by papul
this is a quote from the hotel's official site:
"In 1875, Maurizio Bettoja bought the ground floor of the building where Hotel Massimo D'Azeglio currently stands, which at the time housed a long-established restaurant. Maurizio Bettoja's son Angelo had a feeling that it would be an ideal location for a hotel. After hiring a manager and staff, he bought the rest of the building and transformed it into Hotel Massimo D'Azeglio.
Since then, the hotel has welcomed guests of all nationalities into a building that - in spite of its many renovations - has been able to hold onto its late nineteenth century atmosphere and style. The main façade has kept the same look as it had under King Umberto, while its interiors have undergone many changes. "
met the current owner and he told us abt the how the hotel started... it was used as wine cellar & winery before it became a hotel... if you are a genuine wine lover coax and cajole the staff to show you th original cellar under the hotel - there were original bottles that were over a 100 yrs old... it was like walking into a period film-set... its a must if u r staying at the hotel... the cellar called "la cantina" can be hired for pvt dinners as well!!!
also the hotel is filled with antique art and statues that are not fakes but original ones... across the street from this hotel is a sister concern atlantico... on the wall there, is a huge leather world map dating back over 300 yrs... its brilliant...
the many guests have included the King of Serbia, the ace aviator Francesco Baracca, Benito Mussolini, General Diaz, Louis Armstrong, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Fausto Coppi and Mascagni, among others.
