Via Aurelio Saffi 36, Bologna, Italy | (251) 219-4428
Walking distance to
the center of Bologna
Soundproofed rooms with wooden laminate floors and some hot tubs
Restaurant serves breakfast,
lunch, and dinner
Sophisticated bar with classic leather and wood furniture
Fitness center free to all guests
Car parking available on-site
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Rooms can be dark
and general decor looks outdated
Wi-Fi is spotty
Charge for parking
This three-and-a-half pearl hotel has 106 rooms over eight floors and is within walking
distance to the main sights of Bologna. There are plenty of restaurants and
cafes in the neighborhood and there’s lots of facilities at the hotel too,
including a restaurant, bar, fitness center, and parking. The hotel’s rooms hint at old-fashioned glamour, but they look a little worn in places and could do
with some updating.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
Traditional and a little worn
The covered entrance to this 1970s hotel is well signposted and easy to
find. Inside, the lobby has a marble floor with mirrors and brass handrails. Slightly
worn leather armchairs and sofas suggest the property might benefit from some modernizing.
The lobby is often busy with guests making use of the strong Wi-Fi signal. Dark
wood floors and wall panelling throughout the hotel give a feel of Italian tradition
and elegance, although it does mean that communal areas and the hotel rooms can
be quite dark.
Location
Outside the city walls, but well positioned
The hotel is well located for getting around on foot. The walls of the
Old Town are just 500 meters away, and from there guests can easily walk through
the streets of Bologna to find the main sights. The Piazza Maggiore, the two
towers, and Piazza del Nettuno are around a 15-minute walk. The hotel is
ideally placed on a bus route too, so a direct
bus can take guests to the city centre in around five minutes. A bus or taxi will also get passengers to the train station in about 10-minutes or the airport in 20-minutes. The Grand Hotel Elite is also ideal for
those who are driving as it’s easily accessible from the motorways and ring
roads, and parking is available on-site for a daily fee.
Rooms
Dark and dated, but spacious and comfortable
Although the Grand Hotel
Elite is situated on a fairly busy road, all the rooms are soundproofed, so even front-facing rooms won’t be disturbed by any traffic noise. Rooms are spacious and even have a
small bar area. Every room has air-conditioning, a minibar, a small flat-screen TV
with satellite channels, and free Wi-Fi that can be spotty. As with the rest of the hotel, the decor in the rooms and
bathrooms does feel quite dark and a little dated. The Superior room
has a lot more floor space and a living area next to the bedroom with a small
sofa, desk, and a small kitchenette. The bathroom in the Superior
rooms is brighter too, with blue and white tiles and a bathtub and shower over
the bath. There’s also a small balcony which gives an impressive view over the rooftops
of Bologna.
Features
Good fare at the restaurant and a classic bar
The hotel’s restaurant, Cordon Bleu, serves breakfast, lunch, and
dinner. A children's menu is available too for those traveling with little
ones. The breakfast buffet has fruits,
cereals, cheese, meat, and pastries on offer. It's worth considering for the
convenience, but by venturing outside of the hotel, better value can be
found at the local cafes. Room service is also available during limited hours.
The bar at the Grand Hotel Elite has the feel of an old-fashioned gentlemen’s
club. Shelving units cover the walls, displaying bottles of red wine, and dark
brown button-backed leather armchairs are dotted around the room with small tables.
A real plus-point of the hotel is the on-site parking on offer for a reasonable
fee. There’s also a well-equipped fitness center which is free to all guests, and a conference space and meeting rooms for those
on business.
