Hotel Excelsior San Marco - Bergamo

I chose to stay in this hotel specifically to eat in the Roof Top Restaurant. (On a previous visit I'd been deterred by an almighty thunderstorm.) When I enquired about this on arrival, I was told that it was closed "for the holidays". Since there was no notice to this effect at the groundfloor entrance, I later took a lift to the eigth floor to check - and found the place buzzing. This time, reception said it was a "private function". Either way I couldn't eat there. To be fair, the Venere pages don't mention the Roof Top Restaurant. But that doesn't alter the fact that I was disappointed to have had a wasted visit. I was also a saddened to see that some of the wallpaper in my room seemed to be parting company from the wall/ceiling - not what my previous visit had led me to expect.

Very nice experience. Perfect location to explore the old & new city.

Stayed for one night. Hotel offered a comfortable stay with an excellent breakfast. I was a vwery sort walk to th funicular and a slightly longer walk to th train station. The room had a small balcony overlooking other apartments. the staff were efficient and friendly. The hospiality in th room was minimal.

A very nice hotel with helpfull staff and service. We stayed 3 nights and the hotel is located nearby the cable to the old town, and walking distance to citycenter of Bergamo. Perfect for a group of 10 ladies.

Excellent position in town for visiting. Convenient parking in front of the hotel.

This was our first visit to this hotel and we were very pleased with the holiday in Bergamo. The hotel was well sited for visiting both the "Old City" and the modern city. The Hotel was well presented and we found all the staff to be both helpful and friendly in every respect. The hotel was immaculate in all areas and the room was maintained to a very high standard by the housemaid - clean sheets and towels every day. Breakfast was of a very high standard with a buffet of both hot and cold dishes well presented by the staff. A feature of the hotel was a "good Morning" news sheet in many languages. The only disappointment was the fact that the well publicised Roof Garden Restaurant did not appear to be available during our stay. In the Public Rooms the Bar service was limited. We found that we were spoilt for choice in eating places in both the Old and New Cities.Local transport was excellent to visit the surrounding area. We will return.

Hotelis in an ideal position for exploring the area. the funicolare is just round the corner.

In my opinion hotel can´t have four stars if it doesn´t ever have lobby bar open ;(

The breakfast was poor

Very comfortable room, well located and the staff were very accommodating. Recommended to anyone.

This was the first time we stood in this hotel The welcoming was poor and the informations ptrovided by the staff were minimum . In overall wu would rate this hotel at ab avrage note . A 5 is just what it deserves . Breakfast was the good point . Prices of the restaurant were incredible high ! This is the reason why we didn't went there . We had a very good dinner in a restaurant we had rhe luck to find in the near surroundings on the street going to the funicular taking you to Bergamo Alto ( A city to visit ...)

Good breakfast and nice restaurants and bars in the nearby.

Elegant hotel in a central location, but the staff was not always friendly, sometimes they seemed to feel disturbed in their private conversations

Our second short stay here and we hope to go back again soon. Excellent situation for sightseeing and shopping and central business areas. Comfortable rooms and efficient service; good value for money.

Excellent location.Stayed in standerd room bed linen and towels changed daily.Very clean.Good choice at breakfast.Overall very good

Excellent location for both old and new town. Travel into and out of Milan by train was also convenient for those who wish to visit. Airport bus can stop just outside the Hotel,so no need for long walk with bags. Breakfast good quality and plenty of it ! Overall an excellent choice for a short break.

Très bon Hôtel, situé près du funiculaire pour visiter la vieille ville( haute) intéressante. basse ville pas intéressante. Difficulté à trouver un restaurant dans la ville basse Petit déjeuner buffet impeccable.

Es un hotel excelente; la habitación muy buena, grande, con terraza y otro gran ventanal con vistas preciosas; el baño espacioso y cn ventana exterior. La decoración elegante y las persianas con mando a distancia. El desayuno, normal. Se lo recomendaría a cualquiera.

Das Zimmer war sehr schön. Da das Hotel nicht ausgebucht war, bekamen wir ein Zimmer der nächstgrößeren Kategorie. Das Frühstück hätte nicht besser sein können: sehr große Auswahl !! Da wir demnächst noch einmal in Bergamo sein werden, haben wir das Hotel erneut gebucht. * absolut empfehlenswert ! *

Hotel très confortable et remarquablement situé à 5 minutes du funiculaire menant à la ville haute. Prévoir un parking payant (12 euros par 24h), indispensable dans ce quartier résidentiel.

We found bedbugs in the morning - disgusting. They moved us very quickly, but put someone in the same room that night - yuck. Avoid like the plague, or you might catch something..

I really did no like the welcoming staff. Very snobbish people.

My wife and I had an exelent stay at Excelsior San Marco, because of frendly / service minded staff, very nice room with a fabulous view from the balcony. The hotel has the best location for visiting both the old and the newer city.

We had a room with a balcony and view of the old town, although we paid a discount rate. The hotel is set back from the main road so is not too noisy. Try the roof top restaurant as a treat, it is not cheap but wonderful food and views of the old towm make it worthwhile. They do special offers for hotel guests.

Our only complaint was the excessive charge for the Sunday evening buffet at E25 per person. A very limited choice for main course i.e. 1 hot dish and only a few platters of cold vegetables and salads.

I felt this hotel was expensive for the quality. I would not really rate it 4 star, though the room was spotlessly clean but very samll and the public areas needed upgrading. in the 3 days we were there we never saw anyone in the hotel bar, hence no atmosphere. Breakfast was o.k. though when they say 10.00 a.m.finish they really do meant 10. I asked for a glass of water at 10.02 and was refused! The best thing about hotel is location - very near funicular to Citta Alta, bus stop for Airport bus and shopping. There was a very trendy bar a few doors away Il Giardino, I think, which seemed to serve free high quality snacks every evening. We felt quite old and dowdy there in the midst of Bergamo's trendies! We dined in Il Sole (fair) and Da Mimmos (good & nice atmosphere. All in all, we enjoyed our visit to Bergamo, Citta Alta beautiful for walking on a sunny winter's day. A little disappointed with Excelsior San Marco, but location excellent.

Expensive and somewhat pretentious restaurant - otherwise excellent

Some of the staff at the hotel tended to be a bit snobbish and not so friendly. On the other hand were others extremly nice and helpful. We would have prefered a more cosy atmosphere around the hotel bar

Don't book this hotel through any other website than Venere. Venere's prices were guaranteed for the family of four but for instance during our another stay in the very same hotel booked via famous Irish low price flight company the quoted price did not apply and personnel was very unflexible and rude with their services when they charged almost the double! So Venere.com is the route to book this hotel! Hotel itself was very fine and the breakfast was wonderful!

Our second stay here, just as as brilliant, the breakfasts are excellent. We asked for a quiet room but it was on the side road where lots of people were talking loudly.

This is the fourth time we have stayed here and each time the price has gone up.There is an obvious difference in quality of the bedrooms between one half and the other. We were again given a room in the poorer end and these rooms are definitely in need of refurbishment.This time we were also disappointed by the unfriendliness of the majority of staff -we did not feel this was personal rather their general attitude.We really enjoy Bergamo but feel we may need to look at other hotels in the future.

Reception allowed me to check in early, and even gave me an upgrade to "single superior" accommodation. My room was quite large, but the bathroom was small. There was no safe, so I had to put my valuables in a lock-box at reception (no charge). The hairdryer was broken, but a replacement was found immediately. Breakfast buffet was excellent.

Hotel was in an excellent location for Citta Alta. A ten to fifteen min walk to train station .Hotel Bar was not open and roof terrace didnt seem to be open ? Breakfast was ok. Rooms were noisy i could hear man in next room blow his nose.Apart from that staff were helpful enough and it was very clean.It had such a lovely lobby and seating areas that were never used,just seemed a bit lifeless ,such a shame as great location maybe just not 4 star enough for me ?? I would consider staying again though. Nice toiletries in bathroom !!

The hotel is close to the shopping areas and cvery close to the train to the old town. You need no taxi to rach the main attractions.

Excellent hotel very close for cheap bus to airport and bus to old city. The breakfast was wonderful as were the rooms. Definately return

Nous avons eu la possibilité de bénéficier d'une chambre plus haut de gamme pour le même prix et donc les réponses correspondent à une qualité supérieure, mais de toute façon l'hôtel est très agréable, la vue très belle. une seule nuit pout tout "juger" est un peu difficile, cela n'empêche que c'est un très bon hôtel.

This was my partner's second visit to this hotel and my first. We were lucky enough to be upgraded to a higher standard room than that booked which was excellent. The room, albeit small, was spotlessly clean with excellent views of the City. It is apparent that this hotel caters largely for business guests, but in our view this should be overlooked by the holidaying public as the Hotel is ideally situated for visiting Bergamo. The Hotel throughout is exceptionally clean and well maintained. The "hot" section of the breakfast was poor on a couple of mornings but an excellent selection offered from the cold buffet. A small point but on the whole we found the male reception staff far more friendly than the female one we encountered. In all a super stay!

Breakfast very good , position of Hotel perfect , staff helpful. Alround excellent hotel and value for money, highly recommended.

Hotel un peu veillot pour un 4*. La déco aurait besoin d'un bon coup de neuf ! mais le prix est très intéressant pour Bergame et l'hotel est proche du téléphérique pour la vieille ville. Parking avec supplément comme indiqué sur la fiche

There's no doubt that the Excelsior San Marco is a smart hotel and if you like staying at Sheraton-type hotels, it would be perfect. For us, it rather lacked atmosphere. We only stayed one night, as we were flying from Bergamo the following morning, so we didn't have much opportunity to make ourselves at home. The room was lovely and we did eventually find the switch to raise the automatic window blind so that we could see out! We didn't have breakfast, preferring to have a cappuccino in Citta Alta, so can't comment on that. Having stayed the first night of our holiday at the Hotel Mercure Palazzo Dolci (same price, also four stars), we found this hotel to be much friendlier and would return here, rather than the San Marco.

A really excellent hotel, ideally situated with a friendly and welcoming staff. This was only the second time I have used the Venere website and on both occasions the service was truly excellent.

My husband had a business trip to Milan and we took the opportunity to visit Bergamo. Reached hotel by bus from airport (e1.50). Upgraded room-immaculate if a little small!Loved the upper city and had a memorable leisurely day wandering around.Health club & spa facilities close by:Ice Beauty- lovely and offers for hotel guests.Great breakfast in hotel

Hotel provided a good base for exploring Bergamo and visiting Milan and Garda. Room was of a good standard and clean but a bit small and i was surprised that there was no safe as it was mentioned in the description, must only be in the deluxe rooms. The roof top restaurant looked great but the menus were a bit pretentious and over priced and consequently there were'nt many eating in there which doesn't add to the ambience. On the Sunday night wanted room service but because the restaurant was shut there was no room service either. The breakfast buffets were excellent with a good selection to suit most tastes.Would have been nice also to have had more english speaking channels on the tv as CNN gets a bit tiresome after a while. Bergamo has plenty of places to eat but have noticed in the last few years that Italy is getting quite expensive to eat out now, whereas a few years ago it was a lot cheaper than London and now its not so.All in all a good break though and would return to the hotel if in Bergamo again.

Clean, modern, comfortable hotel with easy access to old and new towns and buses to station/airport.

The stay was fantastic. Do go the the Garden Resaurant if you get a chance. Fabulous ! Would certainly go back again. Walk to the Venicular and walk to station for day trip to Milan. Short drive to Sirmione which is a " must".

Good hotel, a little out of the way, parking was a dissappointment, but the room was spacious, qiute and well presented. breakfast was excellent and the stafff were a real help in finding local amenities

Only downside to this hotel was the bar opening hours - they were very limited.

First class hotel,ideally situated for visiting both the lower & upper city.Great breakfast,offering hot & cold food.Sky television with English speaking channels,including British Sky news.

San Marco, is located on the main street on Bergamo, and is served by a regular bus service between the station and the citta alta. Though the hotel recommends that it is an easy walk, when carrying luggage, I would recommend the bus...while the room was a little cramped, the magnificent breakfast buffet was fantastic- don't miss it!

Good location for downtown shopping or an evening in the Old Town. Unfortunately the "train" taking you from downtown to Citta Alta is closed at the moment - and will be closed until the end of May 2008. You`ll have to walk the stairs or take the bus.

Group of 8 women friends on a long week-end trip. the hotel welcomes us in very friendly manner and immediately informed us that our 4 standard rooms had been upgraded. we were given lovely spacious rooms with balconies. the staff were always friendly and helpful and helped us with taxis etc. and also allowed us to retain one of the rooms until later than checkout time as our flight was later in the day. Excellent breakfast in the morning. have been before and we will all go back again to this hotel. Fabulous value for money.

This was our first trip to Bergamo and both the town and the San Marco Hotel lived up to our expectations and some! We'd read some mixed reviews on Trip Advisor and wondered what to expect, as we had only booked standard twin rooms for our party of 6 ladies. We were thrilled to be given an upgrade to premier rooms, with balconies, spa baths, sofas, and views of the Cita Alta. We found the reception staff to be friendly, but not in your face, and were helpful when asked directions, etc. We didn't get maps, or leaflets from the hotel, but found these at the airport Tourist Information Centre on arrival (our tip would be get all the information you can on arrival at the airport. A very friendly English-speaking lady gave us brochures, maps, etc, and told exactly what public transport use.) The location of the San Marco was superb, a stroll from the bus stop to the Cita Alta, and a pleasant ten minute stroll to the main streets of Bergamo and the station. We can't comment on the standard rooms because we didn't have them, but the rooms we had were faultless! We'd thought of staying in other hotels in Bergamo, all were in a good position within the town centre, but we much preferred the location of the San Marco-don't be put off when the blurb says it's in a residential area-it really is only a short walk from the main thoroughfare. The breakfasts were great, loads of food in a airey dining room. We'd read complaints about the 1970's decor of the hotel, but we loved that-stylish kitsch at its best! More 2008 retro than 1973 orange! Bergamo was a fab base; we had no regrets about not visiting Milan. We got to Lake Como easily by train and boat. The Cita Alta was wonderful, and the cafe at the funicular station has breathtaking views of the Cita Bassa. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND both Bergamo and the San Marco Hotel!

Good standard hotel; good location for old and new town. Only problem at the moment is that the funicular to citta alta is closed until May

Excellent hotel, service, situation, we had excellent view of old town which we requested but did not expect, would definatley recommend

The location of the hotel was perfect both for the upper and lower towns. The rooms were very good especially for the weekend rate of 99 euros per night for b & b. Breakfast was excellent and no queues.

The rooms in the part of the hotel we stayed in are in need of refurbishment, as is the restaurant. Also dissapointed that the rooms were not completely smoke free,the air was permeated with a strong smell of cigarette smoke in the connecting corridors, which was very distasteful.

I thoroughly recommend this Hotel,it is only 400 yards from the station and very near to the Cable Car to the old part of town. The breakfast was just what you needed to last you through the day. I couldn't fault the accomodation.

I was a little dissapointed that the bar was not open for us the night we stayed. We all went out for dinner and came back to the hotel for drinks but were told the bar was closed. Apart from that the hotel was fine. It was very clean and perfect for a one night stay in Bergamo. We also got upgraded to delux rooms which was quite nice. I would def recommend this hotel for 1 or 2 nights. Anything longer, you may want a hotel with somewhere you can socalise if you are in a group as we were.

Our stay was off season so the rate was quite good. However the room we had was very small and was without a view. We have stayed in Bergamo over 14 times during the last 18 years,and sadly many of the 3 star hotels offer MUCH more than the Excelsior.

Too expensive for the facilities (Single Room) but pleasantly, if sparsely, equipped. At this rate I would expected free wifi - but it was 50EURO a day! Oddly, breakfast waiters would say Hello to Italians, but not to anyone else. Breakfast good (beware of boiling your own egg - it took 5 goes before I got it right). AirCon turned off for the Winter, so had to stay in a room without any air circulation (affecting bathroom steam). Good, quiet location, close to an airport bus stop and 10mins walk from FS Station and 2mins to Upper Town funicular. Apart from the WiFi ripoff, I would stay again - but beware of the expensive stay - certainly nicer than staying in Milan.

Room are quiet , clean and the Venere Price is very good Restaurant is expensive but the view is super beautifull !

Terrific hotel for the special weekend rate. Pleasant and helpful staff, good standard room although no outlook but very clean and comfortable. Great breakfast included and good positon for exploring the old town. bergamo a lovely city break and will go back there, and this hotel, again.

The room was a little bit cramped but clean & an enjoable stay. Good staff.

The only downside about our stay was the abysmal weather! However, we intend to visit Bergamo again, perhaps for a longer stay, and will check out this hotel first.

Superb location. Near very good Michelin star restaurant, and within walking distance of train, bus and funicular to upper town. Staff always pleasant and very helpful. Room staff excellent. Breakfast very good. Excellent value for money. Bedroom small but comfortable. I would stay there again and I would also recommend it to friends

This was our second visit. Having enjoyed our first stay I arranged a 60th birthday surprise for my wife.I e-mailed the hotel in advance with some specific requests for the dinner and they excelled themselves. The location and service warrent the 4 star status. Most likely we will return again at some point.

Lovely hotel in perfect location, halfway between heart of new town and old town. Do not miss the views from the 8th floor restaurant towards the old city. Pop up anyway time the restaurant is closed, if you are not dining.

You should write that you are close to the railway up to the old part of the town. This was very good.

Our party of nine had a greatv stay. The breakfast was excellent. Great location for the old town.

4 Weeks ago I also was in Hotel San Marco for 105 € per night. Last week it cost 140€. For what? For this price I got a cold room. I went to the reception to complain. I was told, there is a heating period from 19:00 to 21:00. So I went to the upper town, instead of staying in a cold room. I came back at 19:30. Radiator was working, but romm was still cold. Furthermore the bathroom was totally cold. I want back to the reception to complain again. I was told, bathroom radiator will not be switched on. Outside it was 10°C!!! Did you ever take a shower in a cold bathroom??? This is really a cheek for a 4 Star Hotel!!!! I´ll never stay again in San Marco!!!

An excellent hotel in the centre of town. Staff very pleasant, and prices out of season more than reasonable. There is a very stylish bar next door too.

Don't stay at the san marco hotel. The staff are rude and less than helpful. There are no ironing facilities unless of course you want to pay for them and even then they will only iron 2 item per day. Saying that though the hotel was ideally placed with shops and transport to the old city just a walk away. The old city is very picturesque and there are many things to visit and see. Once at the top part of the city you have a magnificent view of the lower town and on a clear day can even see the alps.

We booked the hotel for 4 nights and only stayed 1 night as the the noise from outside the room was dreadful and we could not be moved and the staff were very unhelpful. The hotel we moved to was excellent and a lot cheaper.We would not advise travellers to stay at your hotel.

Didn't eat at the hotel as the restaurant was expensive but there is a lovely restaurant just facing the hotel where we ate most evenings. We found Bergamo lovely. Great shopping. A visit to Bellagio, Lake Como was well worth the journey (train to Lecco and bus to Bellagio ! Thankfully the return to Lecco by boat was less scary). Will definitely return to Bergamo and stay at San Marco as lots still to see.

Before arriving at the San Marco I had read a previous review which stated that the reception staff were aloof. This term fitted them perfectly. I felt as if I was being a nuisance when I approached the desk to ask a question. Important information, ie, street markets in Bergamo etc was not given to us. All other staff were superb, particularly the breakfast restaurant staff and the bell boy. Unfortunately the rooftop restaurant was closed during our stay. The presentation and variety served at the breakfast buffet was superb. The location of the hotel is excellent.

The location is wonderful with easy walkable access to the Upper City. Parking is easy but the driving directions to the hotel could be improved.Excellent service We accidently left two pairs of prescription glasses behind when we checked out. When we called from Bellagio the hotel staff was very helpful in searching for and finding both pairs. The glasses were waiting for us when we arrived home,

Having trvelled to many European cities over the last 25 yrs,this hotel is one of the poorest 4*star hotels I have stayed in.Apart from clean rooms and good housekeeping,the breakfast poor,running out of many essentials,Reception staff was curt,edging on rude.little or no help in finding out'whats on or where u purchase bus tickets.The roof top is a joke,both my mother and sister where refused abrubtly in wanting to order coffee/drinks to sit and read their books looking at scenery.No food ordered not get in,or booked for non-residents.I will not be back!!

The room was especially pleasant and very clean, we would have liked to have tea and coffee making facilities though, there wasn't much information in the room for tourists, some bus timetables and procedures for using them would have been good, local restaurant lists would have been helpful.

Great Hotel for the price. Location ideal for old city and new. Shopping and restaurants in abundance. Would recommend this hotel to anyone wishing to spend a few days in Bergamo

Family holiday, with 2 children. Could not fault the hotel. Facilities were excellent. Unfortunately,there were no family rooms, so we required to take 2 twin rooms. Breakfast was outstanding, as it was included in the price.

We only spent one night here, arriving after midnight, but the reception was well organised which meant we could get to our room quickly. The room was clean, comfortable, cool and quiet. Ample breakfast next morning in a very pleasant room. The hotel is in an excellent location 2 mins from the funicular to the Citta Alta. We would definitely stay here again.

I asked in advance for a non-smoking room, but to my surprise I got a smelly smoking room; it was after midnaight when I arrived, I was too tired to go and ask for a change ... it was not a pleasure ...

Going to Lake Garda but the flight landed too late to go there directly, so stayed overnight in Bergamo. Pleased we did because it is a lovely town and the hotel was excellent.

HOtel was very good.... in ancient times. They need to renew their installations.

We stayed here 16 and 17 July. The dining room, which was widely advertised, was closed on the saturday night and when we asked for suggestions of places to go there was very little help given! The following night,the sunday, when we asked about booking a table we were told that the restaurant was always closed on a sunday night! We had been given no indication of this on any information. Compared to our other experiences of Italian hotels and their positive attitude we were disappointed with this experience.

This was a last minute booking and I would recommend the hotel to anybody, it was fabulous! The staff were friendly and extremely helpful and we got an upgraded room which was a lovely surprise... the only fault I had was that there were not tea or coffee making facilities in the room which we could have done with after a long day of travelling.

We loved Bergamo and the location and quality of the hotel were excellent. We would stay here again.

The lady in the reseption desk was small-talking to another employee so we had to wait to get our rooms on arrival. When she finally finished, she did not offer any information at all(such as breakfast hours etc), just handed us the keys. A disappointing start, but we have nothing but good to say about the other reseptionists.

Good hotel in a good location with good rooms and great value for money.Would be happy to stay again.Has potential to be a really top hotel but seems to have given up trying to go the extra mile. A hit with the locals for weddings on the roof top terrace but could do more for residents in terms of service. Unfortunately staff under occupied and more interested in themselves and their mates than the residents

First class restaurant on the top floor with beautiful views over the old city (illuminated at night)

We only stayed in Bergamo on the night we arrived and had a couple of hours there the next day. The town is lovely and I would visit again, the hotel was nice but the rooms were a bit noisy we could hear all of the other guests in the rooms around us having showers.

The receptionists should be given a course in how to make guests feel welcome. They were lowering the impression of the hotel.

This was our first visit to Italy and the hotel was just as we hoped. The staff were very helpful all speaking good english.The situation of the hotel was brilliant right between the old town and the new town and about 100 metres from the finicular railway. The room was spacious and clean and had great views of both parts of the city.Breakfast was good and the food in local restaurants was excellent.

Except for the welcoming receptionist we had an excellent stay. A smile and a pleasant tone in your voice goes a long way. Our room was spacious with a great view (5th floor) and the bed linen was excellent. The breakfast was superb, and the dining room/linen and staff were first class. Bergamo was beautiful. What we liked most was the "feel" of Italy in such a short stay. Both the old Town and the new town were very Italian. The 5 euro ticket to get around with was excellent value. Would definitely return.

We had a lovely trip - rooftop restaurant is amazing and food was excellent. Staff were most helpful when a passport went missing in a taxi and got it back in time for takeoff. Mostly business clients but very comfortable rooms and accessible to all the sights.

Excellent stay at first class hotel. Spoilt slighly by hotel bar not being open for weekend since it was Easter.

Beautiful views from rooftop resturant. Walking distance from both historic district and city center.

I always stay here when in Bergamo, cannot fault this hotel in any way.

Room was affected by a noisy smell of rancid dirt in the pillows, anyway staff provided in a couple of minutes to change them. No coffee/tea boiler in room. An important suggestion: reserve as soon as possible for taxi because it is very difficult to find one of them in few minutes.

I travelled with my daughter 2 days at this hotel. The room was clean and quiet. The breakfast was very good, we were very happy to have hot meals. We will reserve this hotel on next ocation also.