Archive: Are Hotel Reservations Necessary?
Europe's crowded. Thousands are traveling with the same guidebooks raving about the same hotels. Traveling foot-loose and fancy-free without reservations is more fun, but when and where are reservations needed? Here's what you thought:
Look for the "i" sign
We fly standby and are never sure when we will actually get a flight.
We have rarely had reservations, but always head directly for the "i"
(tourist information, also called a TI) office that is always near the
train station. We often ask about places suggested by Rick and others
on his website. If those are full, they give us suggestions of other places
and usually have pictures. They make the call for us to see if there is
a vacancy and save us lots of time; no dragging our luggage from place
to place! We found a lovely B&B in Garmisch that was nestled in a "real"
neighborhood that way. The "i" people speak English and are always very
helpful with information about the area as well.
Norma <email>
Clearwater, FL USA 02/02/04
[Editor's note: Using a room-finding service at an information desk can be a great way to get a last-minute room. Just be aware that not all local accommodations may participate as they may be charged a referral fee. You may also be charged a fee for this service. As mentioned above, it's always a good idea to have some information of your own with you so you can ask about availability for specific places. It would also come in handy if you end up making those calls yourself. More about room-finding services can be found on p.165 of Europe Through the Back Door 2004.]
Hotels, no reservations
Couple of years ago, we travelled around the Baltic, with reservations only
in Copenhagen for the first day and in St. Petersburg. Not having reservations
worked the best, using RS books for resources. Didn't always find that the
B&B's or home-stays were still renting, but everyone we talked to referred
us to a friend or a favorite hotel or B&B, and we really had some interesting
stays.
John Powell
Portland, OR USA 01/29/04
Drawbacks to both
There are of course drawback to both sides. Traveling through Europe last
summer for two weeks we did a little of both. It was very stressful arriving
in Rothenburg, Germany, near dark without a reservation. No rooms were
available at the first couple of places we tried but did eventually find
a decent one just out of town. Just don't know if it was worth the stress
and time.
When in Reutte, Austria, though,
we also did not have reservations and found our most wonderful and cheapest
hotel of the whole trip. Hotel Pension Waldrasi. (0 56 72/62 443). For
55 euros we got a wonderful double room in the corner with a balcony looking
straight up over an old ski jump to the ruins. A wonderful breakfast was
included and the place was the most quiet and peaceful place have ever
been. Extremely recommended! We ate Chinese at a nearby restaurant (that
was an experience, ordering Chinese in Austria speaking neither language!).
It was superb..still don't know what we ate, though! In the morning we
climbed up to the ruins and had them all to ourselves. Can't wait to go
back!
S Bonacci
Ann Arbor, MI USA 01/21/04
Compromise
My husband and I traveled throughout Europe for 7 weeks and roughed out
our itinerary before leaving. We had plane tickets into Paris and out
of Munich and made reservations for two nights in each city on either
end of the trip. For everything else, we wanted to be free to travel in
whichever direction we wanted.
However, we quickly found that we didn't like arriving in a city without a place to drop our bags, so we ended up with a compromise. A day or two before we left a certain town we'd call ahead to our next destination to book a room (using our Rick Steve's guide). Usually in one or two tries we had a reservation and got directions from the train station to the hotel/B&B. This worked beautifully. On one occasion we wanted to head to Nice, but every place we called was booked due to a festival we weren't aware of. No worries, we went off to Switzerland instead. That was much better than arriving in Nice to no rooms and chaos.
This gave us the best of both
worlds: an itinerary set just a few days out, and getting off the train
knowing exactly where we needed to go. The phone cards aren't too expensive,
and it only took 10 or 15 mintues to look through the guide, pick a few
places, and make some calls.
Julie <email>
Durham, NC USA 01/20/04
Check for major events
Reservations may not always be necessary, but I would always look into the
situation and see if there are any big events scheduled. My husband & I
just cancelled a trip to Portugal in June (we're going to the Cinque Terre
instead.) We had planned to make a few reservations, but also travel without.
Using the Best Western website, I learned that there were no rooms available
in Lisbon when we wanted to go. I also got turned down at a small inn outside
of Coimbra and the clerk wrote me that they were fully booked for the first
two weeks in June because Portugal is hosting the European football championship
and there are many tour groups coming. Portugal looks great, but we don't
need that hassle.
Karen Herreid <email>
Austin, MN USA 01/11/04
Hotel Reservations
Reservations are too restricting. You miss the adventure and excitement
of the unknown. We travel the world and change our minds about destinations
and activities on a near-daily basis. It's all part of the wonderful journey:
Exploration. And, you might miss that amazing experience just around the
next corner.
R. Mangin <email>
Tucson, AZ USA 01/02/04
Traveling foot-loose and fancy-free without reservations
Just got back from a month in Italy and France. No reservations, and no
problems. molto bene!!
scotty <email>
ramona, ca USA 12/16/03
To Rez or not to Rez
It's a mixed bag. We returned from our 6th trip to Greece in October, and
for this trip all the places we visited were repeat visits. We always make
a reservation for Athens, don't want to be looking around while we have
jet lag! The other places we didn't have reservations, but we had an idea
of places we wanted to stay.
In Sitia, Crete, I stopped by a hotel we had stayed at 8 years ago, they had a room at a good price, and it was even nicer than in 95. The only place I had to do some real looking was in Rethymnon, which was still doing brisk business in early October. Found a nice room at the 3rd place I looked.
As for dragging luggage around, if you are more than one, leave a person (that would be my wife) at a cafe with the luggage, and set off on foot. Take a small bag to leave at the hotel you find, return to cafe, get a taxi (if necessary) and occupy the room. No luggage-dragging.
On Naxos, we made a reservation by internet, about a week before arriving. We chose a place right next to a place we had stayed at in 98. Almost made reservations from home at a place that looked nice on the Internet, but we weren't sure of the location. Glad we went with reliable. Never did find the other place, and I walked a long way down the beach. This is something to think about for places where accurate maps aren't available (like Greek beach towns) and you don't have a car.
Sam Davis <email>
Washington, DC USA 11/30/03
BOOK AHEAD!
My husband and I just returned from traveling through Europe for two months.
We feel VERY strongly that reservations are the way to go if you know the
basic places you want to go. This was our first trip and we wanted to see
the main places first.
Our itinerary included; London, Amsterdam, Rothenburg, Venice, Rome, Florence, Cinque Terre, Assisi,Colmar, Paris, and Monaco. We had reservations for about 60% of the time and the quality and price of the rooms we had at the places we had reservations in was so much higher than when we called from the town or just walked around. The biggest reason to reserve: Who wants to spend even one hour, usually longer, wandering around with your luggage trying to find a place to sleep when you just arrived in an amazing new place? Not us. In one hour we were usually sipping a glass of wine, all cleaned up after our long journey.
So our advice is to reserve ahead but only if you are pretty sure of where you want to go.
Sarah Rodriquez <email>
Lake Tahoe, CA USA 11/10/03
Advance reservations
Travelling to Vienna, Prague and Budapest for first time, booked in advance
for each destination. However when we got there found so many rooms to rent
that we only stayed one night, checked out and found a better location and
much cheaper place. Especially in Prague, 1st night very expensive, brand
new highrise hotel. Checked out, went to train station and found girl we
had talked with the day before. Rented a room from her, right in the heart
of Prague for 1/3 the price.
Travelled Spain and Portugal with no advance reservations. No trouble getting a room in Seville, Granada, Lisbon, and couple other places. I prefer to only book a room for the first night arrival after long plane ride. Then wing it from there.
Roy Kading <email>
Winnipeg , MB Canada 11/09/03
Capital cities - reserve!
Arriving in a capital city can be daunting enough - the idea of not checking
out the location, availability and rates beforehand seems insane. Also it
means you are ignoring the invaluable advice of the Rick Steves guidebooks
and messages posted here. Recently on our trip to London we found that there
appears to be no real 'low season' in the very centre of town as there are
always tourists, business conferences, etc. So it really is wise to reserve
in a capital city.
Mary Freeman <email>
San Francisco, USA 11/05/03
Reserve Early for this Spring
Reserve early! I know you can go to Tourist Information offices as Rick
suggests (and we have done so in some places) to get rooms when you arrive
in a city, but, when you have a family depending on your arrangements you
don't want to leave anything to chance. I have spent a full week trying
to find good, inexpensive accommodations in London and Rome and have finally
had to settle for around $135 per night in both cities. The cheaper hotels
had really bad reviews or were already completely booked for March! Check
out www.tripadvisor for uncandid reviews of what other people thought of
their stay at different hotels for a good recommendation.
Gail <email>
USA 10/25/03
hotels in Italy
On a recent trip to Italy we made few reservations in advance. While traveling
through Assisi we found a wonderful little hotel called Hotel Ideale. They
actually have a website. Make your reservation for their main hotel rather
than their annex. They have great terrace rooms and serve a lovely breakfast.
The owners are extremely personable. The hotel sits high on a hill with
a fantastic view of the city. They also have a great sun terrace where you
can sit and enjoy a glass of wine and the view.
In the Cinque Terra we stayed at a place called the Villa Marguerita. They also have a website. We had made reservations there and were very pleased with the accommodations. They served one of the best breakfasts we had during our month-long stay in Italy. The room was in the neighborhood of 80 Euro and breakfast was included. We had a small view of the sea.
In Rome we stayed near the Piazza Navonna. This must be the most happening place in Rome. Every evening the Piazza was full of activity and the restaurants lining the Piazza were all good. We stayed at the Hotel Navonna which is one of Rick's recommendations. We enjoyed the room and the owner was very personable and spoke English fluently.
In Sorrento we stayed at Pensione Elios for 55 Euros. A great little Pizzaria was within walking distance, there was a sun terrace and they shared a private beach with the hotel next door. Ask for the room with the large outdoor terrace and you will have a great view of the sea.
Our only bad experience was in Annecy, France. We booked a reservation at the Grand Hotel which is one of Rick's recommendations. He really missed the boat on this one. It was down a dirty grimy back alley and we were greeted by paint and plaster falling of the walls in the entry. After climbing two flights of stairs we arrived at the check-in desk where we met a young bare footed man who was easily distracted. When he took us to our rooms he explained that the lock on the door was actually a code which was something difficult like 1234. A key was not used, you just punched in the numbers. The bed was hard as a rock between the many lumps. The room was dark and dingy and the toilet seat fell off when I sat on it. The view overlooked the dirty alleyway and the area seemed a little seamy. We rejected the room and went back to the train station to journey on to Chamonix. I would not recommend this hotel to anyone.
In Bolzano we stayed at the Hotel Feichter which was close to the "i" center. We had a very quaint room under the eaves and were very comfortable. The owners were very pleasant.
In Varenna on Lake Como we stayed at the Hotel Beretta. Our room was on the street side so it was very noisy because of early morning and late evening construction. At a different time I am sure it would have been a perfect place to stay. There is a local bar downstairs so one did not have to travel far to drink or eat. We ate all of our meals at "Bar Milo" on the promenade because the service, ambiance and the food was excellent.
In Siena we stayed at the Hotel Toscana and though the room was okay, it was extremely noisy since they had opened a new bar less than a block away and the music was at maximum decibals into the wee hours of the morning.
In Venice we stayed at the Hotel Doni on one of
the canals not far from San Marco square. This was a nicely located hotel
for sightseeing and it was fairly quiet. Breakfast, however, for those
of you who are big eaters was simply a hard roll, juice and coffee.
Claudia <email>
Salem, OR USA 10/22/03
Yes and No
For our 2 weeks in October trip, we had reservations for the larger cities
(3 nights each in Venice and Rome) and 1st and last nights in advance. For
these, we had to call or e-mail a number of places to book Rick Steves'
recommended economical lodgings. Otherwise phoning in a day or 2 in advance
or checking out the local Tourist Information was generally a good way to
find a place. A few caveats: watch the day of the week, Friday and Saturday
nights are problems in places like Siena; having a car allows you to stay
outside the center(more economical and more choice on short notice).
Sarah <email>
Bellevue, WA USA 10/22/03
It depends on the time of year...
In the three times I've traveled to Europe, I've only booked ahead on my
last trip. I found that if you book ahead for the first day or two and then
the last day before you leave, it allows you to be more flexible, if you
like creating your itinerary on the fly (as I do). I think it's a lot easier
to do if you travel in the offseason, but nothing says it can't be done
during the summer months if you're more creative...
John Benningfield <email>
Beaverton, OR USA 10/18/03
Italy reservations
Just returned from 3 weeks in Italy. Had reservations for the first few
nights in Rome. The rest of the way, we just called ahead one or two days.
However, had very difficult time in Cinque Terre, Manarola in particular.
We were not able to just arrive and ask any business on main street about
rooms. We did finally find a place, but after walking up and down alot of
hills. We booked 3 nights and after 2, the guy told us he'd made a mistake
and we had to check out. After scrambling around again, we found a very
lovely apartment and booked for two nights...only to be told on our way
out to dinner that she had made a mistake and only had one night available.
This was after we'd bought some groceries since the room had a fridge and
washed clothes because it had a clothesline. We were bummed so we left Cinque
Terre the next day, one day early. The place had lost its charm after being
kicked out of two places in one day. I strongly suggest reservations in
Cinque Terre. This was October and many places were full. I think if I had
to do over again, I would go ahead and book rooms before the entire trip.
Yes, you lose some spontaneity but you also reduce stress.
Stacy <email>
Lubbock, TX USA 10/15/03
Reservations Reduce Stress
My husband & I traveled through Spain, France, & Italy earlier this month.
He had been to Europe twice before & really wanted to "wing it." We tried,
but when we arrived in Toledo, Spain (a smaller town), we couldn't find
a room! It was very stressful to think we would spend our first night in
Europe sleeping in the train terminal. Finally we got a room with a smaller
than twin size bed. Thankfully, we did call ahead for Rome & Venice as both
places were booked up. It was fun, but it depends on your personality.
Rachel <email>
Nashville, TN USA 10/06/03
Riomaggiore Apartments
We booked with i80096hotels.com. the rooms were cheap but not as cheap as
a hostel. they were all gorgeous, even the 2 star hotel. we booked 2 and
3 star hotels. riomaggiore has apartments for rent. we had a 3 bed apartment
with bath & fridge for $75/night. They have other rooms. check out the site
at www.marmar.5terre.com or e-mail marmar@5terre.com. Riomaggiore is on
a hill, which is its only drawback.
angelina ferguson <email>
wingdale, ny USA 09/29/03
Ireland--Reservations
We spent three weeks (last of May and first of June) traveling by car throughout
Ireland. We only made reservations for the first weekend (in Ennis for a
music festival) and the last weekend in Dublin. We had no set itinerary
and had no problems finding places to stay where ever we ended up.
Charlotte <email>
Titusville, FL USA 09/22/03
No reservations? Re-visit old friends & meet new ones
The low Danube waters forced the last minute cancellation of our 7 day river
cruise so we rented a car in Munich and took off for Austria. Sure all of
Europe is on vacation in August but who needs reservations, right?
Arriving in Reutte late in the afternoon, we stopped in to visit an old friend, the Hotel Moserhof (Best of Europe tour '95). They had just one room left but that was all we needed... Rick's castle day tour was on for the next morning!
Two afternoons later we motored into the west Salzburg Tourist Info Center. First time we've tried one and as advertised, these places really work. There was one room available for the two nights we needed (who's living right!) about 5 minutes away in the village of Wals (about 5 km from Salzburg zentrum). The 2 year old Hotel-Pension Koniggut... what a find! Think Hotel Moserof transported from Tirol and dropped into Mozart's backyard. Same friendly family atmosphere, charming decor and big, clean, comfortable rooms, at a similar, reasonable price. The Reiter family puts out a lavish spread for breakfast (included, of course); and sure, there are lots of places to eat in town, but treat yourself to at least one dinner in their Café Restaurant: delicious, expertly prepared entrees, with vegetables fresh from their own garden. We made new friends here, and have to go back; maybe this time we'll have time to try out the Wellness Center (Wellnessbereich)on site.
Have to admit though, we did make one reservation:
we ran into another new friend back on Castle Day, standing in line waiting
for a tour, he pulled out Rick's book and said he heartily endorsed one
of Rick's recommendations: Pension Suzanne near the Opera House in Vienna.
Frau Rieter was kind enough to phone ahead and we were in luck! They had
an apartment available for the 3 night we needed, giving us the opportunity
to hang out a little longer in the Salzburg area and visit Eagle's Nest
for schnitzel with Hitler... but that's an eating story!
Bill & Nancy <email>
Shoreline, WA USA 09/03/03
If you have 2 or 3 people traveling together, you can get away without
reservations. We have 9 people traveling together and have booked through
180096hotel.com. I found very reasonable rates. We will see how the hotels
are. Also, if you go to Vernazza in july,august,or september book early.
The Cinque Terre has a website where you an find hotels and bed and breakfast.
www.5terre.com
angelina ferguson <email>
wingdale, ny USA 08/30/03
Except for high demand cities such as Rome, Florence and Prague you
can do w/o reservations, provided you stop by 4:00p.m. Also if there is
a festival, this can be a problem w/o advance reservations. We also believe
in first and last night of vacation reservations at convenient hotels/pensions.
William Schalders <email>
Cleveland, OH USA 08/26/03
Just finished 2 months travelling in Europe by car. The lack of a reservation
was not a problem EXCEPT for the small countries (Netherlands and Belgium).
Apparently they just don't have the quantity of hotels and cost was an issue
for us. We wanted rooms no more than about 80 Euros (didn't happen in Amstedam).
Since we had a car we we more flexible than some people might be.
Susan <email>
Yorba Linda, CA USA 08/22/03
if you arrive without reservations you can suffer the problem of walking
the streets laden with luggage and find many hotels offer less discounts
to you as they suspect you are desperate! Also finding a hotel recommended
by other travellors who check out this web site is a bonus - thats how we
found Blades Hotel in London SW1 (close to Buckingham Palace). We also found
the hotel willing to offer discounts to Rick Steves' guests! Check out www.blades-hotel.co.uk
Patrick <email>
Chicago, USA 07/25/03
Reservations really not necessary (unless you don't like surprises)
My husband, 6 year old daughter and I just returned from 3 weeks in England,
Belgium, France and Scotland. We had reservations for the first 2 days in
London. Not having reservations allows us to pull up stakes and try somewhere
new. The trick is to be flexible, know that you might get an icky place
or two and relax. We decided after a week in London to go to Brussels and
Paris. In Brussels we went to the hotel kiosk at the train station and got
a 4 star hotel for 90 euros (did the same in Edinburgh). In Paris we asked
a couple sitting beside us in a lunch place at the train station where they
were staying and got a really nice room at a fabulous Parisian-style hotel
for one night. When we checked out the following am, the desk clerk had
found us a comparable room at the same price just up the street. It was
a chain hotel, but it was a beautiful room. On our return to London, we
checked an internet cafe and got a room for several days at another chain
hotel. We have done this on previous trips to Europe and and throughout
the US.
Michelle
MA USA 07/22/03
I always make advance reservations for accomodations primarily so that
I can stay on budget. I always make reservations on the internet with the
hotel, guesthouse, or pension directly -- that way, I am not locked into
a contract which is often the case when booking with a travel agent, hotel
finding website, or tourist information center. Always request a confirmation
e-mail, print it out, and take it with you in the event of a problem. If
I book the reservation several months in advance, I write again a month
before my expected arrival date and request a second confirmation. At that
time I also provide an expected arrival time and indication that I will
call if there are any problems. Two years ago when I arrived at my hotel
in Wuerzburg, I was shocked when the owner greeted me by name when I showed
up at the arrival time I had designated.
Brenda Sanders <email>
Flint, MI USA 07/18/03
Reserve early for best hotels and rooms!
We just returned from a three week June trip through Italy. We luckily booked
our Rick Steve's accomodations in April - good thing we did too! We found
many of the places we stayed were full and didn't have rooms for drop-ins.
Also, by booking early, we almost always had the "postcard picture" room!
We felt we definitely got our euros worth in many of the places we stayed...the
reason being - we booked early!
Chris Fryar <email>
Seattle, WA USA 07/18/03
The German railroad website, www.dbahn.de, offers great services for
hotel booking. I have used this service, as I travelled from city to city,
booking the next location from the current one. Select "International Guests"
from the DBahn home page, "Hotels" from the next page, and then search by
city, date, etc. All of my reservations were correct and available when
I arrived. The system works very well, whether using it months in advance
or while en route.
Lyn
Laguna Niguel, CA USA 07/17/03
Reservations Necessary???
We just returned from London, Cinque Terre & Rome. If you use Rick's room
suggestions - be sure you have a reservation. They were FULL in mid June.
carol glidewell <email>
Pt. Ludlow, w USA 07/16/03
No reservation traveling
We just finished up 3 weeks traveling in Spain and Portugal. We traveled
over 3000 kilometers and stayed in Barcelona, Pamplona, Bilbao, Toledo,
Sevilla, Selema, Arcos, Granada, and Sitges. We had reservations prior
to the trip only for Barcelona.
We were able to find hotels on arrival to new towns,
but it took up to two hours sometimes, since we did not know our way around
the streets. We used the internet cafes and tourist information to make
next stop reservations as we went along. The tourist information has a
book with hotels listed for each city or town, and out of that book, we
culled those with email addresses. Many of the addresses did not function
and were out of date and some hotels did not answer for up to three days.
However, enough answered immediately for us to travel this way. We did
not use hostals or pensions, only two and three star hotels. We did see
several very nice hostals along the way and could probably have saved
a little by using them. We are in our late 50's and early 60's and had
no trouble getting around like this. We had a great trip and liked the
spontaneous freedom.
Jim Miller <email>
Seattle, WA USA 07/05/03
hotel reservations
I just returned from three weeks in Italy with my family. Imade all of
my reservations in advance. Icrossed referenced using Rick's Italy book,
Frommer, and the Michelin guide. If a hotel had a direct email address
instead of a website booking system Icommunicated directly with them.
Ispeak, read, and write Italian, so this was easy. however, I learned
that almost everyone that worked in the hotels spoke english. Anyway,
I was able to obtain lower rates than quoted in the travel guides and
it did not cost anything. Once Ireceived the confirmation from the hotel,
Iprinted it and took it with me just in case there was a dispute. There
never was a dispute.
We had to change our itinerary and I managed to
find two nights in Florence. I went to 16 hotels before I was able to
find accommodations for two nights. I think it is better to have pre-made
reservations and then you can make changes, as needed. This was my eighth
trip to europe and my seventh trip to Italy.
Ralph Butera <email>
Pittsburgh, Pa USA 07/03/03
Good hotel in Lutherstadt- Wittenberg
By necessity, using a Lonely Planet book, I found a great 'Rick-type' hotel
in Lutherstadt-Wittenberg. It's the Gasthaus Central, Mittelstrasse 20,
phone 034-914-1157. Was given double room for single room price. 42 euros
w/o breakfast, 50 with for room w/bath. On checkout, I was only charged
40 euros even after pointing out that I was quoted 42 when I reserved over
the phone. Pleasant place one block off 'main drag' Collegianstrasse.
Dick <email>
Lakewood, CO USA 06/25/03
Finding room in Eisenach, Germany
Arrived in Eisenach, Germany without a reservation and decided to just take
my chances and use the TI room-finding service. It worked well and the service
is free.
Dick <email>
Lakewood, CO USA 06/25/03
Book early!
Definitely book early in the summer time! Europe is PACKED with tourists!
For peace of mind, just do it and don´t spend half your trip finagling with
hotel desks! Try this site for booking all kinds of hostels and hotels in
Europe- http://www.HOOSTEL.com
pete
ca USA 06/13/03
Reservations/emergency contacts
I have to add my agreement to "peace of mind". (Warning -- sad story following!)
When my husband and I were in Barcelona for our honeymoon a few years ago,
my mother took very ill very suddenly, and passed away a couple of days
later. As my family didn't know what hotel we were staying in, it took them
a precious couple of days to find our travel agent, who put them on to us.
If we had left them a detailed itinerary with contact numbers, I might have
been able to get home in time to say goodbye. Now, even if we're winging
it somewhere, everyone in my family lets each other know what city we'll
be in and our top picks for accommodation when we get there. This is admittedly
extra effort but it does give us all "peace of mind". I know this is a downer,
but you tend not to think of what might be going on at home when you're
on "vacation".
Andrea Shearer <email>
Vancouver, BC Canada 06/12/03
Beehive in Roma and Edi Apartments in Cinque
Terra
Reservations are needed more and more. We had a lot of trouble with many
of Rick's places. The whole world uses those great books, so it often
means that his picks are booked well in advance. This was true at the
Beehive in Rome. However, I suggest that people ask about other options
right on the phone. After trying to book one of Steve's cheaper hotels
in Rome without much luck, we tried to book a room at the Beehive Hostel
in Rome, but they were also fully booked over four weeks in advance. Not
to worry since they now have their own overflow apartments and found us
a room in a clean secure and large apartment on the other side of Termini
near Cavour. We liked it a lot. The best part was the fact that we paid
only 60 Euros. The Beehive folks are very helpful and we enjoyed our stay.
In the Cinque Terre town of Riomaggiore we had
great luck. We were able to book an apartment in a nice woman's house
with panoramic seaside views and a patio only steps from a great swimming
area. Edi Rooms, which had a postcard from Steve on the door found us
this great place with no prior reservations for only 65 euros. Even Edi
now takes reservations in a town known for easy lodging without reservations.
We did meet some people who came in after 2 pm and had no luck, but later
found out that people in town helped them find a place to stay over a
beer at Bar Central. Another thing worth noting, if you walk into town
without a reservation you might be offered a room with "no view" which
might only mean that you get a room with a view of the pretty hillsides
(great) or of the town (also good) so I suggest having a look at these
places since they can be very pretty. Other than a few places that look
out on little alleys, every room in this town has a "view" of something
worth looking at but for a sea view, or a patio DO make a reservation.
The fancy-free days in Rome and other places seems to be coming to an
end thanks in part to cheap international calling and the internet.
Marc <email>
Princeton, NJ USA 06/11/03
Reservations or no...
We just finished 3 1/2 weeks in Europe, 6 countries, with NO advance hotel
reservations. No problems whatsoever!!!! Thanks for all the great advice
Rick!!!
Jonathan & Andrea Atkinson <email>
Scotts Valley, CA USA 06/09/03
Peace of Mind
I used to travel without reservations, just winging it. But once, in a remote
part of England, I called home several times and couldn't get anyone. I
then realized that no one had the slightest idea of where I was or how to
contact me in case of an emergency at home. I finally reached my husband,
and everything was okay (except on a hike my son had found himself in a
rattlesnake den), but I resolved to stay in closer contact. At the time,
that was difficult, because I was often in sparsely populated places with
dubious phone service. Now four members of our family travel together, and
we always make reservations so the grandparents will know where we are and
can phone if they need to. Sometimes this is inconvenient, and maybe phone
and internet service would be adequate now, but there's a lot to be said
for ensuring peace of mind on the home front.
Linda <email>
Huntsville, AL USA 06/04/03
Yes, for Scandinavia in summer
The most popular B&Bs fill up months in advance. Similarly with hostel private
rooms.
LP
USA 06/02/03
Hotels - London
Recently, I stayed at the Jury's Kensington Hotel, London. I was very pleased
with the hotel and would stay there again. I booked over the net, and the
price quoted was the same as what I was charged. The hotel is lovely, the
room clean, decorated nicely, and had a huge bathroom. The staff was helpful,
while a few of them were rather stiff. The huge continental breakfast was
great and included in the room price. The hotel is an easy walk to the tube,
many restaurants, and some superb museums.
R. Miller <email>
USA 05/30/03
hotel reservations
In Italy, we only reserved the 1st night and Venice ahead. Everything else
we did the day before we arrived there by phone- it was in May, so the crowds
were light in most places (except Venice!). This allowed us to change plans
on the fly, spend more time in some places, less in others. it only took
a few minutes in most cases to call, and if they were booked, we just got
them to recommend another hotel. It's only as stressful as you think it
is!
Tom Burrell <email>
Minneapolis, MN USA 05/26/03
Reservations verus None
I've been living in Germany for 4 years. I've learned that if location
is important to you and you just hae to have that seaview or park view
or whatnot, make a reservation. IF you just want to wing it and aren't
particularly attached to a particular spot or itinerary it's easier and
cheaper to wing it. I just returned from 10 days on a bicycle. From around
Bern Switzerland up the Rhein towards Strasbourg, over to Trier, and then
along the Mosel and back to the Rhine. Cost was an average of $100 a day
for two people including all meals. Can't be beat and all those lovely
zimmer leave us tons of memories.
I only had trouble one night on a Sunday when
my wheel was busted (you can't get anything fixedon a Sunday) and we were
in Breisach (big German tourist destination). Got in at 2100 and paid
too much, but with a broken wheel it was that or the park bench. :) In
June I'm going to Cinque Terre but have my heart set on Vernazza and a
harbor view, so I made a reservation. Children also changes things. I
have a five year old. I'f I'm on my own I can always work it out. With
my daughter carrying a sleeping child on a bus/train/whatever in search
of further accommodations well.. isn't optimal. In summary -- if your
flexible, no reservations are great. If it's July/August and you have
your heart set on a particular town/view/etc, it can't hurtto make a reservation.
I've also found in high season most places will let you cancel with a
few days notice and not charge you as long as you are kind enough to phone.
Jamie Faulkner <email>
Bad Aibling, DE 05/17/03
reservations
of course it is a good idea to make reservations ahead of time, save yourself
some stress and enjoy your vacation!!!!
Ingrid <email>
LA, CA USA 05/02/03
Reservations
We have traveled Europe 5 times for a total of 12 months and 3 weeks without
a reservation. Most of our rooms were found by going to the info desk at
train stations. The one or two times this didn't work out, we got back on
the train and went somewhere else.
Roy and Carolyn Breckenridge <email>
Ft Myers Beach, FL USA 05/02/03
Always reserve the first night
At a minimum, it's always a good idea to reserve on the first night. Not
only is it miserable to be hunting for a hotel when you've just gotten off
a plane and are jet-lagged, but it's really helpful if your luggage gets
lost. Especially if you're not staying in the same city as the airport.
A few years ago my flight from LAX was late getting into JFK. I made my
connecting flight but my bag didn't. So when I arrived in Frankfurt I only
had my carry-on. Even worse, I was heading on to Berlin for the night.
Fortunately, if you have to lose your luggage, Lufthansa is the airline
to do it on. With precise efficiency they located my bag, told me to go
to Berlin and said they'd send it to my hotel when it arrived the following
day. Sure enough, a taxi dropped it off while I was out for the day. The
main hassle was wearing the same clothes a second day. (For some reason
the clothes you wear on plane always seem to feel extra grungy.) So I
now always pack a shirt in my carry-on if I need to check a bag.
George Olsen
Los Angeles, CA USA 04/29/03
Reservations wise for Easter in Italy
Finishing up our Italian holiday over the Pasqua (Easter) weekend, my husband
and I were naive and not prepared for the difficulty we faced in finding
a room for two additional nights in the Cinque Terre. Phone call after phone
call, we heard only "Sorry, occupado!" We lucked out, however, due to the
kindness of two Rick Steves' recommendations: we already were staying in
Vernazza with Bruno and Annamaria Galleno, whose beautiful room and gracious
hospitality we would have loved to enjoy for an additional night. When that
was not to be, Bruno put the word out to all he knew in Vernazza...and we
ended up getting an additional night with Tonnino Basso, whose gorgeous,
modern rooms also have free Internet access! Bruno, Annamaria and Tonnino
made us feel like part of their Vernazzan family. It made this trip extra
special, and we can't wait to return (next time with reservations! especially
over a holiday).
The other hotel who helped us out a great deal was Rome's Hotel Italia,
where we've stayed before. Andrea and Nadine could not have been more
helpful. When Hotel Italia (newly redecorated) was full and we returned
to Rome for an additional night, Andrea referred us to Kate's Hotel Giardino,
in all ideal location near the Presidential Palace. Kate's warm English
charm made us feel very welcome. And beautiful rooms! Both of these hotels
went out of their way to be helpful and us feel at ease.
Deborah Fritsch <email>
Madison, WI USA 04/27/03
AVE agency
The AVE office in the main Praha train station had a selection of rooms
available. The Bily Lev was a short tram ride away, 1700kc per night. Clean
but spartan, quiet, breakfast included, located next to a small police substation.
Bob Krajicek <email>
New Paltz, NY USA 04/26/03
Email ahead to Cinque Terre
We went to Cinque Terre in March thinking that it would be empty. Luckily,
we had reservations with Guiliano. He will only rents to people over the
internet, so if you show up without a reservation, he will send you someplace
else. It was March and he was already taking reservations for October. True
there are cheaper rooms, but the extra $20 we spent was well worth the incredible
view PLUS not having to spend our time looking for a place to stay.
Kristina Younger <email>
Bremerton, WA USA 04/23/03
Martina's rooms in Vernazza (Cinque Terre- Italy)
We spent a few nights in Vernazza earlier this month. We found a very affordable
room with Martina (in the Italy book) for only 55 Euros for a double with
a bath. The room was very comfortable and the bathroom was newly remodeled.
There was no view, but it was quiet and comforatable. We spend all our time
outside and in the eateries anyway. If we go back we'll spend more time
in the CT and leave the cities behind.
Jessica <email>
Seattle, WA USA 04/21/03
Reservations are not a bad thing
Five years ago I went to the British Isles. I had a package deal in Ireland,
which included seven B&B stays; it was fun. I had peace of mind by calling
my next expected destination early in the morning and reserving a spot.
It helps when you find a place you like, but they may only have 2 or 3 rooms
total. You only need to plan one day in advance what your plans will be.
However, in Manchester England, I chose to stay at the first hotel I
came across. It was a mid-century bland hi-rise, but comfortable. It would
have worked out fine except there was a fire alarm in the middle of the
night. In my haste to find the nearest fire exit, somewhere along the
way I lost my watch. If I had made reservations, I would not have chosen
to stay at that hotel in the first place. Oh well.
Thomas Carver <email>
Olympia, WA USA 03/31/03
No need for a reservation
I went to Europe in October of 2002. I had made reservations in every town
from Amsterdan to Caen. All I had was a small back-pack (didn't even check
the bag at the airport). After a few days and advice from an older Canadian
couple, I cancelled all my reservatiosns except for my last night in Paris
(just in case). What I did was go from one destination to the next. At every
town I came to, the train station had a customer service desk. These people
can find you a room in town and tell you where (map and my little Rick Steves
compass) and how much it is. So I did that for three weeks. If you come
to a town with no rooms, just get back on the train and go to the next town.
It was the way to go. And by the way, the French people were very nice (except
for the one lady who wouldn't let me sit down on the train). I had never
gone to Europe and there I was all by myself, with the knowledge gained
from Rick's books. It was the trip of my life. i will always cherish those
memories.
Curg <email>
Houston, TX USA 03/20/03
Finding hotels in the off-season
We usually travel during the off-season, and this past trip was especially
loose. We got a hotel for our first night in Brussels, and then reserved
for our first week in Spain. After that, we winged it for a week and made
sure we had a hotel booked for our last stop in Paris. Had we not booked
in Spain, I think we would have been OK, as none of the hotels we stayed
at looked all that crowded. As a matter of fact, we got half-board at a
parador near Seville (quite posh) that came out to less than we would have
spent on a hotel and two meals/day right in Seville. You can find all sorts
of bargains in the off-season.
Shelley
Hudson, NY USA 02/12/03
Making Reservations In Advance
We only make a hotel reservation for the first night. If we know where we
will be on our last night, we will make a reservation for that night also.
Otherwise, we just go to an internet cafe the day before departure and make
a reservation. We also use the internet to make a reservation if we are
heading to a heavily touristed town (such as Sorrento which is an excellent
location to visit Capri and Ischia, as well as the Amalfi Coast).
Devra <email>
Lake Forest, ca USA 01/20/03
Beware of Hotel Names
I would like to extend a very big thank you to Rick Steves on a fabulous
book. His book was our sanity for 10 days! When booking hotels via the internet,
be super careful that it is the same hotel that Rick is referring to in
his book. We had booked and confirmed a hotel named "Hotel Campiello" that
was recommended for Venice. Much to our disappointment on our late night
arrival to Venice, this was NOT the same "Hotel Campiello" that Rick had
suggested! This particular hotel was on the mainland area of Venice....not
where we wanted to be! The hotel referred to in Rick's book was actually
closed for the season. We had to pay for the reserved night at the hotel
and did not stay there. Luckily enough we were able to get a room at Hotel
Pagenelli. This was quite nice as suggested by the book and we were given
a fair discount. We definitely needed a break in the very costly city of
Venice!
Denise Maher <email>
Mt. Pearl, Canada 01/18/03
No reservations Pros & Cons
This is continued from previous. . . the pros of not making reservations
are the flexability it provides for those who don't want to be tied to a
tight itinerary. In that way, you can take advantage of opportunities that
always arise when traveling in a free spirit mode. The downside is that
sometimes you spend a considerable amount of time looking for a place to
stay. Personally, that doesn't bother me because it forces you to speak
the language and engage with local people. These interactions can open up
avenues of opportunity and great surprises . . . places you might have never
dreamt of finding yourself. Some truly unforgettable experiences are waiting.
Michael <email>
Providence, RI USA 01/15/03
No Reservations In Italy
In the fall of 1992, I travelled to Italy for 23 days with my sister and
her husband and we had no reservations. At that time, I spoke only the most
basic Italian. In each city we encountered, my sister and I would be the
scouts, checking for available rooms and her husband would stay with the
car. We found some very nice places for cheap. We also had a budget book
and had previously circled options in each city. In Rome, when the hotel
we wanted wasn't available, they recommended another place a block away.
We travelled the Venice, Florence, Rome circuit with stopovers in Como,
Gaeta, Ischia and Sorrento as well. I've been back many times since then
and sometimes I book a place for the first night and if I know how long
I'll be staying, I'll book the last destination as well. Feel free to send
me an e-mail for more free Italy talk.
Michael <email>
Providence, RI USA 01/15/03
Swiss Hospitality
I forget the name of the tiny village near Neuchatel in Switzerland where
i arrived with no info about accomodations. There was just one place: a
three story tudor-like house with rooms that the owners rented to travelers.
As I approached, the owner leaned out of an upper-floor window and asked
if I had money. Reassured by my affirmative reply, she spilled over with
courtesy. The rooms, beds, baths and service were absolutely wonderful--far
better quality for the money than many expensive hotels. i learned about
the house from the local tavern, where customers sit at tables which have
baskets piled high with sandwiches and other delicious foods. You just eat
what you wish and order your beverages from the waitress, then they check
the basket and write the bill accordingly. So friendly and so much value
for money.
Carol
CA USA 01/08/03
Rough Guides - Routard guidebook for France
Rough Guides publishes a translation of 'Le Guide du Routard' each year
which I find a must for travelling in France. It is published under the
title 'French Hotels and Restaurants 2002' and should be available in the
US (I live in the UK). This book is particularly valuable for travelling
by car and during high season. There are many great hotels and restaurants
which Rick doesn't have room to list. There are also english versions of
the Routard guides for Ireland, Andalucia, Paris, and the various regions
of France which are great for detailed local color and go beyond what Rick
can do. Highly recommended.
Don S <email>
London, United Kingdom 12/25/02
Places to stay - with and without reservations!
We did make reservations at many of our hotels etc. before our 7 week trip
to Italy, France and Spain but we also "flew by the seat of our pants" a
couple of times and were delighted. Of course, I think it is easier in the
Fall. Some notes on the places we stayed:
Venice/Hotel Marin (great; laudromat next door!) quiet, clean, nice folks;
Florence so-so...we made reservations at Casa Rabatti but when we got there we didn't stay at Mama's, she gave our room to some students so she moved us to the daughter's house...on a noisy street. The room was clean, Papa was our "host" - daughter was away on vacation but the worst thing is the entrance and 47 stairs up to the apartment! Dingy, and dark, and it absolutely reeked of garbage! I had to hold my breath and at the end of a long day of walking that's hard for this "old" lady to do!
Rome: we found a wonderful convent guesthouse! Casa Delle Maestre Pie Filippini -10 walking minutes from Vatican, 3 minutes from the train and bus, and 2 minutes from a great supermarket! Clean, quiet, good view of Vatican.
Siena - Rick's suggestion Alma Domus - he's right!
Cinque Terre - Guiliano Basso's hilltop apartments - not for the weak of heart or foot! 72+ steps but what a view! New, clean, lovely.
Nice: Hotel Berne - yuk! but it was only one night!
Arles no reservations but walked into the Hotel St. Trophime - Tony spoke English and was great. They could only accommodate us for 3 of our 5 days but they arranged for us to stay at the Hotel Forum. We loved the location and one can walk everywhere in Arles...great place.
Got last minute reservations in Carcassone at the Montmorency Hotel - really lovely.
Barcelona - Continental Hotel small but lovely for Fall - but not for the summer! No AC. Very convenienc though.
Lourdes is not on Rick's list but we're Catholic! Stayed at the Ibis - very nice. And, if you get away from the Shrine and take a walk to the western part of Lourdes, it is really beautiful...the scenery is spectacular.
Paris - ahhhhh, the Hotel Leveque was wonderful
and the room on the front side above the Rue Cler was not too noisy but
lovely...we found the location convenient - the metro is just down around
the corner but we walked a lot and enjoyed that too - even though it was
pretty chilly - it was mid-November!
Kitty Brilliant <email>
Colorado Springs, CO USA 12/18/02
Reserve 1st night in Europe!
I got to Madrid on May 2. No Vacancy! I walked my soles off looking for
a room. Thanks to Hostal T.I.J.C.A.L. owners for their help. Those gentlemen
look after Rick's people. They have Rick's Christmas card posted. They are
located fifty yards from Plaza Mayor. I usually reserve my 1st night in
Europe. I didn't that time. Wrong again. May Day is a real big deal there.
;o) If you stay at the aforementioned digs, shower in the upstairs bathroom.
It drains better. I took a night train to Lisbon. Same problem. Serendipity
rules! I wound up in Sintra. But thats another story, as the bartender said.
;o) THANX, RICK!!
Sut
Austin, Tx USA 12/16/02
wonderful small hotel in Koln
I would once again like to recommend the Lint Hotel in Koln, Germany (Cologne).
Located in the old section of town at Lintgasse 7, this great little place
was recently renovated and it absolutely beautiful and modern. I was able
to get a room via the Koln tourist office without a reservation last January.
The staff were really nice and made my stay wonderful. I believe the hosts
name was Wolf. Lint Hotel Lintgasse 7 50667 Koln, Germany tel.+49.221.920
55-0 fax +49.221.920 55-55 www.lint-hotel.de contact@lint-hotel.del
J. Cantrell <email>
NY, NY USA 12/14/02
avoid Sorrento's La Minervetta Pension
Please do not reserve with La Minervetta Pension & Ristorante, Attn: Morvillo
Salvatore, Via Capo 25, Sorrento, Italy,ph:011-39-081-877-3033, fax 011-39-081-807-3069
until we get back the 101 USD which they owe us! We have been trying to
get our overcharged funds back since 09-2002.We paid by bank check. They
cashed our bank check 03-19-02. They then "forced" us to pay again as we
were departing! AVOID THIS PLACE LIKE THE PLAGUE UNTIL WE GET OUR MONEY
BACK. WE WILL POST ON THIS GRAFFITI WALL WHEN WE GET OUR MONEY BACK! Many
Thanks! Notice that I posted my email address which certifies to the authenticity
of this message.
J. Lukosky <email>
naples, fl USA 12/04/02
Hotel Help
I just returned from a month in Europe. Here are some tips to help you with
hotels.
Rome: Do not stay at Aquarium hotel near train station. Bad neighborhood, poor hotel, no credit cards.
Florence: we stayed at hotel Silla. It was nice but we could not sleep due to scooters racing up and down the alley all night. There is a nightclub nearby which creates the trafic. Not worth the $160
Venice: We liked hotel Florida. A good value and only about a block from the train station and 1st bridge.
Monterosso: We stayed at hotel Punta Mesco. It has been recently remodeled and it served our needs well for around $100. We did have some mosquito problems in the room though. It took me about 1/2 hour to find and kill them all.
Sestri Levante: Our best hotel all trip. Hotel Miramare. Can't wait to go back. Very charming with a romantic location on the bay. What a view at breakfast!
Birmingham England: Our hotel cancelled our reservation (along with other angry guests)! What a scam. It was called Hotel Brittania. I was able to get a refund through travelocity after around 10 letters of complaint and 6 weeks of waiting.
Paris: I found a great hotel for $92 high season right in the heart of the Latin Quarter. It is usually quite booked and I would like to return there, so I think I will keep it's name a secret.
By the way, we went to a restaurant in Rome that
was listed in one of Rick's books. It was great but every single customer
had the book in hand (except us). I think you may be treated better if
you look a little less touristy. Put the book away and try to blend in.
Shay <email>
San Diego, CA USA 11/25/02
Hotel Castex, Paris
Checked out this hotel the last time I was in Paris, liked it. Tried to
book a room for November, only to find out the hotel is closed. It is renovating
and will reopen as a 3-star hotel in March 2003. Too bad. Another budget
hotel bites the dust.
Rebecca <email>
Daly City, CA USA 11/12/02
hotels
The Hotel Gerber in Rome was very good about making changes in my reservations,
they did not charge for the changes in my schedule. The Gerber is not in
the best of neighborhoods but very convenient to the metro, and we felt
safe even at night, it was crowded with people. I suggest you use the metro
in Rome, it's so easy. The ticket machines don't work so get a ticket from
the tabacco shop, always close by and in the station too. We took the train
from the airport, the direct to Termini and then hopped the metro to the
Gerber. The Gerber made arrangements for private limo back to the airport
at 5:30 am and it was 52 Euro.
The Accademia in florence did not charge for a cancellation and then re-booking. That was clean and convenient also.
The hotel Camiello in Venice was equally accommodating, and in a very good location.
We also stayed in the hotel Cannon di Oro in Siena which was 1 star but adequate and clean for just an overnight stop. The medieval walls did echo though.
In Madrid for an overnight stop-over. The Finnistere
was fine and very clean. All these hotels are in a super convenient location.
Marie
Verona, NJ USA 11/05/02
Highly Reccomend Hotel Globus
Just returned from Florence and my friend and I had a wonderful stay at
Hotel Globus. It's located near the central market and is close to the train
station and walking distance to all other popular sites (Uffizi, Accademia,
Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, Boboli Gardens). It was just renovated in June 2002
and was upgraded from a one star to a 3 star hotel (although I'd give it
a 4 star rating). Very cool contemporary decorating and extremely clean.
The owners, Serena and Michele, are extremely friendly and helpful in recommending
restaurants, helping to reserve tickets, providing train/travel information,
etc. We enjoyed Hotel Globus so much, we stayed in Florence an extra night.
All this for an affordable price - with a great breakfast included. I would
definitely stay there again.
Deena Antonacci <email>
Los Angeles, CA USA 10/31/02
finding rooms in Germany,France, Italy
Hostels?..we had the HI card, planning to use it lots. During the months
of Sept and Oct., staying no more than 2 nights anywhere in Germany,France
and Italy...was easy. We never used a hostel during our 3 wk stay. In fact,
the one hostel we went to, said we were too old !!! We did not book ahead...just
got into each town...went for a walk..and easilly found rooms..zimmers..chambres..cameras..that
ranged between $35 -$70 euro a night for two..with breakfast included in
most cases !!! Next time I would not bother with it. In fact in one small
village in Cinque Terre (Italy), a little Italian woman came up to us in
the street..with an offer of a room. I guess..walking down the cobble stone
street..with backpacks, gave us away.The room was actually one in her home.
Great experience !!
Sally <email>
Morden, Manitoba Canada 10/20/02
Traveling with teenagers
There were 4 of us. I highly recommend reservations for a quad. Especially
in Cinque Terre as there are not many rooms to accomodate 4. We took our
kids...can't say I recommend this. We found we ended up waiting on them
all the time (wouldn't get out of bed in the AM)...and feeding them...we
have gone broke. Go alone..let them experience when they are old enough
to appreciate..and our kids are good kids..really put a damper on our trip.
Fran <email>
ca USA 10/17/02
Are hotels reservations necessary?
During our recent two week trip to Italy my husband and I had reservations
for about half of the nights, but left the rest free. Personally, I'm inclined
to book ahead (before leaving home)as I like to go directly to the hotel
or B&B, freshen up, and then start exploring without delay. However, I have
to admit we had little trouble finding places to stay traveling without
reservations. We did take the first reasonable place available and did not
hold out for the most charming possible. Also, it did take at least an hour
or so to find a room. On two occasions, when we arrived in town later than
expected, we had very good luck using the booking services we found at the
information centers. My favorite spontaneous B&B find was Centro Storico,
right in the center of Lucca. Also, I like the idea of calling just a day
ahead, but between the language barrier and telephone problems, this has
not worked out very well for me.
Kathryn Tassinari <email>
Eugene, OR USA 10/16/02
Are Hotel Reservations Necessary?
ROME: Arriving by train we were approached by an elderly man hawking hotel
rooms. Suspicious at first, we quickly found him to be a ligitimate and
kind old gent working hard to steer people to nearby hotels for commissions
paid by the hotel. Our choice was the Hotel California Via Principe Amedeo,
39. [www.hotelcaliforniaroma.it] We got a better price than we'd seen from
any guidebook, only 2 blocks from the train station, with a superbly helpful
desk staff. Clean, comfortable room.
Mike Kirkwood <email>
Minnetrista, MN USA 10/10/02
Hotel Reservations
Spent 18 days in eastern Germany...not one hotel reservation. We were fine
but bear in mind it was September and you don't find a lot of tourists in
the out of the way places we visited.
Travelin' Gal <email>
USA 10/08/02
Paris Hotels
Hotel Leveque: Oui!!! We will go back to Rue Cler again and again. Great
morning venues for cafe creme and people watching. Close to so much.
Doug and Ann Pelton <email>
Wenatchee, wa USA 10/07/02
Hotel in Paris
We stayed at the Hotel Leveque in Paris, which we found in your book, and
just loved it. All were courteous and friendly and such a lovely location.
Very centralized and reasonable priced. Thanks for the suggestion!
M. Quarry <email>
Tacoma, Wa USA 10/03/02
Confirming Reservations
Beynac: Reserved 5 months prior via email; enroute via car from Arles, phone
for late arrival. We were 3 hours later than hoped...Hotel Chateau and whole
village locked up at 12:30 am!! Thought a 'night clerk' would be at Hotel.
Slept in our car(Four in a Ford Focus...2 Star!!). Innkeeper charged us
for the night because he waited until midnight. Live, travel and learn!
Doug Pelton <email>
Wenatachee, WA USA 10/03/02
The overcrowded Cinque Terra
Just returned from Italy(5th trip since using Ricks suggestions. At the
Cinque Terra I asked a restaurant owner why it seems so much busier than
years before. His answer was German tourists and Rick Steves. How true!
Everyone seemed to be carrying a Rick Steves book. I am glad that Rick put
me onto the C.Terra in 1995 but the place is just not the same. Please Rick,
find some other places before it is completely ruined!
Jim Biotti <email>
Dallas, Or USA 10/02/02
Hotel Castex, Paris - lost secured reservation
Although we called to confirm our reservation we made a month earlier, and
held with a credit card, upon arrival at 1pm, at Hotel Castex, we were told
our room had been given away. Fortunately, after much pleading for help,
the receptionist found us a room at the 7th Art Hotel nearby. Unfortunately,
this nearly doubled our budgeted lodging bill. The 7th Art was friendly,
clean, and very pleasant. I'll book there first on our next trip, and remember,
there are no guarantees when travelling! I was sad, and surprized, to see
this happen at such a hotel so highly recommended by R.S.
Amy <email>
OH USA 10/01/02
reutte-- gasthaus zum schloxen
AFTER SEEING THE NEGATIVE COMMENTS ON REUTTE, HAD TO COMMENT THIS AREA MAY
HAVE BEEN ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES-- STAYED AT THE GASTHAUS ZUM SCHLOXEN
OUTSIDE REUTTE-- WONDERFUL PLACE, WORKING FARM, BUT HOTEL IS MODERN AND
REALLY NICE-- QUIT AND PEACEFUL COUNTRYSIDE, PEOPLE WERE REALLY NICE WHO
WORKED THERE -- my early am run allowed me to chat with the local gentleman
herding his cows with his bicycle even though he spoke no english and i
spoke no german( other than bier) --best part of staying here is it is virtually
at the start of the carriage path from reutte to fussen probably an hour
to hour and half hike, with no one else on the trail -- real culture shock
to get to fussen and experience the crowds and traffic-- despite previous
posting, i would always opt to stay away from the crowds
jim <email>
dallas, tx USA 09/26/02
WHAT TO DO IN LONDON WITHOUT A ROOM
IF you get stuck in London without a room, check out Belgrave Rd., it's
a few blocks away from Victoria Station, off Eccleston Square. The entire
street is one little white hotel after another, most of them are probably
off the radar screen of the internet, guide books, etc. They'll probably
be small rooms but adequate and inexpensive.
Linda Carter <email>
Bucks County, PA USA 09/24/02
Reviews of places we stayed
Just wanted to give my opinion on hotels Rick Steves recommends.
In Munich the Hotel Haberstock was in a perfect location. Just a block from the main train station, beautiful walk downtown. The room was a little smelly from the cleaners they used and it was only a bathtub and not a shower but it was a very clean room. Try getting one away from the street because it's noisy when your room is on the street. There's a bar directly across the street that is busy all night!
Rothenburg has the Hotel Gerberhaus. It's a short 7 minute walk to the middle of the walled city and wonderful. Clean, new, shower with water pressure, wonderful workers. This is a great hotel and I'd always recommend it.
Reutte was the Hotel Goldner Hirsch. The room smelled of smoke but was clean and the bath had a shower which if you can't tell I much prefer over a bathtub. I'd rather have stayed in Fussen because nobody seemed to know how to get to the ruins in Reutte. I asked 3 people and nobody was sure where to go to walk up to them even though you can see them from everywhere in town. Skip the town and stay near the castles.
Innsbruck is a stuffy town and I'd skip it. We stayed in Hotel Wiesses Kreuz and while it was clean and very nice, the bathtub just about killed me trying to get out of it! The toilet was in a seperate room and the light timer went off every 40 seconds. Were they trying to tell me something?
Salzburg was Hotel Bergland. It's a pretty long walk from downtown but okay if you are taking the train into town. I found it very clean, wonderful employees, excellent hotel. The shower was dangerous for me because I kept bumping the handle and the water would get very hot or cold instantly (my wife didn't have a problem) but it was a good room and hotel.
In Vienna was Schweizer Pension and this place was a little rough. It's a nightlife area and the hotel is on the 4th floor of a building. Sort of scary leaving in the early mornings with the doors locked but the room was very clean and the shower worked great.
Here's a hint. If you like a washcloth, take one
with you because none of these places had a washcloth in the room except
Hotel Gerberhaus had 1 for 2 people. Every one of these hotels was clean
so Rick Steves did a nice job in recommending them.
Steve D. <email>
St. Louis, MO USA 09/23/02
We found that taking Rick's advice of calling a day ahead to make a
hotel reservation really helped take the headache and worry out of finding
an available room. It also prevents wasting sightseeing time by having to
run around in your destination city looking for a room. Even in the middle
of September, which isn't exactly high season, some places were booked up.
It was great to arrive in a town and know exactly where to go and that we
already had a reservation.
Ann
Knoxville, TN USA 09/23/02
hotel reviews
Rome - Hotel Nardizzi - was very nice. Nice location, nice price, nice elevator,
nice people. I will definately stay here again when I return to Rome.
Florence - Residence Bellevue - This hotel was my favorite place I stayed. It is small (6 rooms) and the owner Antonio was very friendly. The hotel just opened in the last few years so everything is new. The only drawback is the lack of an elevator, but considering all of the stairs you have to climb in Italy what is a few more flights?
Venice - Locanda Al Soffiador - a nice, inexpensive hotel (for venice) located on Murano. The rooms and the owners were very nice. If this hotel was located in Venice it would be perfect - and probably twice as expensive. The only drawback is the slow bus-boat you have to take between the islands. The last boat to the island is around 11 pm but the real problem is that you probably have to make a vaporetto transfer so you have to start planing your exit around 9:00 pm from Venice. Also, don't forget you are in Italy, so unless you are a strong swimmer or made friends with a water taxi driver I would not risk catching the last bus. If I owned the hotel I would create a multi language cheat sheet that showed the fastest ways to get from the main sites in Venice to the hotel.
Chambery - This site is not listed in Rick's guidebooks. I have a friend who lives here. (before I went to Europe I knew him only as the brother of one of my friends. I called him and he was nice enough to invite me to meet his family and have dinner.) Stayed at the City Hotel. This was the least expensive hotel we stayed at (though we may have gotten the "locals" price since my friend booked the hotel for me) and it was very nice.
Chamonix - Hotel de l'Arve - another nice hotel. We ran into a problem when we arrived at the hotel but the front desk handled the problem very professionally. The room we reserved was very nice: right above the river with a nice balcony.
Paris - Hotel Familia - located in the Latin Quarter.
Close to a metro stop and a short walk from the Notre Dame. This hotel
has normal size Paris rooms (small) and normal thickness Paris walls (thin).
They could charge a premium at this hotel for rooms on a TV-free floor.
If you book ahead make sure you tell them that you don't want breakfast.
(They will quote you a price that includes breakfast. If you don't turn
it down when you reserve you are stuck paying for it.) There is a great
shop right across the street with to-die-for croissants.
Aaron <email>
Perrysburg, OH USA 09/22/02
reservations
I have traveled through France, Spain, Italy and Germany several times without
reservations and usually have no problem finding a good place, but there
are exceptions. Research what is going on and when the hotels are usually
busy (for example Rick Steves says there are lots of conventions in Paris
in September.)
I arrived in Paris without reservations at the the beginning of the month and found accomodations fairly easily, but on the trip back through on the 19th, (this time with my family) we drove around all night looking for a room in all kinds of hotels (including the Formule 1's and B&Bs) and could not find one hotel room anywhere in the city...we even drove 170km out of the city both north and south and everything was completely full! We ended up sleeping in the car at a rest stop for 2 hours before going to the airport to catch our plane.
If I am worried about finding accomodations but
don't want to book far in advance because I don't know my itinerary yet,
I bring the contact info for several hotels in the areas I'm thinking
of traveling to and call the night before, or even that day to reserve.
It doesn't always work, but usually I can find something by calling just
that far ahead and then don't have to worry about it.
Camille <email>
Federal Way, WA USA 09/21/02
Our Trip
We made reservations through the Internet, although we called/faxed the
credit card numbers.
PARIS- Hotel Lyon-Mulhouse near the Bastille and convenient to Metro and buses. Anna was friendly and helpful
SWITZERLAND-BRIG-a really cute town that connects directly to Zermatt to see the Matterhorn and then to Venice. Note: Swiss train-BVZ to Zermatt does not honor Eurorail passes; but it is a very wonderful ride... Art Furrer Schlosshotel Garni(www.artfurrer.ch)-wonderful and helpful Marta Schneider
VENICE - We have to concur with those that had a BAD experience with Hotel Marin. Nadia does have an "attitude" but I guess since they have reasonable rates and a good location (San Croce), they can pretty much dictate how they act. Perhaps Rick and staff can help by looking at other reasonable hotels in that area. Venice is a wonderful place to get lost at night.
FLORENCE- stayed at Soggiorno Maggliani with wonderful and warm Cristina, mother, and great aunt; had a great experience of staying with them and location was incredible: above Internet cafe,shopping, Uffizi, Academia...
ROME---the Bee-Hive with Sylvie, Andrea, and Misha
were great...even saw the Christmas card from Rick & family...we bought
a 2 day "stop & go" pass and even went to the excavated city of Ostia
Antica.
Ben Lee <email>
alameda, ca USA 09/21/02
Reservation - yes or no?
This was my first trip to Europe, so I was glad we had reservations for
Barcelona (our 1st stop) and for Paris (our last stop). Although I'm a 52
year old female, I wanted a little adventure. What a blast to get off the
all nighter train from Barcelona to Nice and be greeted by a stranger asking
if we needed a room. My daughter and I stayed for 40 Euros a night and had
a private bath. They even fed us breakfast upon our arrival. You could cook
in their kitchen if you so desired. Not a 4 star, but what a view of the
city from high atop the hill.
In Rome we were directed at the info center in the train station to a
B & B, 120 Euros (dbl.) private bath only half a block from Trevi Fountain.
It was 58 steps up to our room. Good thing I'm in shape.
D. Dunaway <email>
NSB, FL USA 09/19/02
Nice, France hotels
We made a reservation via email at the Hotel Star (one of Rick's recommended
hotels in Nice) and brought a copy of the confirmation to be safe. We were
greeted by the two very rude owners who informed us that they do not honor
American reservations. When shown the confirmation, which they had emailed
us, they said very loudly that it means "nothing to us!" They then proceeded
to ignore us in favor of the non-American customer behind us. We were aghast
and left, but luckily we discovered the Hotel Clemenceau (another Rick favorite)
where the staff was extremely helpful and courteous. Not only did we feel
welcome but wanted as well. The rooms were lovely and a good value. In short,
Hotel Clemenceau made our stay in Nice a pleasant one! Merci M. & Mme. Jean
Lasserre!
Melissa and Erin <email>
Eugene, OR USA 09/17/02
San Sebastian - No Help from Tourist Office
Arrived in San Sebastian in early August '02. Went to tourist office (not
near the train station) and was handed a list of hotels with no help from
the staff. The town was full and after many knocks on doors, left the town
during a rain storm. So, reservations are a must here during August.
Tom <email>
San Diego, Ca USA 09/04/02
Confirmations
Help! I am going to Italy, and have corresponded with 2 hotels in Rome by
e-mail - per their preference. Both said they had a room, asked for my confirmation
credit card #, and I gave it within hours of receiving their request. Now
neither seem willing to return my e-mail to confirm that YES I have a room
and they have confirmed it with the credit card. How am I supposed to know
that when I get to Rome I will have a room if they won't respond - how do
I get them to respond?? I've even sent a message in Italian so they know
I'm trying hard.
L.J. <email>
Seattle, WA USA 08/20/02
To reserve in advance or not ?
Our family of four went to Europe for the first time in March/April 2002
(me, hubby and two teeage boys). London, Paris, Lugano (Switzerland) and
Venice. I booked everything ahead of time through the internet, but reconfirmed
by email 2 weeks before leaving.
I definitely think it's wise to have reservations for this time of year, as it's spring break for many European students and our trip included Easter weekend too. If you travel at off times, I think it's good to have reservatioins for your first night, then play it by ear. Our choices ranged from pretty good to great:
London - Kensington Manor: reasonable rates, a very cool but slightly worn room, great breakfast included, clean linens. My one complaint is that the bathrooms could have been more thoroughly cleaned. Good location though and very quiet! Nice staff.
Paris: this has been mentioned in this chat room: Hotel Muguet des Invalides. Absolutely great experience, fantastic location, reasonable rates (I hear they have gone up since.) Very nice staff.
Lugano: Hotel Carlton Villa Moritz: very nice, kind of pricey for our budget but maybe normal for this chi-chi area. Very charming and quiet, and very good restaurant. Breakfast included.
Venice: we spent the most on a hotel here, but I am glad I did! Hotel Violino d'Oro. Excellent location, very safe, charming and elegant. Breakfast included, and a very nice staff.
I would go back to any of these without hesitation.
But a warning: when only inquiring about rates over the internet, be sure
you make it clear you are not booking. One of the hotel search engines
wouldn't even quote without a credit card number, and though I never reserved
a room or got a confirmation number, my card was charged. BE CAREFUL!
Bonnie <email>
CALIFORNIA USA 08/18/02
Renting an apartment in Amsterdam
On our vacation to Amsterdam, we rented an apartment from City Mundo and
were very pleased with the accommodations. The have rentals available in
Amsterdam from 3 to 21 days (citymundo.nl). We rented a 2 bedroom penthouse
apartment for 2 weeks ($45 per person per night) and for the price of a
room at many hotels, had the whole top floor of an 8 story building with
some of the best views in Amsterdam.
One word of caution before you rent a Dutch apartment, they do not follow
the same guidelines or standards that you might expect from renting an
apartment in the U.S. That's not to say that it's worse or better - just
different. Once you set aside your American expectations, you'll have
a better experience.
Scott Hathaway <email>
Belleville, IL USA 08/18/02
Italy hotels
Rome - Hotel Aberdeen great choice, air conditioned, clean, good management.
Take Metro, to Republica exit.
Venice - Continental Hotel - outstanding (not in book). Take left from train station, continue past bridge, one block, it's on the right. Some rooms overlooking the Grand Canal. Clean, elegant rooms, great management. Great breakfast!
Venice - Don't stay at the Marin Hotel - Nadia rude, not airconditioned, terrible choice. Rick does a disservice to readers by putting this in his book. BAD Choice.
Florence - Pension Bretagna (in book) good choice,
room 31 especially, it has a view of an old tower.
sjruth <email>
portland, or USA 08/17/02
reservations?
I agree that it depends on your style. For us, we were constantly on the
move, and didn't want to waste any time looking for a room once we got to
a city. In fact, within 20-30 minutes of arrival in any new city, we'd already
checked in, left our bags, freshened up, and gotten information on the places
we wanted to go! It was great to have the reservations! As far as hotels
go - we especially liked Hotel Oceania in Rome and Hotel Leveque in Paris
- the areas of the cities were perfect and the staff couldn't be beat!!
We also loved our time at Hotel Maximillian in Reutte (although it's a bit
of a walk to it if you don't have a car!). Special note to those with mold
allergies - I had a severe reaction in Venice any time I got near the Rialto
bridge but was fine near St. Mark's or other areas. Needless to say our
hotel by the Rialto was not a good experience for me!
JB <email>
SD USA 08/13/02
Italian Stays
My boyfriend and I recently returned home from a three week trip around
Italy. We have much to share about a few of our hotel stays.
As recommended in the Rick Steves Guide Book, the Hotel Sole in Florence run by Anna is a wonderful treat! Anna runs a quaint and beautiful hotel located in a super convenient section of Florence close to all of the major tour sites.
Another special stay was at Hotel Minervetta in Sorrento. The hotel/restaurant is situated on a cliff that overlooks the Mediterranean Sea. We had a beautiful room in which the sea view was second to none! The restaurant food was delicios and the hotel staff did their upmost to make our stay enjoyable.
Now, for the not so wonderful stay. Our one and
only hotel reservation was in Venice. We booked ahead as recommended in
the Rick Steves book to stay two nights at the Hotel Marin located on
Santa Croce. What a mistake! Nadia, the wife of Bruno who manages the
hotel treated us like dirt. Upon our arrival, she was rude. She could
not find our reservation and blamed us for it. Then, when we asked to
view our room, she threw a fit. She literally marched us up the hotel
stairs, muttering in Italain under her breath and led us to a room on
the third floor. She then opened the door, flung the key down onto a night
stand and slammed the door behind her. So much for a warm greeting in
Venice! Needless to say, we did not stay there a second night and found
a wonderful stay at the Albergo Angelo. This kind of cold reception from
Nadia really tainted our perception of Venice.
Darrell
Manitoba, Canada, Canada 08/13/02
Are Hotel Reservations Needed
Just traveled through Italy for 1 month and used all of Ricks hotels and
had confirmed reservations before I left home, I took my emailed confirmations
with me and had no problems. I was real glad I had reservations because
first off we are a family and next it would of made things more chaotic
and confusing not having them. Also I really enjoyed contacted all the hotels
and seeing their websites before I left; a lot of the fun of the trip is
planning it before you even leave the your hometown. One more thing, I stayed
at Hotel Oceania in Rome and it was very nice but they have new rooms and
old rooms with a huge difference between the two but both are the same price,
I was told that the new rooms were not triples so I could not have one,
so request a new room. Hotel Silla in Florence was heavenly!
Maureen <email>
North Palm Beach, FL USA 08/10/02
Reservations
ALWAYS book ahead for the following locations: Venice; Amsterdam; Cinque
Terre (especially if you want a room with an ocean view or to stay in Vernazza);
Florence. You'll be glad you called ahead! Most other big cities (London,
Rome, etc. and anywhere in Switzerland) will have open rooms in abundance.
Heather
Dallas, TX USA 08/09/02
Yes and no?
Depending on your travel style and how set your schedule are do you need
reservations. For Brugge this year reservations are a must if you know exactly
when you are going to be there. We traveled this year with a set plan on
where we wanted to go and do. But we left the hotels up to where we were
when we needed one. The headache of finding a room in a foreign country
with no one around who speaks American, (English is a different language;),
especially when you're exhausted and can't find a hotel anywhere, made me
wish sometimes I had made a couple reservations. However, when I did make
a reservation into Copenhagen, they were canceled before I got there. Also
in the end, looking back, the best nights, motels, and people were in towns
that were 'sold out'. The flexibility to change your mind was nice also.
You could go a little further or stop early. If you are not into the headache
of looking for a room after 10 hours of riding and you know exactly where
you want to stay and what hotel, book it as early as possible. If I go back
and don't take a Rick Steve's tour, I will make reservations before I leave.
I now know the places I want to see and where I want to stay.
Doug <email>
Youngsville, NC USA 08/05/02
Reservations at Nardizzi meaningless
Traveling as a family of 3 and needing triple rooms, we always make reservations
early. We recently found out that reservations do not always guarantee a
room. July 21, we arrived at the Hotel Nardizzi in Rome with confirmed reservations,
having provided credit card info and informed of 7:30 PM arrival. Upon arrival,
our reservation was acknowledged but we were told that our room was at another
hotel, a 3 star near the Spanish steps. Because I had read on this board
of another person (11/24 posting) being sent to another hotel from the Nardizzi
with bad results, I refused. Luck was with us - - we went one floor down
to the Hotel Oceania and Stefano very kindly offered a double room into
which he would move a third bed. The room was beautiful - a corner with
view, great bath, and strong air conditioning. The Oceania is a gem - we
made a reservation and stayed there a second time during our trip. We will
continue to make reservations for future travel because we cannot always
count on such great luck and kindness that we found at the Oceania.
Suzanne <email>
Columbus, OH USA 08/02/02
No to Reservations
In general I do not want resevations. I will usually make resevations for
the first and last nights of a trip or when in certain high demand areas
such as Paris. I do a lot of planning ahead using Rick's books and the internet
to know what is available where we are going and bring the reference material
with us. We rent a car and drive just so that we can stay "loose". We just
returned from a 4 week trip using this philosophy. I never would have planned
on how long we actually spent at Het Loo Palace or the Open Air Museum in
Arnhem. If we had advance resevations we would have had to cut our time
short at these places. I definitely would not have planned on staying in
Arcen and would have missed a wonderful B&B and small town (see my posting
in New Back Doors).
Bob Sheldon <email>
Reading, PA USA 07/25/02
Are Hotel reservations nec?
Yes if travelling with a family
barry <email>
Edmonton, AB Canada 07/22/02
Barcelona - Make reservations, IN ADVANCE!
For Barcelona, make sure that you book a nice (expensive) hotel in advance.
My husband and I stayed at a pension ba'hia on Las Ramblas, and it was so
disgusting that we couldn't stand to be there. The price was the same as
many lovely hotels we stayed in during our trip through Spain, but the internet
website is quite deceiving about the quality of the property. We searched
desperately for another room that day but couldn't find one for less than
285 Euros. This event caused us to leave Barcelona after only one day since
we couldn't stand to be in our room, and couldn't find another one on short
notice without paying an excrutiating premium. Barcelona will definitely
be a splurge town for us next time in regards to hotel expenses, but we
will most definitely book our rooms well in advance. Plan to spend over
100 a night for a nice room for two.
traveler
USA 07/18/02
France, Switz, Italy--June 2002
Making reservations ahead of time is highly recommended for families...
especially if you need two rooms. Hotels are heavily booked in the summertime,
and you save quality time and your sanity not searching for an available
hotel at the last minute and at highest prices. Book hotels online and mention
Rick Steves' name for discounts.
Save yourself alot of frustration by DEFINITELY purchasing good city maps BEFORE YOU LEAVE. Do not rely only on Rick Steves' guide maps; as they are VAGUE, not drawn to scale, and do not supply complete information necessary to easily locate and walk to your hotel from the train stations. It's maddening to be lost and dragging your luggage through crowded city streets without the information you need, during a heat wave of 105 degrees!
Make laminated information cards (hotels, train/airlines, currency conversion, language etc.) for quick reference and use when communication is confusing with a clerk or taxi driver.
Convenient and Nice Hotel Recommendations: FRANCE ***Hotel D'Orsay, Paris - **Hotel Turenne, Colmar - SWITZERLAND ***Best Western Chalet Oberland, Interlaken (no air conditioning/usually not needed) - ITALY ****Hotel Metropole & Suisse, Lake Como - ***Palazzo Castiglioni-Relais B&B, Florence - ***Hotel Duomo, Siena - ***Hotel Minerva, Sorrento (excellent), ***Hotel Aberdeen, Rome (excellent).
The only accomodation we were not pleased with was ***Cŕ della Corte B&B, Venice (bleak location, 4th floor rooms with no elevator, marginal/not working swamp coolers, tiny bathrooms/showers, torn screens, and mosquitos). However, I must say that the people there were VERY NICE and greeted us warmly.
If you are a first-time visitor to Rome, we highly recommend booking
a walking tour with Through Eternity Cultural Association, www.througheternity.com.
It's totally worth the price time wise, information wise, and enjoyment
wise. Our guide was Claire from England, and she was EXCELLENT!
Estes Family of Five <email>
Auburn, CA USA 07/01/02
Brugge, Haarlem,Bacharach,Zell, Reims, Brussels
We just returned from our trip and had reservations for most of the trip.
I've traveled without them using Rick's book but find the time to stop and
call distracting from our travel time. Our past two trips I've made our
reservations on line and have had written confirmations that I carry with
me. I call ahead to confirm if I have time, otherwise we know the risk and
take our chance. Last trip we had one "lost" reservation in Italy, but this
trip we had a 100% expecting us. Here is where we stayed:
Brugge: 2 nights our first choice B&B was booked and they referred us to their friends, Rita and Leo. The double room was $45 per night with breakfast. We shared a bath with one other room; not a problem (we had a sink in our room and there are two toilets available between the two rooms). Rita was so sweet and she delivers breakfast each morning to the room on a tray with fresh squeezed orange juice! The rooms are simple, clean and we enjoyed staying here. Rita doesn't have an online connection yet so we made the reservations through her friends: Paul and Roos Gheeraert from Rick's book gheeraert.brugge@skynet.be
Haarlem: 3 nights We stayed at the Hotel Joop; it was the most expensive place that we stayed on our trip and overall, the most disappointing. We climbed a lot of stairs to reach the apartment; carpet was badly stained but it was spacious. No problem there, just didn't have the value of our other locations. I wouldn't stay there next time.
Bacharach: 3 nights stayed at the Hotel Kranenturm; we were on the train tracks. They have new sound proof windows installed and they do help; I carry ear plugs and that is probably the best back up solution for this location. They have wonderful food and a hot and cold breakfast and are very kind.
Zell: 2 nights I have posted info on the board for B&B's. This location was the highlight of our trip: www.black-cat.de A beautiful, modern apartment with breakfast was the best value! I could have stayed here for a week.
Reims: 2 nights at the Grand Hotel Coontinental; professional hotel. Clean, very small room, we arrived late and they were expecting us and the hotel was easy to find.
Brussels: 2 nights at the Welcome Hotel. We had a good stay here. The
owners are very friendly. We travel exclusively by train from city to
city and it took us a while to find this hotel. We should have used the
subway which is so easy and right in front of the hotel.
Wilma Powell Stuart <email>
Bay Minette, AL USA 06/29/02
reservations
In June of 2001, we had a splendid trip in Bavaria, Austria, and Switzerland.
All the places we booked ahead of time. All, but one place either confirmed
with email or had me fax them and they faxed back. I say all but one (in
St Goar, Germany)...that one did not require a fax nor email. The morning
we were to stay there, I called from Rothenberg to confirm and even spelled
my last name, but when we got there around 17:00, they had no record of
our reservation and they were booked up! They did help find us another hotel.
So the moral of the story is to get some confirmation on paper. As I said,
the rest of you trip was great, thanks to Rick and his travel books.
Barry Knapp <email>
Rochester, MN USA 06/28/02
should book ahead for Cinque Terre
Just one more message on Cinque Terre, unfortunately you really need to
book ahead or throw yourself on the merci of the TI to find a local person
with an apartment. We showed up mid-week last week and I was on the phone
for several train stations into Monterosso al Mare and really learned the
meaning of ¨completo¨! So book ahead folks, the Cinque Terre is full of
families with lots of teenage travelers diving from the rocks. But the Via
del Amore is beautiful!!! Just do your homework ahead of time.
Jim
Corvallis, OR USA 06/28/02
Hotel Reservations
Do Not stay at Tejo in Lisbon I did not like the way the Tejo in Lisbon
handled our request for reservation, and when we did not have a reservation
as we expected on our arrival, they were extremely unhelpful in finding
another place. Choose another hotel if you can. There are less expensive
places nearby that are just as good, and the desk clerks are much more helpful.
Don Baack <email>
Portland, OR USA 06/24/02
Hotels in Venice, Florence, Tuscany, Cinque Terre (Vernazza)
I recommend the following places, most are small hotels/pensiones very reasonable,
the next step up from a hostel if you are traveling as a couple or are older...
In VENICE, we found this place at the last minute, but I would definitely plan ahead, it is around $80/night, close to the train station and very nice & clean w/or w/o private bath (more $) Hotel Arcadia http://www.elmoro.com/arcadia/.
Next, in FLORENCE, you cannot beat Hotel Perseo, a stones throw from The Duomo w/multi-lingual staff, travel books, internet usage, and bottled water, beer and soda available for sale in the lobby. The one woman said she could call in a prescription if I needed it (I had strep throat!). GREAT LOCATION! nice staff! breakfast.. http://www.venere.com/it/firenze/perseo/ e-mail: hotel.perseo@dada.it
In TUSCANY, we stayed at Fattoria Bassetto: http://www.backpackitaly.com/htm/about.htm It was more of a hostel but one side of this converted convent/winery has double rooms more b&b style. Really nice staff, relaxing, beautiful location. It is on a farm so expect some rustic-ness.
In CINQUE TERRE: YOU MUST STAY HERE!! Gianni Franzi Piazza Marconi, 1-19018
Tel 0187.821003 Fax 0187.812228 ($154 Euro for 3 nights) It is the BEST
location in VERNAZZA. GREAT VIEWS, shared bath but very clean, comfy,
etc.. It is a restaurant at the end of town near the water, go in the
bar, restaurant when you get there to find out where your room is.
Catherine
Portland, OR USA 06/18/02
More thoughts on the Claverly--London
We, too, scoured Rick's (and others') guidebooks for a hotel deal in the
notoriously expensive city of London and settled on the Claverly due in
part to Rick's recommendation, but also due to the enticing and well-designed
website. From initial inquiry to payment of the final bill, the staff at
the Claverly were nothing but helpful--and even fun. My wife and I struck
up a conversation with one of the front desk attendants and learned that
he and some friends were embarking on a cross-country exploration of the
United States for their own holiday. We were able to serve as guides, to
a certain extent, for their trip!
It was hard to believe that such a well-appointed, friendly, and economical hotel could be found in the fashionable Royal Borough of Kensington and literally within sight of Harrods (our room was on the back of the hotel, which afforded us a view of the less glamorous alley entrance to the famous department store). Our mornings would begin in the basement dining room for a fantastic English breakfast (despite custom, we tipped our hard-working waitresses). We would then walk out the front door to the end of Beaufort Gardens, take a right on Brompton and walk a few hundred yards to the Knightsbridge Tube station and begin our day's adventure. We've recommended this hotel to friends and family who, frankly, didn't know better than to stay in someof the more expensive, but less authentic, London hotels. All those who stayed at the Claverly enjoyed it and vow to return, as do we.
To tie this back into the theme of the message board, we would recommend
making reservations if you decide to stay at this hotel. While we were
there, a few people decided to "pop in" and book a room, but were turned
away. This is not a last minute sort of place. Due to Rick's recommendation,
and, I'm sure, the recommendations of travellers who have stayed there,
the word is out on the Claverly. Still, for those looking to disappear
into London, the Claverly is not too Americanized. Perhaps one other American
couple was at the Claverly during our stay.
Brian
Charlotte, NC USA 06/17/02
Claverley Hotel in London
From some remarks I had read on various web sites I had concerns about The
Claverley Hotel in London before I went there in May. I found the hotel
to be quite nice, the staff to be exceedingly polite, and it definitely
lived up to pictures posted on the web. It's in a quiet, convenient, and
rather posh neighborhood. While sightseeing, I looked at other hotels and
neighborhoods that had enthusiastic recommendations and much preferred The
Claverley. And a remark on sightseeing: I enjoyed the venues, such as the
Sloan Museum, Tate Modern, or V&A Museum, that were free or asked for a
small donation. The Somerset House was quite a rip-off. I strongly suggest
questioning the contents and size of the site before handing over $9, $10,
or $18 (plus more $$ for a map, brochure, booklet, etc.), but if it's really
important for you to say you went to "Famous Site" on Monday and to "Famous
Palace" on Wednesday, then your money will be well spent in your mind, and
that should be all you should care about.
GG Jensen <email>
Pasadena, CA USA 06/14/02
Places to stay in various cities
Here are a few suggestions that may, or may not be, in Rick's books for
accomodations: Amsterdam - Hotel Prinsenhof is a terrific place to stay.
Great rooms, great location, great breakfast. Contact them at www.hotelprinsenhof.com
Paris- Hotel Muguet is a two star with reasonable rates just off the Rue
Clere. Rooms are pristine and staff is very nice. Contact them at www.paris.org,
go to hotels in the 7th eme. Geneva- Hotel Central is owned by a very nice
couple in a great downtown location. Again, clean and reasonable. Cinque
Terre- Mar-Mar provided us with our largest and most comfortable room of
the trip, in Riomaggiore, for 60 Euros a night. Florence- Hotel Dani is
most accomodating, with a wondeful host couple. Try to get a room on the
inside since there is a pub across the street (Robin Hood's) that makes
a considerable amount of noise until 2 a.m. Venice - Albergo Doni is terrific.
Quiet, spacious, reasonable, great location, and sufficient breakfast. Plus
the host, Gina, and her dog, Lucky, are a treat.
M Miller <email>
Grand Junction, CO USA 06/12/02
booking in advance
Just got back from 2 great weeks in Spain. We booked ahead using Rick's
book (for the first time) and found his descriptions of the hotels we chose
right on. I made all reservations by e-mail (very easy!) and we had no trouble
at all when we got there. I would highly recommend pre-booking if you want
the hotels of your choice. In Granada we had a great hotel, Hotel America,
small, quaint and steps from the Alhambra, but you have to book months in
advance, and I can say it was worth the pre-planning!
Ann <email>
Colorado Springs, CO USA 06/10/02