This is our first trip to Europe. How far in advance should we book? We've already begun the research phase and have been very thankful for all the info and insider tips this forum has provided.

We're planning on going in Oct. 2007.

Venice, Florence, Umbria, Tuscany, possibly Portofino and Naples.

We are looking at 3 weeks. We're just getting started and nothing but Venice, Tuscany and Umbria are for sures.

Book as soon as your plans are firm. The best places are usually taken first. What's the benefit in waiting (unless some hotel demands non-refundable payment in full up front)?

Not now! For summer 2007, booking will start in a major way in Feb, Mar, April 2007. Oct is already low season so you can wait until summer 2007 if you wish. Plans change.

Based on my research for our Oct. 2006 trip to Italy, most hotels view October as high season, and charge accordingly!

When you book (and what you book) depends on when you're going in Oct. of 2007. We're going to Italy at the beginning of October, and my first-choice hotel in Venice is already booked up. For your flights, if you plan to use FF miles, book as soon as you possibly can.

October is definitely high season in Italy (even highest season, if such a thing exists). For Umbria and Naples, there is no need to hurry. For Venice, Tuscany and Liguria, booking half a year in advance would already be very late. The owner of my favourite vacation apartment in Venice always tells me to book no later than eight months in advance, and in fact, I did already fail to secure his apartment when not sticking to this advice.
Now, of course, it's still VERY early to book, but if you can already be decisive on Oct. 2007, why not book now? It doesn't hurt...

Hi A,

Very few hotels will take bookings more than a year in advance.

Grazie for the great advice.

Next question, do most hotels/inns require a deposit upfront or can you hold w/ a credit card just like here in the U.S.?

I wish it were this October and not next year!

I usually making a note of price and availabilities of flights and hotels more than a year in advance, like now for you. I do this at least once a month. This way, you have a record of the most recent trend of prices and availabilities that meet your need.

Next year when you do actual booking, presuming no major economic changes, you have a pretty good idea how far in advance you need to make reservations based on availabilities and prices.

Payment policies are individually different. From my experience, I can say that the best places always demand full payment up front (though usually refundable unless you cancel during the last month).

Once again....Thank you for the advice!

My experience has been quite the opposite from franco's. Rarely if ever have I had to prepay a hotel in Italy. Maybe that's because I always book directly with the hotel and not with an agency. Actually the couple that have required advance payment were either a first night's only deposit or else were for resort type beach hotels in high season.
Regular four star hotels I've booked in Rome, Venice, and Florence for example have never required pre payment.

Now that I stay in apartments, I'm more likely to have to prepay, but even then both apartments I'm renting this summer in Venice and Rome have only required a very minimal downpayment (the Venice one only required a personal check for deposit in dollars which he is not even cashing).

By the way, I normally book ALL my hotels about 10 months ahead. In a couple of cases I could not get my preferred type of room at that date as they were already booked.