Hotel San Luca

An amazing hotel with the most incredible view. The location was great as well.

The views from the hotel are unprecedented and the staff at the reception is very professional and helpful. However, the experience was ruined by the unbelievable rudeness of the breakfast service people. From the moment you enter the room, they make you feel unwelcome and, weirdly, are constantly watching how much food you’re taking. They also scolded us for taking a small yogurt to our room, but afterwards we accidentally saw the waitress packing croissants into her purse after the service - obviously to take home. Overall, it’s a shame that such a nice hotel has such unacceptable breakfast service. We were thinking of coming back , but after this experience San Luca is not on our list any longer. This is the worst service we have ever encountered with meals in a hotel.

This hotel can be forgiven much due to the spectacular views offered and its location in the beautiful hilltop town of Cortona. Staff were friendly and helpful explaining the air conditioning, negotiating local taxis and providing electrical plugs. Why this hotel does not have a bar is a mystery as it has a superb breakfast room and terrace with panoramic views. There is good restaurant next door (Il Tonino) but it is a separate business and concentrates on customers dining there.

We have been here before and we have also tried other hotels in Cortona. As I was struggling with a big suitcase the man from the reception came running to help. My husband was parking the car after letting me off outside the hotel. The parking was free and with an escalator up to the hotel. We got a very nice room with wonderful view . Nice furniture and nice bed. The bath was a bit small but nice enough. The breakfast room had a marvellous view and the service was very nice and friendly. The location of the hotel can not be better. A missed the main restaurant of the hotel that were not in use. The memories of the beautiful made up tables, service and food, from before still is in my main. This time the restaurant had a nice view, but everything was made much simpler than before. I do hope they will go back to the main restaurant. Everything else was just as we wanted and we will visit again!

The hotel's saving grace is its location - Cortona is beautiful. We booked for 4 nights. They moved us to a room with a view (at extra cost) on arrival (as we too faced a wall) but said we would have to move for the 4th night. On the morning of our 4th night's stay we were told that the only accommodation available (other than a tiny room with no air-con) was an apartment at a cost of €160, some €70 more than the room booked. They justified this by saying "they thought we were checking out after 3 nights". This assumption was not mentioned before then. On getting to the apartment we found that the room had clearly not be used, cleaned or checked for some time. The electricity was off, kitchen windows had blown over scattering debris all over the work surface and floor, the shower door did not close, the water in the taps ran brown and there was dust on all surfaces (photos below). We again complained but to be told there was no other option. We believe the owner visited the apartment at that point but did nothing to resolve the situation. On the morning of our departure they charged us €160 for the pleasure of staying there. Because of its poor condition we said we were not prepared to pay that. The owner came and spoke to me - was very off hand - & agreed to reduce the charge to €130. Rather than prolong the conversation on our departure, I subsequently sent the owner an email attaching the photos below and saying that to have charged even a basic room rate for accommodation in that state is disgraceful. He has not had the courtesy to respond.