Hello - I'm planning on taking the Rick Steves' Best of the Adriatic tour in 2027, departing on June 20 and returning July 3. The warning about being able to tolerate weak or no air-conditioning is a bit worrying, considering the heat wave Europe experienced this past summer. I talked to a friend who has taken 9 Rick Steves tours and she said all the hotels she stayed in had adequate air-conditioning. If there's anyone out there who can speak on this topic, I would appreciate your insight! And if you have experience with this particular tour, all the better.
Thanks so much for your help-
Laura
Posted by
Seattle
305 posts
Welcome to the Forum and I wish I had your same plans. I'm a 9 tour alumni and have experienced elevated temps in my RS hotel room while in Rome (early June), Paris (late August) and Naples (mid May). In each instance it was more unfortunate positioning of the cooling unit which hampered the a/c from doing its job perfectly in the room than it not being in a state-of-the-art peak performance state. I never asked for a fan from the desk and more just dealt with what I considered a minor hit to my comfort level for at the maximum, 2 nights. I far more value the characteristic nature and favorable location of RS hotels and have had THE best coffee, freshest fruit and juices, terrific meats and cheeses and some pretty incredible baked delicacies at many of the hotels' breakfast rooms. Take a look at the tour reviews for the same time frame and you may well pick up some 'inside scoop' and tips that could help you determine if chancing less than ideal a/c for a night or two is a deal breaker. And you can always email Customer Service at [email protected] with your questions. Hope you have wonderful travels wherever you may roam.
Posted by
Idaho, USA
10143 posts
I took that tour in 2023 in mid-June, and I think all of the hotels had air conditioning except maybe the one in northern Slovenia where we were in the mountainous area overnight. I slept with my sliding door open (not ground floor) with a nice cool breeze.
Air conditioning won’t be the same as you’re used to in the US. The temps max out; it’s expensive, so don’t expect cold, cold air but plenty to sleep.
It was very hot in Dubrovnik! Our last day, several of us went back to the hotel & swam in their pool.