As a businessman who travels allot, I was compelled to let people know about a certain hotel I recently stayed in that really stood out. Frankly, it’s the best hotel I’ve ever stayed in. It was the Grand Hotel Imperiale in Forte Dei Marmi, Italy. I have stayed in allot of luxury hotels in my travels, but never one quite like this.
Everyone was so accommodating, and I was treated like royalty. When I checked in, I was immediately upgraded from a normal suite to a royal suite. The split level bathroom was divine, and huge. The hot tub was great. There was a living room and bedroom with a little porch where I sat outside and had breakfast every morning. There was total privacy and quiet, and anything I needed, anything at all, was brought up to me instantly.
The shuttle would take me wherever I wanted to go in town, and they always asked where and when I would like to be picked up. Shopping in the town center was glorious. On the second day, I felt like exploring the town, so the concierge hooked me up with a surprisingly nice bicycle, and pointed me toward the beach. It was a beautiful day, and riding through the streets of Tuscany, I really got a sense of what it would be like to live there. From a grandmother yelling and smiling to her daughter who brought groceries, to the wonderful man who invited me into his pizza shop for lunch, it was like going back to a simpler time. I felt so at peace amongst the landscapes, the traditions, and the artistic legacy from the buildings alone. They had my cabana on the beach ready with towels and a drink menu. Perfect! The food was excellent, and the beer was cold.
The next day I did some sightseeing. Tuscany was definitely a permanent influence on high culture, notably, the square of the Cathedral of Pisa. I walked all around Pisa with its Piazza Dei Miracoli and the leaning tower, and then the same day I drove to Lucca, which is a medieval town with ancient medieval walls surrounding the town center.

On my last day, I checked out of the hotel and headed to Rome. I visited San Gimignano, then Siena with its beautiful historical center, and Pienza, which has a typical tuscan landscape: vineyards, olive oil trees and sunflowers. I did some wine tasting there, and I met a lovely couple from Philadelphia, which is near my home town of Pittsburgh.
After seeing all of those beautiful things, I’m surprised at what really stood out. It was the hotel and their wonderful staff. The reception was made up mostly of beautiful women. They spoke English so well, that they were actually joking around with me. All of their recommendations were perfect. It was truly the perfect stay, and if you are ever in Tuscany, this is the best of the best.