much of the hotel) is showing its age. Not sure why, but I assumed everything would be brand spanking new. There was no heat in the room or bathroom, and beacuse of the lack of daylight, no way to dry our swimwear.
Breakfast given in lieu of points, a buffet with all the basics, but obviously not worth paying for. Service really not good. Had dinner once, €136 for appetizers and bland pastas, really disappointing. Much better to head down the street to the trattoria (don't remember the name, but can't miss it), which had great, reasonable food, and one night we crashed a huge family party where people started singing karaoke at 10pm. Had a couple drinks at the hotel and poolside food, once again nothing memorable.
The Grotto is really exciting to explore, although not free (€25 for entry IIRC, and you can also book treatments there). Thermal pool outside is fun, but I don't know how busy it gets in peak season.
The clientele was mixed, some good people watching (late midlife crisis German with his 25 y/o model companion, flashy Italians), but also large student tour groups. In terms of exploring the area, some nice villages nearby, Lucca is easily accessible, but daytrips to Florence would be too much hassle for my liking, and Siena, San Gimignano etc are too far.
Revenue rates were eye-watering (€450/night) and I don't know what points rates look like now. When I booked (almost a year ago), it was just under 100k points for 5 nights, so pretty good redemption value. But definitely not a must-stay.
Jun 7, 2023, 9:56 am
#10
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 222
I wrote one after a stay a couple weeks ago, but looks like it disappeared. Spent 5 nights as Titanium, and had a pretty mixed experience.
Allegedly received an upgrade, but this could only have been a minimally larger room. Most importantly, we were looking out at a wall. Beds comfortable, but the furniture (and indeed much of the hotel) is showing its age. Not sure why, but I assumed everything would be brand spanking new. There was no heat in the room or bathroom, and beacuse of the lack of daylight, no way to dry our swimwear.
Breakfast given in lieu of points, a buffet with all the basics, but obviously not worth paying for. Service really not good. Had dinner once, €136 for appetizers and bland pastas, really disappointing. Much better to head down the street to the trattoria (don't remember the name, but can't miss it), which had great, reasonable food, and one night we crashed a huge family party where people started singing karaoke at 10pm. Had a couple drinks at the hotel and poolside food, once again nothing memorable.
The Grotto is really exciting to explore, although not free (€25 for entry IIRC, and you can also book treatments there). Thermal pool outside is fun, but I don't know how busy it gets in peak season.
The clientele was mixed, some good people watching (late midlife crisis German with his 25 y/o model companion, flashy Italians), but also large student tour groups. In terms of exploring the area, some nice villages nearby, Lucca is easily accessible, but daytrips to Florence would be too much hassle for my liking, and Siena, San Gimignano etc are too far.
Revenue rates were eye-watering (€450/night) and I don't know what points rates look like now. When I booked (almost a year ago), it was just under 100k points for 5 nights, so pretty good redemption value. But definitely not a must-stay.
Allegedly received an upgrade, but this could only have been a minimally larger room. Most importantly, we were looking out at a wall. Beds comfortable, but the furniture (and indeed much of the hotel) is showing its age. Not sure why, but I assumed everything would be brand spanking new. There was no heat in the room or bathroom, and beacuse of the lack of daylight, no way to dry our swimwear.
Breakfast given in lieu of points, a buffet with all the basics, but obviously not worth paying for. Service really not good. Had dinner once, €136 for appetizers and bland pastas, really disappointing. Much better to head down the street to the trattoria (don't remember the name, but can't miss it), which had great, reasonable food, and one night we crashed a huge family party where people started singing karaoke at 10pm. Had a couple drinks at the hotel and poolside food, once again nothing memorable.
The Grotto is really exciting to explore, although not free (€25 for entry IIRC, and you can also book treatments there). Thermal pool outside is fun, but I don't know how busy it gets in peak season.
The clientele was mixed, some good people watching (late midlife crisis German with his 25 y/o model companion, flashy Italians), but also large student tour groups. In terms of exploring the area, some nice villages nearby, Lucca is easily accessible, but daytrips to Florence would be too much hassle for my liking, and Siena, San Gimignano etc are too far.
Revenue rates were eye-watering (€450/night) and I don't know what points rates look like now. When I booked (almost a year ago), it was just under 100k points for 5 nights, so pretty good redemption value. But definitely not a must-stay.
Jun 7, 2023, 11:18 am
#11
Moderator: Mileage Run, InterContinental Hotels
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 5,919
This is terrific information. Thank you jpdx. Were you affected at all by the floods? I was also looking at the Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco as an alternative. We have a 5 night stay for around 130,000 points and I was able to book this last minute so our options were limited. Loving the people watching and the trattoria pointer. Sounds like the loyalty recognition wasn't something to write home about? Did you happen to do any trips to the coast? We were thinking of exploring some of the beaches - we do have a rental car. Thanks again.
Re: loyalty recognition, the upgrade was really lame. You definitely don't want a room looking at that wall, even if it may be a slight upgrade in terms of size. Free breakfast is always good value on paper at European hotels in that price range -- I don't recall what it cost at Grotta Giusti, but we stayed at a lot of European hotels with breakfast prices in the €40+ range in the last few months. So on a 5-night stay with two guests, you're looking at a "benefit" of €400. But yeah, breakfast is nothing special, and there's no club or similar evening benefit, no waiver of Grotto charges, no separate Plat/Amb/Tit area at the pool, etc.
We drove to Lucca once and to Viareggio the following day. Decidedly not beach weather, so just walked the pier and had freshly cooked fish. So can't be of assistance re: beaches. But it's definitely doable as a day-trip, although if beach time is the objective, I would not pick Grotta Giusti as a base. Can't compare to any other "resort-y" hotels in Tuscany (only stayed at SR Florence in the last few years in that area), but we drove on to Villa Cipriani in Asolo (formerly SPG, now Preferred Hotels), which was lightyears ahead of Grotta Giusti. As long as it remains in the 100-120k-ish range, Grotta Giusti is good value in high season (vs. €400+ rates), but I don't think we'll be rushing back.