Best of Europe 2010

Best and worst accommodations:

Best: Globtroter in Krakow
Why: This guest house had everything we wanted and at a very good price. Our room was large and very clean with lots of hot water and good water pressure in the shower. While the rooms are not fancy, they are pleasant, as wooden ceiling beams and decor give the rooms some character. The hosts are very accommodating and provide anything you need (eg. extra complimentary coffee, common refrigerator, ice, extra sheets, internet access, etc.). Their restaurant recommendations were right on. Someone on duty at reception 24 hours a day. Excellent location, quiet but very central. My husband and I are over 60, but this place is suitable for guests of all ages.

F. Pearl in St. Catharines, USA 09/11/2009

Best: Gulliver's B&B (II), Rome
Why: This is an excellent location close to both the Termini and a 10 minute walk to Rome's Colosseum. Even better than that, it feels homey and safe, has an excellent breakfast, and Sara our hostess knows Rome. She was kind, friendly, and very knowledgeable. They had a great DVD selection, free Wifi, and access to a desktop computer and printer.

Worst: Hotel Kranenturm
Why: Our experience here was fine for the price, but compared to other recommended places we stayed, it was probably the worst.

Kristen in Gail, TX USA 08/22/2009

Best: Hotel de la Tour Eiffel
Why: Charming hotel in the Rue Cler neighborhood. Lots of great bakeries and restaurants nearby.

Cary Jung in Sacramento, CA USA 05/18/2009

Best: Edi's Rooms in Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre
Why: Great service, super room, very reasonable prices.

Worst: Hotel du Parc in Avignon
Why: Spartan, Spartan, Spartan!!! The room was ice cold and was very slow to heat and had the smallest bathroom imaginable!! Prices weren't that much better than hotels offering more amenities better situated.

Bart Brady Ciampa in Vancouver, WA USA 05/11/2009

Best: Hotel Adornes, Brugge
Why: Our first room had the smell of smoke, but the owner quickly relocated us to another room. The rooms were very nice, and the bathrooms excellent. The owner and staff were anxious to please, and catered to our every request. Breakfast was great as well.

Bob Kuning in Albuquerque, NM USA 04/08/2009

Best: Hotel Pension Corvinus
Why: Very friendly. The room was incredible -- far exceeded our expectations.

Michele Smith in Burlington, MA USA 04/06/2009

Best: Amsterdam- Frederic's Bike Rentals for a houseboat
Why: The owners were very kind and helpful. And staying on a houseboat was a very unique and wonderful experience. Worth every penny. We stayed on houseboat 9, which was close to the Anne Frank house. It was really clean, roomy, cozy, and even had a washing machine! We loved the neighborhood and nearby restaurants. It was also close to public transportation. If you're going to Amsterdam, definitely consider Frederic's houseboats.

Roselle Okubo in Miami, FL USA 03/31/2009

Worst: London Winchester Hotel
Why: I suppose you get what you pay for. Yes, it was affordable by London standards, but the room was barely big enough to turn around in. Since we were on the very top floor, the water pressure for the toilet and shower were unpredictable. The heat was centrally controlled and there was no way to adjust the temperature in individual rooms. This meant sleeping with the window open and using earplugs to block out noise from the street. The room and the rest of the hotel were clean and the staff were friendly and helpful.

CW in The Hague, Netherlands 02/02/2009

Best: Hotel Adornes, Bruges
Why: Friendly, efficient, welcoming, informative, comfortable, lots of character,wonderful breakfast. I really have fond memories of this place. They went the extra mile.

Worst: schweizer pension solderer, Vienna
Why: Hard to access at night. Keys hard to turn and heavy door. Dark lobby - unlit hall to elevator. Felt they were ready to jump down our throat with rules. And I'm a 53 year old mum!

Heather Cameron in Coldstream, BC Canada 06/13/2008

Best:
Why: Unfortunately we did not use your accommodatio guide but I would recommend anyone else to do so!

Wendy Fox in Saanichton, BC Canada 02/28/2008

Best: Hotel Van Onna, Amsterdam
Why: Having never been to Amsterdam, we were a bit fearful of the accommodations. I called ahead to reserve the rooms. We ended up booking two single rooms since the price is per person and would be the same whether single or double. It was nice to have separate rooms for the first 3 days as we adjusted to the new time zones and got over jet lag.

Linda D. Chaffee in San Bernardino, CA USA 12/20/2007

Worst: Hotel Sully, Paris
Why: I can't believe this hotel was in your book Rick. I wonder if you have ever stayed there or just had some employees stay. I stayed in a rent by the hour hotel(one, I didn't know and two, I didn't have a choice) in Lima Peru that was nicer and cleaner than Sully. I actually think Sully may be a by the hour place because the guy at the desk asked me when we are going to check out. He asked us this right when we were checking in. Isn't there normally a stated check out time? I assumed he was asking that to see if I only wanted to stay for an hour or two. On top of that the room was filthy, the carpet, the furniture, the bed, the shower, all absolutely filthy. We used the RS best of europe book a lot on our trip and it was 99% right on and helped a great deal. I can't believe you have this dump in your book. I wouldn't recommend Sully to anyone. Please revisit it and take it out of your book. thanks Dan

Dan in Sacramento, CA USA 10/31/2007

Best: Guest House Arco dei Tolomei
Why: My wife and I and another couple spent 4 days in Rome, staying at the Guest House Arco Dei Tolomei. Located in Trastevere, we used it as a base to visit the Forum, the Vatican, and other major historical sights. Breakfasts were lovely, with plenty of choices of fruits, meats, cheeses, cereal, home-made cakes, coffee and tea. Our rooms were very comfortable, with a nice, clean bathroom with a nice shower. The owner and staff, Marco, Catia, and Leena, went out of their way to welcome us and assist us in making arrangements for tours and transport. Everyone spoke good English. They also gave us wonderful recommendations for restaurants that were nearby. There is no question about where we will stay the next time we are in Rome.

Steve Brill in Cottage Grove, MN USA 10/03/2007

Worst: Globtrotter in Krakow
Why: Very cute building, quiet, and the location was excellent. Their towels were rough, the pillow was rough and flat; wooden floors were sticky; looked clean, but??. Beware room 5A - its a single with the window right at the entry door and the door off the small registration room. There is however free internet on floor 2, right outside of room 5C making that room a bit noisy if people are gathered there. Had to pay cash which made using up polish money difficult, but they are in the process of getting credit card use. They have a common refrigerator and ironing board on floor 2 also.

pam carlson in encinitas, CA USA 09/26/2007

Best: Hotel du Champ de Mars
Why: The hotel staff were friendly and helpful. The room was clean and beautiful. There was an elevator that my girlfriend could use as she walked with a cane. When we checked out we asked the owner where the nearest internet cafe was and she let us use her personal laptop to finish up some emails. That was way above and beyond anything that we would have expected from a hotel. We had a wonderful stay.

Worst: Albergo Tre Donzelle
Why: The room was so institutional looking (No paintings or decorations on the walls, just white). To give them credit this is exactly as Rick Steves book described it. The hotel staff also didn't have a record of my reservation. I made the reservation and later confirmation for the room. (They had a pencil and paper reservation system). To their credit they were able to give me a room without a bathroom on a higher floor but my girlfriend who walks with a cane had a difficult time getting up all of the stairs.

Jess Williams in Honolulu, HI USA 09/17/2007

Best: Les Trois Pierre in Bayeux, France; Gasthof-Pension Waldrast in Ruette, Austria;Tourist Farms Mulej in Bled, Slovenia; Chambres d'Hotes La Carriere L'eveque in Septmonts, France
Why: While on our one month vacation in Europe with our four teenagers, we found the above places to be all that we had hoped for. The hosts were so very kind and helpful, welcoming us with enthusiasm and warmth. Some of the locations were a little more remote which we didn't mind because we had a car. The breakfasts were always adaquate, served in beautiful dining rooms, some with gorgeous outside views. We would go back to any of these places again and again.

Linda in Battle Creek, MI USA 08/21/2007

Worst: B & B House de Kiefte, Haarlam, Netherlands
Why: We did not enjoy our stay at this B & B. Parking is not available on the street so one must instead park a mile away. The stairs are very steep up to the third floor, which was not a problem for us, but could be for some. The host was quick to point out all that is wrong with America and all that is right with the Netherlands. "It's a free country." was his favorite expression, which was uttered in a superior tone. The breakfast was typical of most European B & B's, but we felt hurried. I think they had stripped the sheets on our bed before we even got out the front door. I'm sure there must be more warm and welcoming places to stay in the Netherlands.

sue in kalamazoo, MI USA 08/21/2007

Best: Albergo Guerrato, Venice
Why: Friendly, welcoming, and so clean! It's hard to imagine the building is 800 years old. Good breakfast, too. We stayed in one of the "Guerratino" rooms which was perfect for our family of five.

Laurie Arora in Grosse Pointe Park, MI USA 08/17/2007

Best: Hotel Kranenturm in Bacharach
Why: During our 3 weeks of Europe Travel, we stayed at the hotels recommended in Rick's book. They all were good and some were better than the others. This hotel in Bacharach is a good value for the money, and can even be better, if the owner Fatima is little less "intense", she sometimes comes out pushy, nosy and occasionally rude, she often sounds like an army sergeant than a host. She insisted on setting the temperature in the bathroom water heater to her liking, if we had not raised the temperature on our own the night before, we would have run out of hot water during our showers. It does take some time to get the mix of water adjusted. Practice the night before, to save time in the morning. The trick is to start with the hot water, and then add cold water slowly until it reaches the right temperature. We enjoyed our stay and ignored the occasional rudeness of Fatima.

Johnny in Atlanta, GA USA 08/04/2007

Best: in Venice, The Fondazione Levi was fantastic!!!
Why: great location; beautiful room; wonderful breakfast; great staff; lovely courtyard entrance...

Brenda Paull in Mercer Island, WA USA 07/08/2007

Worst: Hotel Kranenturm in Bacharach
Why: Great night's sleep in Hotel Kranenturm. The rooms were cute and priced right. But, there was no water pressure in the tower in the morning. Plus, the water would switch from pretty hot to ice cold intermittently. So, it was like having a slow trickle of water of varying temperatures, drizzle on your head. It took us twice as long to take a shower because we spent so long messing with it to try and get enough pressure at a tolerable temperature to take a quick shower! It was crazy. We did the best we could and headed down to breakfast (which was really good). After breakfast, we checked out to go catch our boat ride. I told the lady at the front desk, Fatima, when I was checking out that our stay was nice (great rooms, great location), but due to the low water pressure and temperature flucuation, we wouldn't come back. She proceeded to spend the next 15 minutes argueing with me! She didn't believe me that our shower wasn't good. She was yelling at me and telling me that adjusting the water temperature was common sense and that she's had the hotel for 27 years and never had a problem, etc. The ironic thing was that we had heard several other tables at breakfast complain / asking about the showers. I finally escaped and we barely caught our boat on time. Word to the wise - never stay at the Hotel Kranenturm. The wife, Fatima, will make your stay less than enjoyable.

Christy in Auburn Hills, MI USA 06/27/2007

Best: Guest House Lida in Prague
Why: These guys know everything about the city and are the friendliest people you'll ever meet. They went with us to park the car, they did our laundry (even thought we offered to do it ourselves), they told us which trains went to the best sites. And they even had free internet.

Worst: Hotel van Onna in Amsterdam
Why: Although the location is absolutely unbeatable, Mr. van Onna was extremely unfriendly to us Americans compared to the other European guests. In addition, the breakfast was also the worst of our entire trip: one piece of white bread, one piece of meat and cheese, one cup of tea, and one badly cooked egg. I would ask for a room on the upper floors because the ground level looks directly out onto someone's backyard.

Katie Ramp in Monterey, CA USA 06/23/2007

Worst: Elizabeth Hotel, London
Why: Tiny room for 4 people, extremely hot even though it was cool outside and all heaters were off. Had no power for nearly an entire day. Horrible view of an alley. Off-handed front desk service (though good breakfast)For the price, it is not even close to being worth it.

Paul Dixon in Richmond Hill, GA USA 06/18/2007

Best: Hotel du Parc
Why: This place was amazing. Monsieur Rous speaks little English but the place is cheap, charming and the breakfast (freshly baked everything by Madame Rous) was the best of our 6 week Europe trip.

Shizuka Suzuki in Los Angeles, CA USA 06/02/2007

Best: Joops Hotel in Haarlem
Why: Beautiful decor in the lobby. Great large studio room though not as quiet as a back one which also had a larger shower area.

Worst: Hotel Cordonliaer in Bruges
Why: We actually used your book to shimmy up the bed as it was so lopsided! However the owners and Bruges were wonderful.

Cindy Van in Beaumont Alberta, USA 05/09/2007

Best: Hotel Mittaghorn in Gimmelwald
Why: Walter and Hotel Mittaghorn are absolute charms! We loved our stay in Gimmelwald, and our accomodations could not have been better, especially for the price! We had amazing views of the Alps from our windows and the dinner and breakfast Walter provided were fabulous. While other Switzerland spots were ridiculously pricey, we were able to stay within budget here.

Worst: Info on Eurail trains and sleepers
Why: The book (and the travel representative we emailed with) implied that we did not have to make reservations in advance for night trains for our mid-April travel. Once we arrived and validated our pass, however, we found out that our night train from Lisbon to Madrid was booked for two nights straight. We ended up having to take multiple trains to random locations, which wasted a lot of time and made sleep very difficult, in order to make it to Madrid. Another night train in Spain was sold out for the cheaper accomodations, we we ended up spending a lot more to reserve more pricey spots. In the end, we spent almost $400 extra on special reservations in order to travel via the Eurail pass. We were not expecting to pay that much beyond the $1100 we initially spent on the passes. Perhaps a "how to use a Eurail pass" section could be updated so that other travelers will not encounter the issues we were surprised to face. I would recommend that travelers making reservations for night trains while still in America.

Melissa in Honolulu, HI USA 04/24/2007

Best: Hotel Adler - Rome
Why: The hotel manager Alessandro Manetti is so professional, friendly and helpful. So with all the other staff up to the cleaners. Room looks impressive for the price. Breakfast buffet the best! Price is inexpensive and very close to Termini and tourist sites.

Maricel Lustre in San Diego, CA USA 04/19/2007

Best: Ildiko Budai, Vienna, Austria
Why: She spoke English, was very friendly, and gave us complete freedom to come and go from her home as we pleased. The common rooms of her apartment are VERY smoky, but our room was fresh and clean. Great for the price.

Vanover in Chicago, IL USA 02/23/2007