Hello
How soon is too soon to book rooms for May 2017/June 2017 trip? This is our first time to Europe and my head is spinning.
I have been searching many online booking sites and BB. Our budget is around $100-150 Canadian.
Hotel - Rome
Airbnb - 5 Terra
Airbnb or hotel - Florence
BIG ?? for Venice. That area has me confused. Mainland or Island - we will spend a few days there before boarding for a cruise.
Suggestions? Sites? Best time to Book?
Thanks
T
I just finished booking rooms for summer 2017 - still some gaps to fill in, but some hotels have very good prices early on. Resort area like Cinque Terre may not be taking bookings yet.
Venezia: definitely the island of Venezia (a connection of hundreds of islands). It is magical in the early morning and in the evening/night after the daytrippers are gone.
In Roma, I like Hotel Fori Imperiali Cavalieri, a family-run hotel between via Cavour and the Colosseo. I just reserved a single with breakfast for 75 euro per night. I've stayed there before, it's on a back street and very comfortable.
I don't use airbnb, but I have always found hotels or b&bs in my price range (less than $100US per night); in Venezia you might consider a monastery stay.
If you can, I highly recommend booking immediately ; trying to find refundable bookings (free cancellation)
It really helped me map out the whole trip plan and I ended up cancelling and booking different places/times in most locations as the dates got closer.
Some places do legimately have lower prices for advance bookings, especially on their own websites.
Booking.com for hotels and Airbnb.com for B&B and Apartments I found the best resources but also often searched direct hotel websites once I knew where I wanted to stay and/or emailed them.
For Venice I would definitely stay in the main island of Venice (a little confused by your terms or mainland or island)
Main land connected by road from Venice seemed not very nice (gritty/industrial looking) and the islands off of Venice seemed too remote for me. As mentioned having access to Venice in the off hours is important as the place does truly get over run with day trippers and tour groups. Worse than anywhere else I have ever been in that regard.
