I have been following a thread about someone getting stuck in Italy because she tested positive a day before her return flight to the U.S. Another person mentioned that had he tested positive, he was told by airport staff he could be transported to a Sheraton to quarantine for 10 days. Since I am a plan for the worst, hope for the best kind of person, I was wondering whether any of you know where to go if we do test positive on our last day. Does Italy have designated "quarantine" hotel lodging reserved for travelers like us? In a worst-case scenario, I don't want to be scrambling and looking for lodging at the last minute--especially because I'm anticipating there to be a flood of tourists in Rome in early July.
Posted by
Florida
161 posts
Pj, I'm trying to plan just like you as I am supposed to be in Italy at the end of May.
From everything I have read, it seems like that Sheraton you reference is indeed a designated quarantine hotel for tourists. Someone else in a different post mentioned when they went to get tested at the airport, they were offered the option to stay there if the test was positive for 98 euro/night.
If you go Google "Sheraton Rome covid quarantine hotel" you will find plenty of news stories referencing the hotel. To be honest it does not seem pleasant. Some of the stories I've read mentioned armed guards and people in hazmat suits that come to your room daily to check your temperature and deliver food (which seems to be re-heated cafeteria food, pretty bad from what a lot of people say) but not much else in terms of if you have other medical needs or necessities. They'll tell you to do any laundry in the sink while you are there. The last news story I read was about a group of high school kids on a school sponsored trip who started testing positive and got stuck there. That news story even mentioned bed bugs :( Some of the adult chaperones who did not test positive were make grocery store runs for the kids daily to get them food/other needed supplies.
Some options to consider as you plan may be bringing your own tests to test before getting your "official" test. This way if it looks like you will test positive you can search for a hotel/apartment from the comfort of your current hotel room and not end up at the airport with all your luggage in hand and no place to go.
Posted by
Midwest
2768 posts
If I had a choice I would avoid government quarantine hotels at all costs. Literally - I’d fork over the cost for my own apartment rental. My travel insurance looks like it would pay it anyway but even if it didn’t I’d pay. This risk is an unfortunate part of travel now.
There was a story back in January of an American tourist stuck in a quarantine hotel in Italy for weeks? Over a month I think. She was recovered and perfectly eligible to return to the US under a recovery letter but kept testing positive on the PCR. Which can happen for months but the quarantine hotel wouldn’t let her leave until the PCR was negative. Even though she was eligible to return home via US law. I believe the embassy had to get involved. Were she in her own hotel she could have waited 10 days, got a recovery letter from an online doctor service, and gone home.
My plan is to only do self-tests, and if positive find my own lodging. I’d be in my hotel room when I get the positive so I have time to go to every booking website and app I know of and find something.
Posted by
OP
Hawaii
125 posts
Thank you James and Mira. We will definitely NOT go to a government hotel and will start testing prior to the official test date so we can get things in order in a worst-case scenario.