Casa Nicolini

Fabulous welcome from the hotel, very comfortable room and great breakfast. Views cross the valley to Barbaresco are stunning. Deborah was very professional and helpful. Will definitely go back.

Our experience was extremely disappointing at Casa Nicolini Restaurants. We went to this high-end restaurant for the view, the food and the wine pairing. We were prepared to pay for the experience--expecting all of it to be as great as the food/wine we'd been eating in Italy for the previous 2+ weeks. Not so. Upon arrival for our reservation, despite the fact that there were several tables available where both seats had the view, we were shown to one that had a seat facing the opposite way looking into the entry of the restaurant. We asked for a different table and were allowed to move, but the waiter seemed annoyed. My partner ordered the 4 course degustation menu with the wine pairing, while I ordered separate antipasto, primi and secondi courses with wine by the glass. When I asked the waiter for his suggestion on pairing, he offered none, but asked me what kind of wine I wanted. Back and forth once or twice, I finally just picked one of the 5 options he offered (from the wine by the glass list, not with any commentary). The same thing happened when I wanted a different wine for a new course. Then the pour for that wine was substantially short (probably by an ounce or more) compared to the pour of the same wine my partner received as part of his package. We hoped that the food would save the day, but it was, to say the least, uneventful. Each dish was fine, but there was nothing special about any of it. We had been eating incredible dishes for half the price that had much more flavor. To top it off, we opted for the specific "Extra Truffle" since it is prime truffle time and truffle country. Priced by the gram with a minimum purchase of 4 grams (6 Euros/gram), we were offered a tray of truffles to choose from and selected a 6 gram truffle. The truffle was weak-flavored and completely lost no matter what dish we used it on. Another (expensive) disappointment. The service was spotty at best. Our wine and water glasses were empty several times while the waiter was either not around or bustling at a table of 12 that had arrived after our seating. He never came by the table to check if things were fine or if we needed anything. A woman appeared to seemingly help him, and she was at least very pleasant, but the young man continued to be aloof and dismissive. After dessert, we waited for the traditional offer of coffee/espresso. Wine and water glasses were again empty. My partner intended to have a coffee, but after a 20 minute wait, decided against it. Two and a half hours after we arrived, we left with a decidedly negative feeling about the whole experience.

quiet, beautiful hotel, nice restaurant, good wine cellar

Beautifull place to stay with a breathtaking view. Good food og service at the restaurant. I would like to come back.

Wonderful new suites, would actually deserve a four star rating. Dinner menu very good, incredible wine selections, and wonderful view from the garden restaurant.

Second time staying here and it’s location is ideal especially if you want to visit wineries. Stayed in the new suites and they are superb, large sun deck on the roof with a large jacuzzi/plunge pool. Breakfast is excellent and the server always wants to give you too much food. The outside dinner settings are spectacular overlooking the valley. Parking is the only problem especially if the hotel has a function.