??Hotels in Italy via Insight Vacation Tours
Jan 11th, 2004 | 08:40 AM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Aug 2003
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??Hotels in Italy via Insight Vacation Tours
I am thinking of using Insight to take the Grand Tour of Italy and Sicily. However, some of the reviews that people gave the hotels that Insight contracts with were HORRIFYING. Does anyone have any experience with this company? Also, can anyone tell me anything about the following hotels:
Cicerone-Rome
Kaos-Arigento
Sant Alphio Garden- Giardini/Naxos
La Pace-Sorrento
Subasio-Assisi
Principe or Amadeus-Venice
Sheraton-Florence
Sheraton ROma-Rome
Cicerone-Rome
Kaos-Arigento
Sant Alphio Garden- Giardini/Naxos
La Pace-Sorrento
Subasio-Assisi
Principe or Amadeus-Venice
Sheraton-Florence
Sheraton ROma-Rome
Jan 11th, 2004 | 09:03 AM
#2
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,399
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My parents did Insight's parent company, Trafalgar's best of Italy and Sicily. Although some people complained in the past about the hotel location, all of their locations on their tour this past Sept. (Best of Italy and Sicily) were centrally located. I don't know if that's something new or not.
The one hotel the 2 tours did have in common was Kaos. I know they had a good time there because they went swimming with some of the tour members that evening. I also think Insight has a message board, and you may want to check Trafalgar's as well.
One thing to remember is that some people think that when they go to Europe the first time that the hotels will be the same as they are in the US. That simply isn't possible when the buildings are over a hundred years old. Just remember, a 4 star European standards are 3 star our standards.
I think you'll be very happy with the tour. My parents had a wonderful time on their vacation.
The one hotel the 2 tours did have in common was Kaos. I know they had a good time there because they went swimming with some of the tour members that evening. I also think Insight has a message board, and you may want to check Trafalgar's as well.
One thing to remember is that some people think that when they go to Europe the first time that the hotels will be the same as they are in the US. That simply isn't possible when the buildings are over a hundred years old. Just remember, a 4 star European standards are 3 star our standards.
I think you'll be very happy with the tour. My parents had a wonderful time on their vacation.
Jan 11th, 2004 | 11:38 AM
#3
Joined: Mar 2003
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I went to Italy with Insight on their Italian Escapade tour. The hotels are NOT awful. I'll second what travelwifey said, some people go to Italy, want to stay on Venice and I think they expect a 20 year old building, that's not going to happen.
All of the hotels were centrally located and clean. Some were better than others, but I would return to each.
La Pace-Sorrento -- I personally didn't stay there, but I've heard from others that it is truly wonderful!
Subasio-Assisi -- I stayed there and it was charming. It is a very old hotel and they were in the midst of redoing the outside, so unfortunately there was some scaffolding obstructing our view, but not much and frankly, I appreciate the fact that they take care of their building. The room was clean, and rather spacious for a room with 2 twin beds. The bathroom was small, but I personnaly don't need a huge bathroom when I use it strictly for shower and the other normal reasons you use a bathroom for. Some of the others on our tour said they had huge rooms. It is right next to the monastery, and the patio where we had dinner was absolutely wonderful, there was a great sunset and it was extremely peaceful.
Principe or Amadeus-Venice -- we didn't stay at either of those, we stayed at the Hotel Continental, which was a 800 year old building. It probably would go at the bottom of my list, but once again, I wasn't there very long. Others on the tour had rooms with a view of the Grand Canal and their rooms were huge. I believe the Principe is pretty much right across the Canal from the Continental. When staying in Venice, don't expect to be staying in a new building, be glad you're staying IN Venice.
Sheraton-Florence -- Stayed there as well, this is the only hotel that was as central, however, it wasn't a problem, because first the bus took us in to the city in the morning and some people stayed after for dinner in Florence, they said that the cab ride back wasn't very expensive, since the hotel is only about 5 minutes away from the center of Florence. It's a typical, modern Sheraton, clean but very typical American hotels. Yes, the bathroom was big (I don't know why so many people on this board have an obsession with big bathrooms..how much time do they spend in there?), but frankly, when in the room, you could be in Kansas, Atlanta, San Francisco or San Diego, you wouldn't know the difference. Of course, a few of the whiners in our group liked this hotel the best because it reminded them of the USA/Canadian hotels the most....they should have just stayed in Canada if they don't want anything different.
Anyway, I truly enjoyed my trip with Insight, and will do another when I travel somewhere that I use a tour to see the country. I don't know where you read the reviews that were horrifying but if so, those people must normally stay in 6 Star hotels if they thought the Insight hotels were so bad. (Yes, I know 6 Stars doesn't exist..trying to make a point)
Go to the Insight bulletin board and ask, everyone there is very honest and direct about the pros & cons of each tour and the hotels. www.insightvacations.com
All of the hotels were centrally located and clean. Some were better than others, but I would return to each.
La Pace-Sorrento -- I personally didn't stay there, but I've heard from others that it is truly wonderful!
Subasio-Assisi -- I stayed there and it was charming. It is a very old hotel and they were in the midst of redoing the outside, so unfortunately there was some scaffolding obstructing our view, but not much and frankly, I appreciate the fact that they take care of their building. The room was clean, and rather spacious for a room with 2 twin beds. The bathroom was small, but I personnaly don't need a huge bathroom when I use it strictly for shower and the other normal reasons you use a bathroom for. Some of the others on our tour said they had huge rooms. It is right next to the monastery, and the patio where we had dinner was absolutely wonderful, there was a great sunset and it was extremely peaceful.
Principe or Amadeus-Venice -- we didn't stay at either of those, we stayed at the Hotel Continental, which was a 800 year old building. It probably would go at the bottom of my list, but once again, I wasn't there very long. Others on the tour had rooms with a view of the Grand Canal and their rooms were huge. I believe the Principe is pretty much right across the Canal from the Continental. When staying in Venice, don't expect to be staying in a new building, be glad you're staying IN Venice.
Sheraton-Florence -- Stayed there as well, this is the only hotel that was as central, however, it wasn't a problem, because first the bus took us in to the city in the morning and some people stayed after for dinner in Florence, they said that the cab ride back wasn't very expensive, since the hotel is only about 5 minutes away from the center of Florence. It's a typical, modern Sheraton, clean but very typical American hotels. Yes, the bathroom was big (I don't know why so many people on this board have an obsession with big bathrooms..how much time do they spend in there?), but frankly, when in the room, you could be in Kansas, Atlanta, San Francisco or San Diego, you wouldn't know the difference. Of course, a few of the whiners in our group liked this hotel the best because it reminded them of the USA/Canadian hotels the most....they should have just stayed in Canada if they don't want anything different.
Anyway, I truly enjoyed my trip with Insight, and will do another when I travel somewhere that I use a tour to see the country. I don't know where you read the reviews that were horrifying but if so, those people must normally stay in 6 Star hotels if they thought the Insight hotels were so bad. (Yes, I know 6 Stars doesn't exist..trying to make a point)
Go to the Insight bulletin board and ask, everyone there is very honest and direct about the pros & cons of each tour and the hotels. www.insightvacations.com
Jan 11th, 2004 | 06:21 PM
#5
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,098
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The Principe in Venice is next door to the Continental, a little closer to the train station. It's a nice hotel. Though not in the best location (it's about as far from the main sights as you can get and still be in the old city), it's not terrible since Venice isn't all that large. We stayed next door in the Continental several years ago, and the location was not a great hardship. Walking is a pleasure in Venice and there's a vaporetto stop practically next door to the Principe.
