We, a family of four with two children aged 8 and 13, stayed in a family room for one night only mid July 2007.

We've stayed at Holidays Inns several times before so were prepared for a small room in a clean, efficient, business orientated hotel. This is basically what we got - with the added bonus of excellent service, a good sized outdoor pool and a great breakfast.

The hotel is located a couple of kilometers outside the old town, we drove in and it took a couple of minutes, but you could walk (long and boring) or take a taxi or public transport, it's straight down the road. It's in a business area and is surrounded by office buildings just off the main road, but we had no problems with noise or anyone overlooking the pool (surrounded by trees).

Service at reception was great. It's a business hotel and we stayed at a very quiet time, but the staff spoke great English and were helpful with all our various questions.

As expected, the "family" room was small, with two smallish double beds, and it was fine for one night, but way too small for a longer term. However, again, as expected, it was clean and had all the facilities (nice bathroom, TV, internet, minibar), so no complaints here.

The pool and surrounding area was large and clean and they provide an efficient poolside service (towels etc.). There are, apparently, other facilities like a gym, but we didn't have time to use these.

Breakfast was very good. We had a large hot and cold buffet with everything you'd expect from a good four star hotel, and fast and effiicient service. Again, there were only a few people at breakfast and this may be one reason for the high standard of service, but we certainly were very impressed.

One of the better Holiday Inns, definitely, and recommended for singles or couples. OK for families as long as you don't stay too long. May well return here, you can always get a good rate on the hotels website and Bologna is a charming city.