HOTEL QUALITY --- ITALY

Babcia, I've been on six RS tours (seventh now booked) and have found the hotels to all be clean and comfortable mid-range+ properties, and all include breakfast (usually buffet style). However, I should point out that they will be somewhat different than hotels you may be used to in this part of the world. In a few cases, you may encounter the European 3' x 3' shower and the breakfast choices will be more "local" (don't expect bacon & eggs). I find the differences to be part of the fun in travelling, as it's nice to see how things are done in other parts of the world. I've found that the "old" practice of sharing a bathroom down the hall are LONG past with RS tours. "Reading between the lines", it sounds like this is not your first trip to Europe? Your husband may find it interesting to read Europe Through The Back Door prior to the trip, as it has lots of good information on "how" to travel in Europe. If you book the tour, they will include the country or city-specific Guidebooks on the places you'll be visiting. I haven't taken that particular tour, but have visited all those places on my own. IMO, that would be a fantastic retirement gift! Rick's Guides are outstanding, so it will be an interesting and fun trip. Buon Viaggio!

I've been on 7 RS tours and a couple of them were to cities in Italy, including the three you named. All the hotels were nice. In fact, they were nicer than the hotels I choose for myself when traveling alone. If you look in the RS Italy book, more than likely the hotels used on his tours are among those recommended. And they aren't the least expensive. And, just as importantly, they are centrally located so you can walk around the city from your hotel.

Why would you even assume that the hotels would be shabby or don't even ask? We have never been on a tour but have often been in the same hotel when a tour group was passing through. All of those hotels were excellent by our standards but your are uses to five star hotel you might consider them shabby by comparison. Don't know what your standards are.

3 of my favorite hotels in Italy were ones I first stayed at on a Rick Steves' tour. In fact I have been back to the Hotel Aberdeen in Rome twice on my own and I would certainly stay again in both our hotels in Venice and Florence. In 5 RS tours I've only stayed in one subpar hotel and that was in France. However, as Rick clearly states, they are small, centrally located,
family-run hotels. They don't always have elevators, the rooms may be small, and you won't get room service, but the hotel in Paris was more luxurious than I would have chosen on my own and I had a view of the Eiffel Tower. I love RS hotels and often stay in them when not on a RS tour.

3x3 is spacious. I can remember a foot and half over the toilet - sort of an RV approach to shower and toilet. But that was Greece and a recommended by Trip Adviser hotel.

What are your hotels of choice in the US? Also, keep in mind that European hotels are not cookie cutter. I think most of us that have taken RS tours have been pleased with the hotel choices, but they do vary from one city to the next. We did the Heart of Italy in 2010.

I have been on 3 different RS trips to Italy and all of the hotels were excellent. Most were very elegant and much nicer than I would have picked out myself. RS I'm sure gets good rates because of the bulk orders/reservations they do.....so they can get the much nicer hotels in really perfect locations.
I have never had a complaint about an RS hotel.

Hi, Don't worry about the RS hotels. We've always enjoyed all of the hotel locations. But, to enjoy the hotels, know that you will be walking up stairs, not an elevator in the hotel - sometimes steep stairs, so it's really important to pack light. My husband & I went back to Venice and the surrounding area last year - such a magical place. Enjoy your special trip!! Jean

Most of the RS hotels now have elevators. IMO they should ALL have elevators
because some of us are getting older :-) Listen up, RS!!

To add some info from my experience at Rick Steves' hotels. The hotels if not a single story hotel - all had elevators. This was both in big cities and small towns.
Granted the elevators are small - but they all worked just fine.

To say that all hotels have elevators is a little misleading. Some of the hotels are actually on the second or third of the building and often there is not an elevator to the hotel. It is a walk up long stairs. From there the hotel will have an elevator to the rooms.