This was a lucky find as we'd just been to look at the 3-star Albergo Arena and found it a bit depressing. The Claudiani is (I think) the only 4-star in Macerata and we'd recommend it to anybody who's not bothered by fittings that have evidently seen better days.

It was off-season (June is after the university's finished and before most tourists arrive) and when we walked into reception, the clerk looked faintly surprised to see new faces. We asked to see a suite and were shown a spacious penthouse room (room 407) which had a large balcony edged with hibiscus plants and fantastic views over the Marches countryside, swifts weaving overhead. Perfect for basking in the evening sun with a drink.

The room was not in the best of taste (pink leather sofa, frosted glass screen), the shower was a little arthritic, and a sleepy hornet fell out of the air conditioning unit when we turned it on, but we still loved this hotel. Beautifully quiet, with friendly staff who helped us squeeze the car out of its terrifyingly narrowly space in the garage. Good value for money, well-positioned near the main square, and there's a decent though not exactly cheap trattoria (Trattoria della Rosa) a few steps away from the hotel.