Evening out and about by the sea in Policastro in Campania
If you book wisely, you'll sleep better - and cheaper. These five rules will help you find your perfect hotel in Italy - without stress, without nasty surprises, but with plenty of dolce vita. Whether it's a rustic country house or a stylish boutique suite with a sea view: In Italy, there is a bed to suit every taste and budget.
- The right way to deal with hotel ratings
- The location: centre or outside?
- The price is hot?
- Italy in summer
- Why not try something different?
1. the filter for hotel reviews
As we all know, tastes differ. Here are three tips on how hotel reviews in Italy can really help you:
Ignore "breakfast" in reviews
- Breakfast in Italy is straightforward. Coffee and cornetto (or another sweet pastry), possibly rusks with jam - that's all you get.
- Breakfast is definitely sweet. Fried eggs, fried ham and a selection of different breakfast cereals, sausages and breads are usually only available in large (international) hotels.
A sumptuous breakfast is usually unnecessary in view of the Meals that follow in the course of the day. In fact, negative reviews in Italy often criticise that the breakfast was "too small". Supposedly "average" hotels can be a pleasant surprise if you can do without an XXL breakfast.
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Ignore "language skills" in reviews
In Large cities you can usually communicate in English without any problems, especially with younger people. The situation can be different in the countryside. Hosts here often have a maximum of two standard phrases in English up their sleeves. Many holidaymakers penalise this severely in their reviews - but what are your hands and feet and Google Translate for? The experience is guaranteed to be unique and you will speak at least ten more words of Italian after your holiday.
Puglia's wild coast
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More InformationWhen everything is rated exaggeratedly great
Are you lucky enough to have the one accommodation where everything is really great - only 5-star ratings? Either you've hit the jackpot or the hotel operator has commissioned his extended family (alternatively paid review writers) to write songs of praise. In the worst case scenario, the accommodation doesn't even exist.
Be careful if all the reviews were written within a short period of time or if the last review was written months or longer ago. For longer stays, it is also worth comparing the reviews on Booking.com, Google, Tripadvisor & Co.
2. the location: centre or outside?
Almost every travel guide recommends the following "money-saving tip": "Book your hotel outside the city centre." Hotels outside the city centre are cheaper, but whether this saving pays off in the end depends on several factors:
The price alone does not make you happy
How long are you on site? If you only have one or two days in a city, you don't have much time to waste. Commuting back and forth for an hour every day to save 20 euros may not make sense. Also find out beforehand how much a day ticket costs locally.
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How good is the public transport connection
Is there a train or metro near your accommodation? The train/metro network is sensational (fast) in the big cities - and unlike the bus, there are no traffic jams. In cities like Rome, a 30-minute bus journey can easily double or triple in rush hour traffic. Annoying if you only have a short time on site.
Panoramic tour on the Amalfi Coast
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More InformationHow often are there bus and train connections during the day? If buses or trains only run twice a day, it makes no sense to stay in a hotel in Italy far outside the city centre. In general, the further out you live in the countryside, the fewer connections there are.
By car into the city
If you are travelling by car, accommodation with a car park is practical in cities. If this is not available, enquire about parking options (and costs) in advance. Even if you are travelling through Italy by car, it is usually more practical to drive to the suburban train station and then change to the train. Parking spaces are usually expensive in the city centre. You also have to hand in your car keys in many car parks. If you accidentally drive into the historic ZTL zones (Zones with restricted passage - more here) it gets expensive straight away.
3. the price is hot: your hotel in Italy
A general consideration that applies to Italy as well as any other country: the more you are out and about, the less lavish your room might be. When you have travelled 15 kilometres Rome it probably doesn't matter whether your room is 8 or 30 square metres in size. You will sleep the sleep of the just.
Virtually no low season
The money-saving tip of many travel guides to book out of season only makes limited sense for Italy. In the big cities like Rome is basically in season all year round. The days when prices were significantly lower here in high summer are over. And if you go to the Adriatic Sea you can get a hotel room for a bargain (provided you can find an open hotel), but it probably won't be the Adriatic holiday you had in mind. However, the August is the most expensive summer month in Italy, June or July can be significantly cheaper.
Find out in advance about additional costs
Life is easier if you clarify a few things in advance. Especially in small accommodations, there is no 24-hour reception. If you arrive very late, you sometimes have to pay a late check-in at the hotel in Italy (usually around 20 euros). If you are travelling by car, ask about possible parking fees (see above).
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4. on the road in summer
If you're travelling in Italy in the height of summer, a room with air conditioning is almost essential (unless you're tough when it comes to heat). Alternatively, there are also (naturally) cool options for sleeping, such as in the Trulli in Apulia or the caves in Basilicata. Due to the massive rise in energy prices in Italy, some smaller hoteliers in Italy have already announced that they will charge separately for air conditioning.
5. your hotel in Italy: something different?
You are in BELLA ITALIA! Time for something new, time for bella vita. Why not do something different? You always sleep in international hotel chains with the same international standards - so why not stay in an agriturismo? In a farmhouse, usually sustainable, which also offers rooms, usually sensational food and local produce. Agriturismo are available in all price ranges.
