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The first stop on our trip to Puglia was Bari. The city doesn’t have any Marriott, Hyatt, or Hilton properties, so I had to choose one based on reviews and location without regard to it being part of the loyalty programs that I actively use. The Mercure Villa Romanazzi Carducci Bari served as the perfect base for exploring the city. I loved that it is set apart from the city in its own walled garden with a large pool and lush grounds.
Anthony’s Take: The hotel offers comfortable accommodations, a nice breakfast, beautiful grounds with lots of parking, and it serves as a nice oasis from the city outside its gates. The staff was friendly and the hotel makes for a nice choice when visiting Bari. We were able to walk to everything that we wanted to see as tourists.
Booking
I booked a Junior Suite directly with the hotel. It was only nominally more expensive than the rooms and we always appreciate the extra space. My rate was $350 per night plus taxes. My booking did not include breakfast and we opted for the reasonable €18 per person for a full buffet.
Transportation to/from the Hotel
We rented a car and drove from Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport (BRI). The ride took 20 minutes and was around seven miles. When we left, we went to our next hotel in Lecce, which took almost two hours.
Location
The hotel is not far from the main train station. Attractions in the Old Town were around a 25 minute walk each day. We found the walk easy and it fascinating to see daily life in Bari.
When you arrive, you have to pull through a gate to unload luggage and check-in.
The property’s entrance is lovely.
You’re greeted by the lush grounds as you make your way to the main building. The red building pictured above is an event space and not the main hotel. The main building is much less interesting and looks more like a commercial space or former hospital.
Check-in
We arrived at the hotel around 7:30 PM and our room was ready. The agent at the front desk was friendly and she explained the hotel’s amenities. Within minutes, we had our keys and a parking pass (it’s €10 per night). We then drove out of the hotel and around the corner to access the parking lot. It’s a huge lot with plenty of open space and we had no problem finding a spot. The elevators are located just a few steps away from the check-in desk.
Stairs lead down to the fitness center and spa.
The lobby near the check-in desk is tiny. There is a fountain near the elevators.
A small seating area is next to the fountain.
Down the hall, there is a larger seating area. The restaurant is across from this space.
The elevators were slow and for some reason always stopped on the second floor.
The hallways outside of the guest rooms are dated and in need of a refresh They’re drab, dark, and a bit musty.
The carpets were stained and a gross mustard yellow color.
Junior Suite (415)
There are 123 rooms and suites at the hotel.
The Junior Suite opened into a dining and living area. There was a table with two chairs immediately upon entry.
A desk was to the right. This held a coffee machine and refrigerator.
The coffee machine and condiments (nice to see Illy).
The refrigerator came stocked with some soft drinks and snacks. These were all complimentary.
A very small bag of taralle were on the desk as a welcome amenity.
A couch was across from the desk. The decor is a bit dated.
The bathroom was a decent size with a single sink, glassed-in shower, toilet, and bidet.
The vanity offered plenty of counter space.
Toiletries were branded in the hotel’s name.
There were a good number of items included.
The toilet and bidet were well spaced.
The shower was also a good size with adequate water pressure and temperature.
The bedroom was off of the dining space. It held a king-sized bed and two end tables.
There were two robes folded on the bed.
A dresser and TV were across from the bed.
The closet had a safe and a blanket on one side.
The other side had tons of pillows.
The Junior Suite also offered a large balcony overlooking the pool.
Breakfast
As mentioned, we had breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant each morning during our two-night stay. There is a buffet of cold items as well as eggs and crepes made to order. Everything was fresh and prepared with high-quality ingredients.
Service was almost non-existent and we got our own coffee. The restaurant was pretty empty during breakfast and we enjoyed our meals, overall. Breakfast was not included with our meal and we felt the €18 each was worth it.
Eggs, pancakes, French toast, and crepes could be ordered here.
Yogurt and fruit
Bread
Pastries and cakes
Muffins and croissants
Meats and cheese
Jelly and jam
Cereal
Seafood and vegetables
My husband ordered a crepe with Nutella and enjoyed it.
Self-serve juice machine
Self-serve coffee
Water
The restaurant has lots of tables both indoors and outside on its patio.
We had dinner outside the night we arrived.
Dinner
We were tired when we arrived at the hotel and decided to dine in the hotel’s restaurant. The food was delicious and I found one of my new obsessions: Spaghetti all’Assassina.
Amuse bouche
Spaghetti all’Assassina
Seafood Risotto
Public Areas & Amenities
The hotel has pretty expansive grounds and it looks like it hosts a lot of events. Aside from the gardens, there is an outdoor pool, spa, fitness center, computer in the lobby, and vending machine.
This building is used for events.
It’s a little misleading as we thought it was the hotel itself when booking.
The pool is large, but be warned: there is a €5 rental fee per towel, per day.
The grounds have lots of sculptures and fountains.
More event space.
A lion statue was guarding the property.
More of the grounds on the way to the parking lot.
The spa was tiny, but it held a sauna, steam room, and jacuzzi.
Sauna and jacuzzi
Steam room
The fitness center was small, but well equipped.
There were no towels here.
A computer was in the lobby for guest use.
There was a vending machine across from the computer in the lobby.
Overall Impression: The Mercure Villa Romanazzi Carducci is a nice oasis while staying in the city of Bari. We enjoyed the food and service. The rooms are a bit dated and the towel policy seems silly, but overall the hotel is a solid choice in Bari.
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
