In Italy - Need help :)

Sounds like it's your first trip to Italy, right? What is your budget? Are there two of you and will you share a room? I suggest Verona. Using Booking.com there's a Residenze Borsari that's available for six nights for $200 US a night. It gets 9.6 out of a possible 10 from 43 reviews of people who've stayed there. Here's the info on it from the booking.com listing: A stylish property in central Verona located only a 5-minute walk from the city's Arena. It offers comfortable rooms, free Wi-Fi, and a breakfast buffet. On the third floor of a building in the center of the city, this bed and breakfast features air conditioned rooms with parquet floors. They come with a bathroom with shower, a balcony, and satellite TV. The Borsari serves a traditional Italian breakfast buffet in the morning. During the Summer, this morning treat is served on the terrace. The property also includes a kitchen available upon request. You can call them directly at 39 337 46 14 97 and maybe get an even better price. Good luck.

You mentioned Tuscany so how about Siena? (which is wonderful as well). Through booking.com I found an available apartment for a total of $750 US called Hotel Duccio di Buoninsegna. You can try them at 39 338 141 4094 or book through booking.com: Booking.com description: 9.7 out of 10, based on 5 reviews. Duccio di Buoninsegna offers rooms and apartments located in central Siena. The reception is 100 metres from Piazza del Campo square, and accommodation includes free Wi-Fi. All rooms and apartments are set in historical buildings, within 500 metres of the reception. Rooms have contemporary décor and shared bathrooms. Apartments offer a kitchenette, dining area and private bathroom. Some apartments feature a terrace. A shared kitchen with fridge is available for all guests. The property offers a discount for breakfast at Bar La Birerria, which features a picturesque terrace on Piazza del Campo. The medieval Siena Cathedral is an 5-minute walk from the main building. In the surrounding area, you will find restaurants serving Tuscan dishes and shops. I'll post a couple more options since I have some time.

Here's another in Siena. Hotel Palazzo Masi (8.7 out 10 on booking.com), for $674 US with shared bath or $976 for private bath. Per booking.com listing: This bed and breakfast is in the heart of Siena, near the Duomo cathedral and just 55 yards from Piazza del Campo square. Free Wi-Fi is available in every room. Palazzo Masi is a medieval property, dating back to the 13th century. Each room is individually furnished with antique furniture and features a private bathroom inside or outside the room, daily cleaning, and satellite TV. A private parking lot is nearby, or free public parking is available outside the medieval city walls at Porta Tufi, just 550 yards away. Book direct with them by calling +39 34 96 00 91 55.

Not having any luck with Cinque Terre for six nights. Not surprising, at this point. (I'm using booking.com for all this research since I can restrict it to show only those places available for your time period, and I can rank the results by reviews of people who've actually stayed there.)

Back to Verona, there's another option that is currently available for your 6 nights at Hotel Aurora (9.2 rating), for $1088 US for 6 nights: Per booking.com: Just 150 metres from Juliet's Balcony, Hotel Aurora overlooks Piazza Erba. It offers free Wi-Fi and classically furnished rooms with a laptop safe and a satellite LCD TV. Rooms at the Aurora have air conditioning and parquet floors. Each comes with a desk, together with a hairdryer in the private bathroom. A daily buffet breakfast is provided, served on the city-view terrace in fine weather. The Verona Arena is 500 metres from the property. Their phone is 045 594717 or 045 597834. All these places are very well-located. I'm avoiding the places well outside the historic centers.

How about Orvieto? It's just across the Tuscan border in Umbria. We loved it when we stayed there last year. Gorgeous hilltop town. There are two places available per booking.com that look good: Hotel B&B Porta Vivaria for $600 US for 6 nights (8.6 rating). Located in Orvieto, B&B Porta Vivaria offers a large terrace overlooking a park, and an international library. Orvieto Cathedral is 600 metres away. All rooms feature wood-beam ceilings. Each room in Vivaria B&B offers a warm atmosphere, provided by the wooden furnishings and details. All rooms come with a flat-screen TV and private bathroom. Breakfast is available in the dining area, and includes croissants and pastries, together with cappuccino, tea or coffee. In the summer, guests can enjoy breakfast on the terrace. Orvieto's Bracci Funicular Station is 10 minutes' walk from the property. Corso Cavour, a main street in the centre of Orvieto, is 500 metres away. Lake Bolsena is a 40-minute drive away. Tel. (+39) 0763 210683
e-mail: [email protected] I'll post the 2nd one next.

The second one in Orvieto is Hotel Reale for $781 US. (8.6 rating) Set on a noble palace of the 18-th century. Hotel Reale is located in the historical centre of Orvieto only a 10-minute drive from the city's train station. The elegant rooms at this 3-star hotel come with air conditioning, original period furniture, frescoed ceilings and tiled floors. Each room has large windows providing you with views of the Piazza del Popolo and the surrounding. Some rooms are decorated in period style and have a bath tub. The Reale offers a generous Continental breakfast in the morning that includes sweet products, coffee, and tea. This morning treat is served in the breakfast room. Call direct at 39 0763 341 247. You can take a cab from the train station, or go up the funicular and then hop an easy minibus to the city center.

Whoa, Michael's going above and beyond! Good job! FWIW, I've stayed in two different rooms at Casa Santo Nome di Gesu convent in Florence. It doesn't make me think 'fashion week' LOL, but it is pretty popular so I can't promise availability. Very peaceful, not expensive, and a good location. Just a suggestion for you...I hope you get something worked out very soon! From the homepage: SUORE DOMENICANE DI SANTA CATERINA DA SIENA - Piazza del Carmine, 21 - 50124 Firenze
Tel. 055 21 38 56 Fax: 055 28 18 35 - E-mail : [email protected] - [email protected]

Gary, First of all, I wouldn't suggest Verona right now. Opera season has started so rooms will be expensive and in short supply (I believe Aida started today). Could you indicate what type of atmosphere or activities you'd be interested in for that week? I don't suppose you packed along a copy of the Italy Guidebook??? Here are a few suggestions to consider..... > Cinque Terre - it will be difficult finding a room in the five towns on such short notice. The train trip from Venice will be about 5 hours. If that interests you, I'd suggest having a look at Monterosso or Vernazza for information on Hotels. You could also check This Hotel in Levanto to see if they have a vacancy. > Siena - as the others have said, that would also be a good location. It makes a good "base" for exploring nearby hill towns. You could try Albergo Bernini or Alma Domus for rooms, but again with short notice it could be difficult. > Orvieto - spending a week in Siena might be a bit much, so you could perhaps split the time with Orvieto. You could try Hotel Corso. While there you could take a day trip to Civita di Bagnoregio, which has been covered in Rick's TV show. It's an easy trip from Orvieto to Rome, so that would fit the route. Some other possibilities - Cortona, Assisi or Lucca. Another option would be the Dolomites (Bolzano, Castelrotto), but that doesn't fit as well with the overall route. Good luck!

All those places I suggested ARE available for the time period Gary mentioned and at the prices I quoted, and that includes Verona which I think would be amazing to visit during opera season. I specifically recommended only places that were available and at the rates actually offered to avoid sending Gary on a wild goose chase of hotels that might NOT be available. I also avoided linking to hotels because of the trouble Gary's having with an internet connection. (I'm at home sick today, so had plenty of time to do this, and booking.com makes it super easy because you can restrict the search results to hotels available within a certain window.) Another great thing about Verona is that it's easy to make daytrips from there to Padova, Mantova and Lake Garda, among other places. And you can certainly mix and match among any of the places suggested. If they're available for six nights, they're available for three. (Possible exception is the apartment.) Happy travels.

Wow! Michael you're my hero for the day. I know where to go if we have a problem.

In Orvieto, we stayed at this hotel. It was very quiet, had ensuite bathroom, small frig, buffet breakfast and great a/c. Doubles are 60 euros/night and they have availability. Like Michael said, you could go to Siena first, then on to Orvieto before Rome. Orvieto is accessible by train and then a funicular up to the hilltown. It has a beautiful Duomo, quaint streets, great restaurants and its own great wine, Orvieto Classico. You will definitely enjoy this hilltown. From here, it's a one hour train into Rome. Enjoy! Hotel Valentino *** Via Angelo da Orvieto, 30/32 05018 Orvieto (TR) Tel. e Fax +39 0763.342464
[email protected]

Wow Michael! So many amazing and incredibly helpful replies! I second the vote for Verona (or am I the third?) If opera season has started and rooms are available, it would be an incredible and wonderful opportunity to be in Verona to experience it. Saw Aida there in 2007, and enjoyed every moment of it from my "cheapest seat in the house" ticket at 24 Euros! I did not care for one minute that I was high on the marble steps -- it was a summer's night, the stars were out, the moon was full, the arias were angelic, and wine was served! Bravissima! My vote--Verona!

Wow! Thank you so, so much! I just got to Venice and I'm having a great time minus my freak out yesterday. :) I am staying at the Hotel Helvetia (I keep thinking it is the Hotel Helvetica) which is in Lido. So far I am impressed. It is on the Lido and you need to take the vaperetto but it runs all night with no more than a 30 minute wait during the late night. They also have internet through VeniceConnected which you can use through out all of Venice. And more importantly wireless that works! :) I am traveling solo and right now budget is less of a concern so I can probably go up to $200/night. I'm more of a city guy. While Lake Como is beautiful, I think I was the youngest person at my hotel by 40 years. And I'm 40! :) Not that that's bad but I'm more of a go out and have a good time, drink a beer and watch soccer kinda guy. I just wanted to check in quick and thank everyone for the replies. I have to leave to meet up with a friend of mine but I will check back as soon as I can. Special thanks to Michael. This is the reason why I love Rick and his followers! Have a great day! Gary

Well so much for great internet. The wifi only works in the lobby and even then it can be a challenge to get on. Thanks to everyone for the advice. I feel like I am spending too much time and missing too much of my trip so I have asked a friend who I trust back home to book me something somewhere. The adventure continues!

You might want to check out Lucca. Was there Sept. 2010. Great walled city with bike paths and park on top of the walls. Home of composer Puccini, nightly concerts. Climb Guinigi Tower for view of entire city. Great location for day trips in Tuscany.

Every trip has its 'freak-out' moment...;-)

Michael,
You are a true GEM!

Update: My friend came through big time! I have a 2 bedroom apartment in Florence that I am at. (I got the last unit as to why it is a 2 bedroom.) He used AirBnb.com. And it is within my price range at $130/night including all fees. It's huge and nice with a range, fridge, microwave and sink and even a washing machine in the basement. It's been sooo nice to be able to store food/water/beer. I'm almost fully hydrated. After I leave I will be sending out a recommendation and full review. It's definitely the best place I've had yet in Europe and very central to Florence. Ciao!