I am just curious. While planning our trip to Italy next month, my friend and I have sent numerous e-mails and faxes to various hotels and to places for information on tours or tour guides. More often than not, there are no responses back, even after multiple inquiries.

The faxes seemed to go through fine, and none of the e-mails were returned as undelivered. I can understand the reluctance to fax back an answer of "no" because it costs them to fax the U.S., but I always include e-mail addresses. And, yes, I check the spam filter regularly.

I don't remember having this problem 6 years ago when planning a trip to Italy, and most of our contact was via fax at that time. Does no answer just mean "No" in Italy?

Maybe they're closed for the winter?

I suppose that is possible for some of the locations where we inquired about tours, but the Hotel Roma in Bologna has not responded and ekscrunchy just stayed there earlier this month.

If the hotels really did receive your emails properly, then it could mean they don't have availability or it could be they're just ignoring your emails. Some hotels seem to not bother to reply if they're booked solid. I guess if you really want to stay at a particular hotel you should send a fax instead of another email. I suggest you try other hotels instead.

I find Italians are notoriously bad at answering faxes and e-mails, I live here and speak Italian and even I don't get answered, and need to pick up the phone and speak to them. Funny that a hotel wouldn't answer you, maybe whomever speaks English is off. I would fax again and then followup with a phone call.

sshadowcat, I've experienced similar frustration recently when trying to find availability in France, both in the Camargue area and the Southern French Alps area.

I guess emails are easier to ignore than a phone call. I did follow up some with phone calls or second emails.

In an effort to find availability in Saintes Maries de la Mer for the first weekend in August, 2006 I sent over 15 email inquiries. One replied that they were full, one replied they wouldn't take reservations until March, one replied in French that no one could send an email in English until mid February; the rest just ignored my inquiry.

Lack of response like this could make a person feel unwanted

Hope you have better luck with your quest than I. Deborah

Shadowcat: I am surprised about the Hotel Roma in Bologna. Although I had trouble with sending a request through their web site, I received replies within two days when I used their e-mail address. They certainly are open. Try sending another e-mail and putting "Attention: Sr. Giulio Fano" in the subject line. ( [email protected]). If all else fails, call them. I can sympathize, as I have been trying to reserve in Paris at Hotel Deux Iles, through their web site, and have received no response after two tries. And the first Paris hotel I tried to reserve (Caron de Beaumarchais )will not take reservations more than 6 months before the arrival date! Let us know what happens with Hotel Roma. There is always someone who speaks some English at the front desk, so you may have to call eventually although I am not sure why this should be true. By the way, we liked the hotel; good value for the money and great location.

Just telephone.....