Grand Universe Lucca, Autograph Collection

We had a fantastic time at the Grand Universe Hotel in Lucca. It is located right in the middle of the old city, surrounded by plazas and cathedrals. There was an opera show right around the corner that was just beautiful. The staff are so friendly and helpful, we immediately felt at home. The room was comfortable and very clean. Like all rooms in Italy, it  is a bit compact but they make amazing use of the space. The breakfast was delicious and had a huge variety of delicious offerings. The rooftop bar is small but has a beautiful view. We loved our stay here and are looking forward to returning.

Firstly let me start by saying that Lucca is a beautiful city and a definite must see. The hotel was pleasant. The staff were really lovely and couldn’t fault them on anything. The location of the hotel was great but if you are in a hired car, ask for specific directions to the hotel, it will definitely save you time as you have to get a special pass from the hotel which only allows your vehicle in for 15 minutes, after which you need to exit the gated town and park in one of the allocated parking areas or the hotel does suggest a parking bay inside the wolled in city at an additional cost. We traveled as a family of five, my husband and I took a suit room and our three kids took an additional two rooms. Our room was very large and spacious and very clean. The kids got allocated more entry-level rooms rooms and were much smaller but clean and well serviced. Their rooms were well air-conditioef however our room, 308 to be exact, did not get cool in the four nights that we stayed there. We did reach out to the reception and they had to manually reset our air-conditioning which they did promptly, however the temperature did not drop. They then sent up a technician who said everything was working, however they did not manage to fix the problem. If you are wanting laundry done, keep in mind it is only done from Monday to Friday. For turn down service you get no complementary waters but we phoned reception and they brought up waters with 2 minutes. As far as location and what Lucca has to offer, it’s a beautiful city with a great vibe and incredible pet friendly.

Our stay at the Grand Universe Autograph Collection in Lucca is one of the highlights of every trip to Italy. We've returned twice a year for the past several years, and each visit reminds us why we keep coming back. The staff is exceptional—warm, welcoming, and genuinely dedicated to making every guest feel at home. Their attention to detail and personalized service are second to none. The hotel itself is beautiful, with elegant rooms that are impeccably maintained. The beds are unbelievably comfortable—truly like sleeping on a cloud after a day of exploring the charming streets of Lucca. The food is outstanding, whether it's breakfast or an evening meal, and the location couldn't be more perfect for experiencing everything this incredible city has to offer. One of our favorite traditions is ending the day with a drink at the bar or on the stunning rooftop terrace. It's the perfect place to relax, enjoy the atmosphere, and take in the beautiful views. After so many stays, the Grand Universe still feels special every time we arrive. It has become our home away from home in Lucca, and we cannot recommend it highly enough. We already look forward to our next visit!

Davide helped coordinate a van from Lucca to Monterosso Al Mare for the next morning during a Trenitalia rail strike. We were supposed to travel by train, so this was a great alternative with very short notice. Azura who works the rooftop bar was very hospitable and friendly. We enjoyed her service both nights.

Check you are allocated the room you paid for. We booked an Adagio room but were given an accessible room instead (a space that was in my view not suitable for disabled guests due to its very small size, and positioning of tabs, basin and unusually high toilet). Although breakfast was included in our booking, a staff member told us publicly that we were not entitled to it. After we complained, Vanessa from reception moved us to a bigger room and resolved the breakfast issue. From what we heard the confusion was caused by another couple with the same surname, it seemed they were aware of the room confusion but did not offer to put us in a more appropriate room from the beginning. Had we not raised the issue, we would have been left in an unsuitable very uncomfortable, inappropriate room for the remainder of the stay. The positioning of the hotel is very good.

Overall we had a wonderful stay at this hotel. The location was great for walking to all the areas of Lucca. It is definitely noisy when your room faces the piazza. But that is to be expected - would consider a portable sound machine if you are sensitive to noise when sleeping. Vanessa at the front desk was amazing! Very personable and super helpful with making dinner reservations and for suggestions for things to do. Only complaint was the room was too hot. I understand AC restrictions but the thermostat was locked and only accessible by staff to change. Would have liked it to be just a bit cooler. Would stay here again!

We visited for a special occasion and booked the Adagio King room for 3 nights on arrival I was told that there was 2 people with the same name as me staying at the hotel this should have raised my suspicions but due to the fact that we were processed through our passports did not think anything of it. I can only say that the room we were given was not at all suitable as it was for disabled guests apparently (this I cannot begin to understand as nothing in the room supported the use of this room by any disabled person) The following morning, I spoke to the duty manager who was very helpful and suggested we look at another room which was not quite the same as The Adagio King room, we then proceeded to go to breakfast but were told we were not due any breakfast, when this was checked following another visit to the duty manager we got access to the breakfast area. Lovely hotel but the process for booking guests is deplorable and done without any finesse in relation to making sure guests get the proper attention due. It was clear from the beginning the booking of the other person into our room was wrong but to try and mitigate the issue by putting us in the inferior room was appallingly obvious (one of the internal staff actually called our first room the darkroom and was very surprised we had indeed been allocated this room at all)

We had a super time in Lucca, with our stay at the very special Grand Universe Hotel at the centre of a great trip. The food, service and staff were all excellent and with brilliant room upgrade, the stay in Lucca was outstanding. Thanks to the great team who looked after us, including Antonia.