Grand Hotel Plaza & Locanda Maggiore

The Grand Hotel Plaza is a lovely, slightly old fashioned hotel in the very centre of Montecatini Terme. It is a grand old building with beautiful sweeping staircases, high ceilings and chandeliers. We stayed there for 10 days in a room on the first floor overlooking the central square. Our room was a reasonable size with a large bathroom. We found the air conditioning worked well. Although we were right above the square, the combination of double glazing and shutters kept the noise from outside to a minimum and didn't disturb our sleep. It was wonderful to walk out in the evening after dinner to enjoy the music in the square. We stayed half board and very much enjoyed the food. There was a set menu but with choices for first and second courses. Our waitresses were really helpful with my husband's food allergy, pointing out which choices were suitable for him or which could be adapted by the kitchen to make them suitable. All the food was typically Italian, very fresh and delicious. The helpfulness of the waitresses was matched by the standard of service we had from all the staff in the hotel. Other reviews have mentioned Elena who was in charge of the hotel pool and we agree she was there to make sure everyone she came into contact with had the best holiday possible. The hotel is a short walk from the station from where we made several trips to the beautiful cities of Florence, Lucca and Pisa as well as nearer towns of Montecarlo and Pescia from where we had some wonderful walks. Overall a lovely, grand hotel with amazing staff. Thank you for a wonderful holiday.

We arrived as part of a large tour group and the hotel is very nicely situated in the centre of the town with easy access to the train station and all the major Tuscan towns and cities. It is a beautiful historic hotel with marble staircase and period decor. The desk staff were friendly and helpful ACCESSIBILITY The hotel is on 4 floors and has one very very slow old lift if you have mobility issues ask to be moved to a lower floor however you then become subject to the noise problems so many suffer at this hotel. ROOMS The rooms were large with high ceilings comfortable beds good bathroom and storage. There is a mini fridge a safe and a hairdryer also a kettle. NOISE The downside of being central is the noise created late into the night by the bar immediately across from the rear of the hotel and from the busy square at the front even earplugs don't keep the noise out and it goes on till the early hours. You need to keep the windows shut which makes the room unbearably hot this leads to the next issue, Aircon AIRCON absolutely terrible didn't cool the room at all ( we did arrive in an unseasonable heatwave of nearly 40degrees) the rooms were unbearably hot. I rang the desk to ask for assistance and was immediately provided with a large fan which helped a lot. FOOD we were on a half board package and as some have already said the breakfast was basic with little choice but perfectly adequate however the evening meals were spectacular 5 course affairs different every night and delicious. The waiting staff were very friendly and accommodating working very hard to serve us all. POOL The pool area is small but was never crowded and was very welcome after a hot day of exploring. Elena the lady who looks after you at the pool bar is an absolute gem the nicest and most attentive hotel staff member I have ever met. Nothing was too much trouble and she was always so friendly and engaging a real hilight of this hotel. Overall this is a beautiful old hotel which I highly recommend except for the aircon and lift issues also not suitable if you don't like noise while you sleep although this is not the hotels fault. It is comfortable staff are friendly and helpful. Central location and great food

This was chosen by our Gate One Tour Company. Very old. Very dated. Very small rooms with little to no air conditioning. It needs a major renovation but I am assuming they keep it for its old character and charm. The staff is fantastic. They go beyond the norm to accommodate your experience. They are charming and friendly and very knowledgeable and always smiling. The Breakfast is just passable. The food provided by Gate One was less than passable. We should have gone out those nights dinners were provided and not bothered staying at the hotel. Bathroom is an accident waiting to happen because the shower is very small and very dangerous and slippery even when you pay attention. This was not my choice but we made it work.

Nice Hotel in a great location with very friendly and efficient staff. The hotel could do with a bit of updating as air conditioning was giving trouble and was non existent at times. Food was ok. The bar was also a but dated and really c I uld be located in a nicer spot. It was only open after dinner which seemed strange. Overall I had a lovely stay and would return as location was excellent and safe for someone on their own.

Had a great stay. Spotless and staff so nice especially the waiters and waitress we had for our dinner and in the bar. Central location in a lovely town. Food great and had a different menu every night to get a taster of Italian cuisine. beds comfortable. Would recommend highly.

The best aspect of this hotel is its location situated on the main plaza of Montecatini. Behind its lovely facade is a hotel that needs a complete revamp. All of its decor is stuck in the 70’s. It’s a beautiful building inside with a fine marble staircase but its furnishings and bedrooms badly need updating. The food is not of great quality and its breakfast choices are very limited. Coffee in its dining room comes from two machines one of which works and the other spurts out coffee occasionally. Dinner choices on the menu seem typically Italian but in reality arrive to the table not looking or tasting at all like what one would expect in a four star hotel. The air con is controlled by the hotel itself and not turned on in any of the rooms until June. The outdoor swimming pool is also empty and out of use until June. Bear this in mind if you get a room overlooking the pool area. The best rooms overlook the main plaza and are completely quiet once the windows are closed at night. If the pool area is not open there is nowhere in this hotel to sit outside and chill out. There is a very small indoor bar which looks and feels like Granny’s good sitting room in the 60’s. The staff are friendly and welcoming.

This is a beautiful hotel full of olde-world charm in a fantastic location. The train station is a few minutes walk away and it is very easy to get to places such as Florence and Lucca. You can also get to Pisa with one change of train. My room was very comfortable and had a new bathroom suite and tea/coffee facilities. The staff are all so friendly and helpful, they really help to make your holiday special. They are all a credit to the hotel. The food is amazing - and the restaurant staff will happily accommodate any food likes/dislikes or allergies etc,. They will even save your half bottle of wine for the next evening if only one of you is a wine drinker. As other people have noted the breakfast is the same each day but that is fairly standard in European hotels. The food is very plentiful and I for one was very happy to eat fresh croissants, toast and cake every morning! The only disappointment was that my sister and I missed George Clooney and Adam Sandler when they were filming in Montecatini as we were on a day trip 😊 I would definitely stay at the Grand Hotel Plaza again.

While researching online I know it is kind of an older facility but is really convenient to the train station and that’s the main reason I decided to book it. We were assigned a room that was supposed to be the best in the hotel with a view and access to the terrace, except it turned out there was a restaurant below it that blasted loud music right into the room every night till midnight. Already suffering from jet lag, i couldn’t sleep well even with earplugs. Even my husband who’s a sound sleeper couldn’t take it anymore after Monday night. The staff was helpful and changed us to an internal room but the damage was already done. Be aware if you expect to sleep before midnight.

This was a great property in the middle of Montecatini Terme. Great European breakfast. Close to the train station. Everyone was kind and we enjoyed our room!