DoubleTree by Hilton Turin Lingotto

We chose the northern Italian city of Turin as the destination for a weekend together. With the DoubleTree by Hilton Turin Lingotto we decided on a hotel quite quickly. This is only a 10 minute drive from the city center and was therefore perfect for our city trip. We were also interested in the hotel because it was designed by the famous architect Renzo Piano in the former Fiat factory.

Arrival and check-in

I checked in via the Hilton app the day before our arrival. Since the hotel was apparently very full, I couldn't choose a room as usual. Furthermore, as a Hilton Diamond member, I wasn't offered an upgrade. 

After landing in Turin, we drove our rental car to the DoubleTree by Hilton Turin in the Lingotto district. The 15-kilometer drive took about 45 minutes. One reason for this might have been that we tried to avoid the toll highways and had to fight our way through the city center, which was plagued by rush-hour traffic. Upon arrival at the hotel, check-in took a little longer than expected. In the end, we did get an upgrade to a King Deluxe room.

What are the rooms (King Deluxe Room) like at the DoubleTree by Hilton Turin Lingotto?

Our King Deluxe room was on the top floor of the hotel and had a lovely view of the rear of the building. The entrance area was spacious, featuring a large mirror, and led to the bathroom on the left. Unfortunately, the glass sliding door didn't close very well, but this didn't bother us. The bathroom included a bidet, a toilet, a large vanity, and a generously sized shower. The wardrobe in the entrance area also housed a minibar stocked with complimentary snacks and drinks. The room boasted a very high ceiling with floor-to-ceiling windows. The entire decor was in dark tones, and the wood and upholstery complemented the overall industrial design perfectly.

We particularly loved the pictures and drawings on the walls, which depict Renzo Piano's renovation of the property. A real highlight for architects and architecture enthusiasts! Everything, from the table to the lamps, coordinated perfectly and was ideally suited to the industrial style of the space. Despite this, the room didn't feel cold, but rather cozy and inviting. Unfortunately, the numerous light switches by the bed were quite inconvenient, as we could never find the right one and always had to try them all.

As in so many hotel rooms, the air conditioning was the problem child here too. Unfortunately, it was very loud. The same goes for the electric curtains. These can only be operated electrically due to the room's height, but then they could at least choose a quieter motor. A nice touch was the welcome gift: turquoise luggage tags. We found the hotel room to be very clean, tidy, and really nicely furnished.

What is the breakfast like at the DoubleTree by Hilton Turin Lingotto?

Breakfast was served in the hotel's atrium restaurant. We had some initial concerns about the noise level in a space open over three floors. However, the acoustic walls absorbed most of the sound.

The food selection was good. There were many different types of bread, including a wide variety of gluten-free baked goods. In addition, there was a large selection of fruits and vegetables, as well as various desserts and yogurt. Only the hot dishes were prepared somewhat carelessly. The coffee was served at the table by a barista. Since he was working alone during our visit, the coffee service took several minutes. The rest of the service, in terms of clearing and resetting the tables, was also rather slow.

Fiat test track on the roof of the former factory

A particular highlight of the DoubleTree by Hilton Turin Lingotto is access to the former Fiat test track at the old factory. Opened in 1923, the production facility was the largest and most modern of its time. Finished vehicles were driven directly onto the roof after production and could then complete laps on the approximately one-kilometer-long test track. However, due to capacity constraints, the factory closed in 1982 and production was relocated.

Um dem Verfall des Stadtteils und dem stetig fortschreitenden Zerfall des Werksgeländes entgegenzuwirken, wurde die Neugestaltung und Modernisierung des Standortes vorangetrieben. Bei einem Architektenwettbewerb gewann Renzo Piano mit dem Vorschlag, ein modernes Kultur- und Messezentrum mit Konzerthalle zu errichten. Die Teststrecke wurde beibehalten und durch einen Hubschrauberlandeplatz und andere architektonische Besonderheiten ergänzt. Die Umbau- und Modernisierungsarbeiten wurden 1989 abgeschlossen. Als Gast des DoubleTree by Hilton Turin Lingotto hatten wir die exklusive Gelegenheit, die Teststrecke auf dem Dach zu betreten und selbständig eine Runde, allerdings zu Fuß, zu drehen.

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