I was just reading a post about air conditioning in Italian hotels. Maybe a dumb question, but, when do they generally turn it on? I will be there in early June. There was another post that said they wait for the 'hot' weather to make it available, but not sure when that is?
If anyone had hot weather in Italy early June, were they able to use a/c at their hotel? Thanks in advance!
We had a problem with a heat wave in N. Italy in early Sept. We were told it was not the date to turn a/c on. This has happened other times too. It seems like the govt regulates it.
We were so happy to escape to a cooler Switzerland.
I was able to use a/c in my hotel room in Orvieto (north of Rome) in late May 2015.
For better or worse, air conditioning may not be as readily available this year as it has in the past. Italy is adopting an energy rationing regulation beginning May 1 as part of its effort to reduce consumption of Russian oil, and one of the upshots is that air conditioners are not permitted to be lowered below 25C (77F) until the regulation expires next March. How closely this will be enforced is another question entirely, but it’s probably best to be prepared.
As mentioned they have just imposed stricter limits on the setting for AC and it is expected to be strictly adhered to also because of the significant increase in the cost of the utilities here.
Last word on this thread was that the new restrictions only applied to public and not private buildings. Could that change? Outside of, say, hospitals clinics, etc. I suppose anything is possible. Individual hotels could choose to join the effort?
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/bad-news-if-you-like-ac
More:
https://www.wantedinrome.com/news/italy-set-to-turn-down-air-con-to-save-gas.html
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/heat-is-italy-plans-turn-down-air-conditioning-save-energy-2022-04-20/
I imagine that smaller hotels and guest houses would be proportionately more financially impacted by rising energy prices, so although I can only speculate, I wouldn’t be surprised if a number of them chose to participate.
I just read this news in an Italian on-line newspaper, and it was saying 27 Celsius which is around 80 degrees. It also didn’t mention hotels, but it seems likely to help with their costs recovering from the Covid years. So, I just finished checking each of my hotels and B&B’s to see if they at least have windows that open. I probably will be purchasing some type of mosquito (zanzara) lotion this trip!
And for traveling off-season until the end of March 2023, it’s 19 Celsius which is 66 degrees.
The quality of the AC system often varies from hotel to hotel, some have it centralized some have individual small units that you can control in the room. But the individual units aren't always very powerful, so if it's really hot, it helps not to be on the top floor. Early June is generally not so hot too have to worry about it, but sometimes it gets hot early.
Italians consider 26-27 degrees Celsius (78-80 F), to be perfectly acceptable inside the home.
What about the availability of fans? Have people found that hotels would supply you a fan? I suppose they could also be purchased in italy. it's the lack of air movement that sometimes gets to me if it's also warm inside.
One can ask for a fan. Bring repellent for mosquitoes if you are opening windows. Some hotels have air con some do not. Remember no grumps...
I just got back from a trip to the Lazio region May 28 - June 4 2022. Temperatures in the mid to high 90'sG. No AC; our hotel was not allowed to use it. It's hard to enjoy your days when you're up sweating all night, but that's the way it's going to be. The situation might actually be better in July and August, because that is when I understand they will be allowed to turn on the AC.
I've had the problem of no a/c in numerous places so I started packing a small USB powered fan. The one I have is no longer made but it's similar to this:
It won't cool down the room. But I find operating it so it sits on my nightstand and blows air above my head. This cools me down enough to sleep.
We got back from Rome last week and it was in the high 80's F to 90's. Our hotel did have air conditioning but then again, it was a very, very nice hotel. It had been a convent, so the walls were thick and there was a lovely, airy central courtyard. During the day the A/C was on but at night, we turned it off and opened the window to sleep. I think it's a case of you get what you pay for. I hope you chose well.
This made me think of our first trip to Europe as high school students, back in 1966. None of the hotels we stayed at had air conditioning and when we were in Rome in August temps reached 103. It wasn't the hardship it would be now. We live in Georgia and my family didn't have any air conditioning until 1968.
When we travel we stay at small B&Bs or agriturismos and most of the buildings pre-date A/C. Therefore, they usually were designed to be cool in the summer and warm in the winter without central heating and air. We've slept with the windows open in warm months and huddled around an Aga stove in Scotland with our hosts on chilly nights. We've also slept under down comforters in Switzerland.
I'm in Treviso now, and I was in Florence a few weeks ago (May 25 - May 31). Our Airbnb in Florence had AC, and our host gave us instructions on how to use it, without mentioning any restrictions. We didn't need it during the day, but we did turn it on at night (22C). Our apartment was the top floor of the building, and our windows didn't have screens, so the AC was much needed.
Same thing in Treviso - our Airbnb host gave us instructions on how to use the AC without any caveats. However, it has been much cooler here (and the apartment windows have screens), so we haven't needed the AC as much.
Not sure how/whether the AC is available other places, but that's been our experience.
We were just in Italy and all the hotels we stayed in had AC and it was on.
"Air conditioners are not permitted to be lowered below 25C (77F) until the regulation expires next March"
Wow! That is good to know. Looks like I'll be packing my linen shirts for my September trip.
Make sure to stay hydrated, folks!
Definitely book a hotel with AC, and upon check-in, ask for a fan to be delivered to the room.
