Turin is not on everyone’s bucket list of must see places. It’s famous as the home of the fashionable Fiat 500, awe inspiring Christ’s Shroud, and the cup winning Juventus football team, but not a lot else. Or so I thought. We were greeted on arrival by wide, extravagant boulevards and ornate, baroque palaces. I immediately fell in love. We were off the tourist trail and it was paying dividends. The good thing about avoiding the obvious places is that you don’t have to pay ridiculous prices for accommodation. We chose to ‘splash out’ and stay at Turin’s number one 4 star pad the aptly named Turin Palace Hotel. Good decision, the missus was impressed and it was coming up to our wedding anniversary. Points in the bank.
To say that Turin is understated is an understatement. I had a chat with the assistant manager of this wonderful hotel who explained that it took the Winter Olympics in 2006 for the city to be recognized as a creditable alternative to big brother Milan. There’s an obvious rivalry between the two but it’s a definite thumbs up to the city ‘under the shadow of the frosted alps’. Turin is a destination to be discovered, go there soon before the rest of the world turns up and make sure you stay here.

Me and my sister visited this hotel for three days and could not have been more impressed. The staff were incredibly friendly; the spa facilities were outstanding (which did not cost any extra and was not crowded at all); and the breakfast was delicious (lovely staff, great coffee, and a very wide range!). The room was perfect and came with a complimentary mini bar, and robes and slippers for the spa. This hotel was more like a 5* hotel. The location was also great and was within walking distance to all the main attractions, including caffe al bicerin which is a must visit in Turin. We took the coach from Turin airport to Porto Nuova railway station and the stop was about a 2 min walk to our hotel, costing €6.50 per ticket (ps it is the same stop if you are planning to take the coach back to the airport). Although the hotel is directly across the railway station, this was absolutely fine and we felt perfectly safe. Finally, the rooftop terrace was lovely and had great views of the city.