A fabulous hotel set in the old city, the 17th century building has been lovingly restored with care and attention to detail. A calming and tranquil colour palette of creams, beautiful stone and tiles with interesting textures set the scene for a relaxing stay. The rooms are well appointed – plenty of power points, desk, chair, ottoman and comfortable beds. This is the first hotel I’ve stayed at that has memory foam pillows. We stayed in the large room with the vaulted ceiling – really something special. It, and many other rooms, also had a balcony, ours overlooking the bell tower. The bathroom was good, with one of the best showers I’ve had in Europe – large shower head, good water pressure and lots of hot water, and no leaks!!
The breakfast room is elegant and the continental breakfast offers a good range of cereals, yogurt, fruit, eggs, including scrambled to order, cheese and meats. Good espresso or American coffee.
The hotel is well situated for easy walking to major attractions such as the Duomo San Cataldo with its stunning inlaid marble panels and airy dome. Across the bridge there are some lovely parks, a pedestrian area with lots of cafes and shops. For my money, one of the best things to see is the Archeological Museum. It is world class with a stunning array of Greek and Roman sculptures and pottery and some outstanding Roman mosaic floors. There is also Castello Aragonese, the Spartan Museum, Taranto Sotterranea among others. There are also many good fish restaurants in easy walking distance.
The owner, Cinzia, is gracious and welcoming, and is enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the history of Taranto and Puglia. The staff, including Fabio and Antonio, are friendly and helpful. The cleaning staff maintain the hotel spotlessly.
Do yourself a favour – visit and stay at Hotel L’Arcangelo