Hotel La Pace

Hotel La Pace was built just after World War II (the name means peace) and today it consists of seven floors with a different bold color and artwork on each. The quirky lobby is a lively place: music videos are usually blaring on the flat-screen TV and there's a British-style telephone booth tucked into one corner. Other unusual art includes a 3D version of the Leaning Tower, a mural of Pisa, and racks of postcards and small paintings for sale. A seating area and coffee station are set up by the staircase that leads up to the breakfast mezzanine. Elevators are provided for getting up to the guest rooms. Most guests are tourists who want an affordable place to stay near the Central Terminal and Pisa airport. 

For visitors that need fast and easy Central Station access, Hotel La Pace has an incredibly convenient location a one-minute walk from the train. It's also a 10-minute drive from Pisa International Airport. The immediate area can feel sketchy at night, when the neighboring strip malls close and the used-clothing vendors pack up for the day. Otherwise, it's about a five-minute walk to H&M, Zara, gelato shops, restaurants, and the Keith Haring murals. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is about a 20-minute walk, or an eight-minute drive. Lucca and it's ancient walls are about a 30-minute drive from the hotel. 

The rooms at Hotel La Pace are divided into two categories: renovated and un-renovated. If a room is labeled as "economy" then it will still retain a vintage '60s style with striped wallpaper, tile floors, and antique furniture. Some of these bathrooms are also quite old (though some bathrooms have been renovated in the economy rooms) and feature pull-chain toilets and faded half-bathtubs with showers. The renovated rooms still have a classic style that includes wallpaper, padded headboards, and marble-topped furniture. Renovated bathrooms can feature spacious tubs with showerheads, double vanities, and private water closets. All rooms include a small TV, air-conditioning units, mini-fridges with bottled water, toiletries, and closet space. Family Rooms feature a double bed and single twin bed. Rooms from the highest floors have nice views of Pisa and the airport. Note that past guests have occasionally experienced malfunctioning air-conditioners and spotty Wi-Fi, but cleanliness isn't an issue. 

Features at Hotel La Pace are simple, as most guests are just at the hotel for a night or two and the immediate neighborhood is filled with shops, restaurants, and entertainment. Breakfast buffet is provided for a fee and the massive spread includes everything from freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juice to scrambled eggs, fried eggs, hot dogs, peas, pastries, cheeses, cured meats, and coffee. There's also a bar with a large selection of alcohol, but no bartender. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. Parking is available for a fee in a nearby underground garage. Pets are welcome.