Rating
"Lovely intro to Italy" It's taken me a while to finally write this review, but that is no reflection on how much I enjoyed my stay! The Porta San Mamolo was the most fabulous place we stayed in Italy - peaceful, great breakfast (and lovely breakfast room), within short walking-distance of downtown, free Internet, some (limited) parking right outside the front door, and sweet, professional staff. For anyone needing wheelchair-accessibility (as I do), this is the place to stay in Bologna. Our room was small but not tiny, with retractable grab-bars in the bathroom and a fold-down shower chair mounted on the wall. Perfect. And the room was on the ground floor, so no elevators to worry about! The breakfast room even has an electric sliding-glass door, so it's easy to get in and out! When I rolled in the first night, they even called me by name without my having to introduce myself (Ms. Hanson?), which rarely happens, even though in my wheelchair I'm pretty easy to identify! Bologna itself was a great first stop in Italy - laid-back, not overly touristy, a university town, amazing food at very reasonable prices. We spent 2 days/3 nights. The city is pretty wheelchair-accessible, with plenty of curb cuts that exist in part for the large numbers of motorcycles and bicycles around. I've heard that the summer is pretty deserted, and there's not much to see, but when we went (October), it was beautiful and we had plenty to keep us occupied, between museums, exploring the city and the university, and eating! The Archaelogical Museum is not to be missed, as well as the main piazza and the San Luca basilica (which actually has a wheelchair-accessible bathroom!). It was so nice to be in a "normal" city, where we didn't hear English everywhere we went! I highly recommend both Bologna and the Porta San Mamolo!

Rating
"Great hotel" The Hotel Porta San Mamolo is a great find! It is a small and charming hotel in a quiet neighborhood, yet only a 10-15 minute walk from the downtown area. We had a wonderful room with a balcony. The weather was mild while we were there and we were able to enjoy sitting out there at night. It overlooked the courtyard, where candles are lit everynight on the walk. The courtyard leads to the breakfast room, which is also very nice and so is the breakfast. Our hotel room was very clean and had plenty of room. The staff went out of there way to be helpful and recommended restaurants and helped us with train schedules. I would highly recommend this hotel and Bologna. It is a very nice town with wonderful food and there are so many places to visit within an hour's train ride. We went to Florence and Ferrara. I would love to return to Bologna and stay at this hotel again.

Rating
"Oh so charming" I don't know why I'm writing this review because this place should be kept secret! It's such a lovely, relaxing hotel. The staff were friendly and professional, the rooms spacious, clean and calming - you couldn't hear a thing in the morning, no traffic, no commotion, nothing, which is unusual for a city hotel in Italy. Our room overlooked the courtyard, which was like a little garden. Some rooms had terraces as well, which would have been nice. The en-suite bathroom was largish for Italy, new and clean. Breakfast was in a lovely conservatory, with a wide variety of treats - I had some custardy cake that was to die for. The staff were ready to serve - with a barrista to make fresh coffee. Overall, such a pleasant, affordable place to stay with easy access to the center of Bologna. If you are at the train station, take the number 32 or 33 circular bus to Porta San Mamolo - it's that easy. From the hotel it's a ten minute walk to the center (very pleasant walk too). My husband and I will most definitely stay there again!

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