Please provide the names of the hotels used in each of the 3 cities for this tour. I would like to review the hotels on TripAdvisor before booking the tour. Anyone who has been on this tour, please comment on the names of the hotels you stayed at, the quality of the rooms, and the quality of the meals provided on the tour. Comment on the pros and cons of your tour experience. Thanks.
Gary, It is best to call the RS office as they do not always use the same hotels. I took the tour in 2011 and we stayed at the Pensione Guerrato in Venice, the Hotel Torre Guelfa in Florence and the Aberdeen in Rome. They were comfortable hotels and well located but not necessarily used on tours
this year.
I think many of the people on this helpline who have taken any of the Rick Steves' tours might say the hotel are great and better than what they expected. Rick's descriptions of hotels tend to be a little harsh. They work on weeding out the whiners and grumps. IMO the hotels used are well located, family run, clean, with all the basics. The guides and the sightseeing are topnotch. The meals are more than just great. There is always a nice breakfast buffet. And the group dinners are amazing. They serve foods most people would not know to order on your own. I am sure others will have comments. Is there anything in particular you are worried about? Also read the tour review comments on this web site they also tell it like it is. Also review the scrapebook contest entries. It will give you lots of information. I have not taken this tour but have been on other tours that have had stops in Venice(1) and Rome(2). And they were fine hotels.
Gary, As Paula mentioned, the hotels used by each RS tour can vary from one departure to another, usually due to availability for a group of up to 30. I've never taken that particular tour, but I believe one of the hotels they use in Venice is Pension Guerrrato. In Rome I've encountered RS groups at Hotel Sonya. If you sign up for the tour, you'll likely receive information on your first and last hotel very quickly. If you'd like the information before booking, call the RS tour office as I'm sure they'll have all the information. Happy travels!
My wife and I are taking the Venice/Florence/Rome tour in April. The hotel in Venice is the Hotel Belle Arti. Te hotel in Rome is the Hotel Alimandi. Have not been told what hotel is being used in Florence.
Gary, Every hotel I have stayed at during a RS tour (10+) has been fine and the food has been wonderful (except one group meal in Barcelona which was for the dogs - worst food I have ever eaten in Europe & breakfast one day in Dublin where the hotel was going to charge me although it was included as part of the tour). Two bad food experiences in over 100 is pretty good in my book. Tour experience has always been wonderful. Edwin
2007 VFR Tour Venice: Hotel Belle Arti Florence: Hotel Accademia
Rome: Hotel Aberdeen All comfortable and well located
I believe that they don't always use the same hotel in each city, since they can fill up. Rather, they have a short list of places that they use. Pensione Guerrato (which is amazing) is one of the ones they use in Venice, but I know that they have used a different hotel in Venice at times.