Duomo di Piacenza

I had high hopes after reading so many glowing reviews, but in all honesty, I was quite disappointed with my stay. The pool area is very small and the pool itself is plastic, which felt underwhelming. Breakfast was not buffet-style (which I had looked forward to), but served to your table. Unfortunately, every time I ordered scrambled eggs, I was given bacon—I'm vegetarian, so this was particularly frustrating. While some of the food was nice, it wasn’t outstanding as other reviews suggested. Toast was often burnt and dishes lacked flavour. Service was polite and staff were friendly, but there was a clear language barrier with several staff members, which made communication difficult. Clearing tables also took far too long—not something you'd expect from a 5-star establishment. The rooms were definitely the highlight—modern, clean, and comfortable. However, the reception area looked tired, with white decor that clearly hadn’t been cleaned in a while. What really surprised me was that access to the spa facilities (like the steam room and sauna) required an extra fee, despite paying €500 a night. I’ve stayed at many 5-star hotels and have never been charged separately for basic spa access. The hotel entrance also lacks impact, looking more like a 4-star property. Overall, while the stay was pleasant in parts, it does not live up to 5-star standards. It feels more like a 4-star hotel with 5-star pricing.