Albergo of charme i Pini GuestBook Charm Hotel I Pini Tuscany north

Hfor Claudio ,

Thanks for your follow-up on my visit to Italy, and Club I Pini. My trip was great, and Italy was as warm and fascinating as ever. Since I was there near the end of the season, tourist sites weren't crowded and locals predominated in Lucca, the Cinque Terra and Pistoia. I found the hotel delightful, a fine location near the beach and shopping, a wonderful garden for hanging out, great food and wine. The best part about the hotel is the staff - warm, welcoming, helpful, dedicated to making sure guests have everything they need for a great visit. For example, one day Claudio had to visit the house the hotel rents, and invited me to go along to see it, and the view. Claudio also helped me find a way to get to the hotel from the Pisa airport, since I would be arriving after the last train of the night had left. The only thing unexpected about the hotel was the distance from the beach, which wasn't really a problem since the beach was pretty much closed down for the season. I would nominate the town of Pistoia as an undiscovered treasure - historic center close to the train station, a great food and produce market next to the Duomo, a store making a traditional candy called Confetti, and no tourist junk.

I would definitely return to the hotel, as a great base of operations for visiting Tuscany by train, since you can get to most everywhere from the train station in nearby Viareggio.

Sincerely,
Elisabeth L.

Ddear friends

We are a group of 6 women friends (of a certain age, all ex-teachers) holidaying in Tuscany for the first time. Staying in I Pini certainly made our holiday. We loved the relaxed, friendly atmosphere and enjoyed the food. The staff could not have been more helpful. We were travelling around by public transport and Monica was frequently checking the internet for us for timetables and booking taxis. We found travelling around the area by rail quite cheap and easy, although we don't speak Italian. A special thanks to Giancarlo for getting Puccini opera tickets for us at very late notice. We would certainly visit again.

Good Wishes
Ann R.

Hi. I've been meaning to write to you since returning home to tell you that Club I Pini was fantastic! We loved the house, the rooms, the location, but mostly the people there. And parking is extremely convenient, easy and close by which is so unusual. What a wonderful experience. Monica brought us a bottle of wine, olives, and a little bruschetta in the afternoon and was such a doll. Her uncle offered us the computer free for e-mail, printed out train schedules for us, etc. Just a perfect place. We also enjoyed the town, and especially Viareggio which we didn't know about.

I will think about "hidden treasures" to share and get back to you. But I did want to thank you so much for I Pini - I would go back in a second and have already told several people to contact you about it.

Best, Nancy L.

Thank-you we had a lovely time. The Club I Pini was a bit ..... basic - but as other guests had said the welcome was friendly. It's very much a typical Italian family "pensione" and guests should remember that in Italy children are Kings so are generally allowed to run riot until late into the night around the hotel. We enjoyed the Ristorante del Mare on the way to the beach Isonzo.

Best regards,
Sarah S.

Dear In italy,

First off, thanks for all your help. At times it was invaluable!! Your quick responses to all my questions and concerns made planning this trip alot easier then it would have been without you.

Albergo Club I Pini was one of the best hotels we have ever stayed in. Now you may wonder how a 3 star hotel could be that great. First off let me say that because the hotel was an historic site, the home of the famous artist Galileo Chini, it offered a different flair. The rooms were not luxurious but that was ok because you really felt as if you were in someone's home. The rooms are not air conditioned which made for a few hot nights but this could easily be improved by adding a few ceiling fans. The real reason that the hotel was so great was because of the staff!! They were wonderful and attentive. Claudio, Loretta, Monica, GianCarlo and the rest of the staff treat their guests as if they are long lost family. They were always there to answer any questions you need answered, phone calls you need made or day trips you need help planning. One of the best features of the hote