Brufani Palace Hotel, Perugia > Reviews (1)

This review is for the Brufani Palace Hotel, situated in Perugia, a city in Umbria, central Italy.

The Brufani Palace Hotel was opened in the 1880s, built on the site of the old Rocca Paolina, the Catholic Palace which was pulled down. It is now situated right by the Piazza Italia, a large open square which has seating overlooking the valleys around. It is also situated just off the main street, the Corso Vannucci, so is very centrally located in Perugia.

There is a beautiful swimming pool in the depths of the hotel, which was formerly part of the Rocca Paolina. When this was built in the fifteenth century as a Palace for the Catholic Church, they built on the old streets full of shops and houses, and these now recovered streets can now be walked along (these can be found just opposite the entrance to the hotel take the escalators down and you will find them). As a swimming pool it's sufficient, but given the atmosphere it is a glorious location.

As with other hotels, the prices can vary widely, but the Brufani is a well appointed hotel with high standards, and the price does reflect that. Some of the rooms are much better than others, you can try and negotiate on arrival to get a room with a better view over the surrounding valleys, but availability of course doesn't always allow.

The hotel generally was clean, as was the room, which was of a reasonable size and had the lovely views mentioned above. There is a mini-bar in the room - although this is very expensive - and a reasonably sized bath in the en-suite. The bed was comfortable, and there wasn't much noise from outside of the hotel, or indeed from inside of it.

Breakfast isn't always included in the rate, and I didn't eat in the hotel, preferring instead to visit a nearby coffee shop, but I heard from another guest that it was a perfectly good buffet breakfast, with various jams and breads, fruits, fruit juices, a selection of meats, and so on. Apparently the jams and like are packed individually because of regional regulations, in case you think that the hotel is very wasteful. But breakfast is quite expensive, over €10 from memory I was quoted, which you might find is better spent at a nearby shop, as you will get a different atmosphere and more for your money.

A warning about the cost of some of the extras however, car parking is over €30 a day, a significant extra cost if you're staying for a longer period. Perugia isn't a city which copes well with cars, there is limited accessibility given the narrow and busy streets, but this is one of the most expensive charges in the city. If you want to use public transport, the mini-metro system comes up not too far away (about a five minute walk) and the buses leave from just outside of the hotel.

I didn't use it, but there is reception told me a shuttle bus which goes from the airport to the hotel, which is around eight miles away. Ryanair land here a few times a week from Stansted, so if you can get a good price on the flight, it can make for a relatively affordable break.

Best ask the hotel in advance for confirmation however, the public transport from the airport is not the most reliable, despite it meant to be tied in with the flights schedule.

The staff were pleasant and helpful, and it did feel as though the management really were keen for everyone's stay to be a positive one, and that welcome did aid the atmosphere of the hotel generally.

There isn't any free wi-fi in the building generally, but there is a computer which you can use by reception, which is helpful if you need Internet access. You can also buy Internet access for your own computer or phone in the hotel if required.

Overall, this is a pleasant and very centrally located hotel, if you can get a good rate, or you want a relaxing stay in this fabulous city, this is a recommended destination.