Hair dryers in Italy

Hard to predict. Some hotels do others don't provide hair dryers. You can always buy a cheap hair dryer there or purchase a small travel hair dryer at home. I don't know where you live, but Just be mindful that Europe uses a different voltage compared to the Americas (220v) so you must ensure you buy a dual voltage device and a plug adapter. Same with beach towels. Some beach hotels offer it. If your hotel is not on a beach,almost certainly it won't , buy one there then either leave it or bring it back as a souvenir.

Our experience has been over the years that a hair dryer is always available. If not in the room (less than 50%) then a loaner is available from the reception desk. Never on beach towels.

In the past few ( 5 or more) years I have found that hair dryers are either provided in all our accommodations or available on request. We tend to opt for places which might be a bit more upscale than the RS choices, but not a whole lot. We don't go to beaches; but the towel question can arise with pools, too. You'd think that it would be safe to assume that a place with a pool or located on a beach would provide towels, but it's not always the case. I'd just email my questions to any of the hotels which don't clearly state their amenities.

When traveling I bring the blow dryer I bought in Florence, Italy. I have found that the blow dryers in the hotels ( and more and more hotels now have a blow dryer) are not as powerful as the one you buy in a store. In order to try to save some time I have even used both blow dryers ( mine and the hotel) at the same time! It helped. I use a curling iron so I am just drying my hair not styling it. As you will be in different hotels ( if you are not doing the Rome tour) I would rather been safe than sorry and bring the blow dryer. But that is only my point of view. And you must bring your own beach towel. And bring flip flops as the beaches can be rocky, not like NJ shore or Bermuda where there is only sand. Have a great time.

deb,

Most of the hotels I've stayed at in Europe have provided hair dryers, and they've always been perfectly adequate for my situation. In some cases, the hair dryers have been kept at the front desk, so it's necessary to ask for them.

Regarding beach towels, that seems to vary by hotel. Most hotels state that room towels should NOT be taken to the beach (or pool). Some hotels will provide beach towels, often for a small charge (which is not unreasonable). I never seem to have the time (or inclination) for any beach time, so I've never had to use a beach towel. Perhaps one of these days......

I have taken 3 Rick Steves tours in Italy and we had hair dryers in the rooms at all hotels. If you are staying at a beach side hotel or one with a pool, they will usually provide you with a beach towel. Just in case you could purchase a RS micronet towel - they soak up water and take up little room in a suitcase.

I Bought all three of RS Micronet towels, the huge beach towel size, the big bath size, and the regular hair towel size and I bought 2 RS Micronet washcloths I used as quickie hand towels. The RS Micronet towels are Magic! They are so lightweight, they add little weight to luggage and beach bags. They fold up fast and neat and take up little space. They are soft and pliable and fit anywhere. They feel so soft on the skin and they absorb moisture in a microsec! And they are strong towels with a beautiful sheen.
Many/Most Bed and Breakfasts provide only one (1) bath towel and one (1) hand towel per week. It's nice to have the RS towels when you are not sure what towels will be available to you, or when you just want extra towels.
And the RS towels wash up and rinse out like a dream, i just swished them in the hand basin. They dry really fast too.
And they are beautiful, I got the green color and LOVE them.
The RS towels will keep you in control and make your trip so easy and delightful.
As for hairdryers, most B and Bs store them in the cupboard under the bathroom sink, or will bring one to you if needed. Packing a hairdryer will add weight to luggage, and that's not good.

I think the previous poster meant that some b&bs provide one bath towel, small towel and wah cloth at a time (per guest), not that you would be expected to use the same towel for a week.

Now I'm considering the micronet towels.

The B and Bs where I stayed, and they were nice B and Bs, provided me with one (1) bath towel and one (1) hand towel PER WEEK. There might have been a washcloth provided also which I used as a rug outside the tub or shower.
I did my research and RS does warn about the towels. I trusted him about his Micronet towels and they were truly a lifesaver and Godsend! All 3 towels are front and center in my luggage. They eased my mind and added FUN to the trip because I ALWAYS had fresh towels with me, no matter what the lodging did.
And remember to go to the hardware store and buy one of those big soft floppy drain stoppers. RS is right about that too, most/many sinks have No drain plug or it leaks.

What washcloth? It is a rare European or British B&B or hotel which routinely provides one.

I have to agree with Ann. We have found that most of our hotels have had hair dryers but they're not nearly as powerful as my travel dryer that I bring from home & because they're normally located on the wall, they're not as handy to use, nor do they have the "cool shot" feature which I always use. The one I bring from home (a store-bought $20 dryer) dries my hair much faster than the ones supplied by the hotel & in the morning, I don't want to spend more time than I have to drying my hair. As for wash cloths, they are non-existent & I bring my own disposable wash cloths that spring into shape when wet.

@Sandra, sorry I misinterpreted, I have never encountered the one towel per week situation.

Can I substitute the King Size Micronet towel as a blanket on the plane and get double duty out of it?

I take a tiny hair dryer because I have stayed in places that either did not have one, or the one they had was broken. As for the microfiber towels, YES take your own. My husband and I carry ours on the plane to use as an extra blanket if we need it, have it in our day bags for impromptu wading or swimming, to the beach, even on cruises. We take the large and medium, and they are really handy for blotting our hand-washed laundry, and many other things. And I have yet to see a washcloth provided in any room in which I have stayed anywhere in Europe. Of course we took our own, so were fine. Once our travel companions didn't bring any, so searched in local stores. It was a hilarious mission, and we finally found some that were tiny and embroidered like hankies, but better than nothing!

Jan