This hotel was not even opened when I started researching hotels in Turin. We almost ended up at the Townhouse 70 (it was a toss up between Townhouse 70 and the NH Torino Santa Stefano). But just as I was about to make the booking, the NH Collection Torino Piazza Carlina showed up. It was new, well located and decently priced – I was instantly sold.
Location: As far as I can tell Turin is a small town, and while the hotel is not smack in the middle of everything it is close enough. The hotel is a 8 minute walk to the Apple store and 6 minute walk to the Chanel store according to Google (key indicators of civilization for me).
When we arrived at the train station (porta nuovo), the hotel was a close 5 minute cab ride away. We were also able to easily walk to the center of town and have lunch at the Piazza Carignano (the prettiest piazza according to my friends). The Guido Gubino store was also just a quick walk away (which also happens to be where the Egyptian Museum and the Chanel store are).
The Piazza Carlina itself was not that interesting. When we were there, there was construction in the middle which kind of ruined the whole effect. The pizza joint on the side was pretty good though!
The hotel: The hotel itself is a gorgeous historic building with newly renovated interiors (just the way I like it). While the lobby/reception was by no means “grand,” it was a very clever combination of the building’s historic features and modern contemporary design. The floors were marbled. The was a gorgeous staircase which reminded me of my french dorm. There was also a nice courtyard in the middle surrounded by glass, letting light into the interior.
The room: We booked a superior room and were given a room on the second floor of the hotel. Two things stood out to me about this room that I thought was super cool:
- The ceiling was SUPER HIGH
- We have a BALCONY
I know, I’m easily pleased. The rest of the room was modern, clean and relatively spacious. The bed was comfortable. Wifi was also free and very good! The only thing I would complain about is that the lighting was a bit dark (maybe because the ceiling is so high) at night. Oh and that there were no complimentary water. I was SO dehydrated the next morning when I got to breakfast.
The bathroom: While the bathroom was on the smaller side, like the rest of the room it was modern, clean and functional. Extra points for having a proper full strength hair dryer and a towel warming rack. The only downside was that there wasn’t much counter space for my many toiletries.
Service: The Guest Relations, Carola was excellent. I emailed her many times prior to the trip to arrange tickets for the Juventus game and pick up afterwards and besides some delay in response (she was gathering all the information first before she got back to me!) she was extremely helpful. The only thing was that the agent who bought our tickets got us 4 seats together and 2 apart (not even sitting together), which caused some distress when we realized this at the stadium. In the end, we pulled through and just squeezed together in our row of 4 (good thing we are small!). But seriously – attention to detail!
Breakfast: Out of all the “included” breakfasts I had throughout the trip, this was probably one of the best ones. There was a good selection of cold cuts, fruits, bread and some hot food. But you basically get what you pay for, and when something is included, it is just not going to taste as good as if you had paid for it specifically.
Conclusion: Probably the best hotel in Turin. I would definitely recommend this hotel to any friends going to Turin. While the Piazza Carlina itself feels somewhat isolated (probably because of the constructions), it is convenient, clean, modern and comfortable.
Pros:
- Within easy walking distance from key sights
- Good free wifi
- Helpful staff
- Modern and clean rooms
- High ceilings and balcony
- Proper full strength hair dryer
Cons:
- Location somewhat isolated since there is nothing to see at the Piazza Carina. But maybe it is just because of the constructions going on while we were there
- No complimentary water
- Dark lighting
- No counter space in bathroom
NH Collection Torino Piazza Carlina
Address: 15 Piazza Carlo Emanuele II. 10123, Turin, Italy
Telephone: +39 011 8601611
Email: nhcollectionpiazzacarlina@nh-hotels.com
Website: http://www.nh-collection.com/hotel/nh-collection-torino-piazza-carlina
Read more about my trip to italy here!
Tea with BG 