thursdaysd

So, if you wanted an American hotel, why didn't you stay in one? Chains like Marriott and Hyatt have hotels - generally a bit more upmarket than their US ones - all over the world. You'll miss out on local character, but you don't seem to appreciate it. Personally, I don't travel to stay in a US bubble, but that seems to be what you want. No big screen TV? No ice machine? How terrible.

travelgirl2

Well, we've traveled a lot, been to Italy several times and love it. But, after two weeks of slow, luxurious dinners, sometimes I also wish for good meal served quickly, in and out in about an hour.

basingstoke2

eks, some of have provided those details in our trip reports. Mine can easily be found by clicking on my name and includes hotel and restaurant details for our Italy trip as well as trips to other places.

StCirq

If you were hungry after eating a typical Italian B&B breakfast and had to eat again at 10 am, you have some kind of eating disorder. WHERE did you stay in Italy?

jubilada

CRACKER BARREL? YUCK!!!! Should be named Hot Fat and Salt.
When we travel if we get sick of restaurants we go to the market , buy wonderful food and have a picnic. We set the time, the pace, the menu.

ekscrunchy

Basingstoke: Thanks, I know how to find trip reports, but I want to know the details of the OP's trip...I keep wondering shy he/she is so reluctant to mention any names if, in fact, he or she did travel to Italy..

basingstoke2

eks, I guess I'm inclined to take her at her word. The OP post is consistent with her other travel posts that all focus on the negative - too noisy, hassle, expensive, husband lingers too long at exhibits, etc. Many of her observations are not in keeping with what most others experience. Judging only by her posts, she seems to be of the "my cup is half empty" school of life. One wonders if she really enjoys travel at all. Or, you may correct.

Christina

I don't think the budget is that unusual at all for Europe. I haven't eaten in Italy, but I imagine at the time of this trip a euro cost around $1.30-$1.40, as I think it did most of this year. So $50 for dinner is hardly outrageous at all, if it included wine. I often spend that in Europe and I don't consider myself extravagant at all (say 35 euro for dinner including wine). $15 is not outrageous for breakfast either, most people who like to eat a lot (and I would think anyone who had something to eat at the B&B, even if skimpy, and was starving by 10 am must like to eat a lot) could easily spend that which is only about 10 euro. IN France, many cafes and hotels charge that and usually more for breakfast if it includes a lot. Many people don't consider processed and sweet bread products a decent breakfast.

$100 a day is only around 75 euro, I am guessing with the exchange rate. Considering the comment that they liked to eat well and have nice dinners, I don't consider that extraordinary or wasteful at all to cover everything you eat and drink in one day, if you aren't trying to be really thrifty. I don't when I travel because I don't have expensive tastes and don't get to go to Europe that often, anyway, do don't monitor what I spend for food when I'm there. I easily drop 35 euro for dinner without worrying about it, if it's a place I like and what I want to eat.

sassy_cat

What you spent is about right for 3 meals a day in restaurants in Italy.

Of course it's very easy to spend MORE (expensive restaurants plus vintage wine rather than house red for example)

It's also very easy to spend LESS.

We tend to skip breakfast (or grab a coffee/pastry to go) and either have a sit down restaurant meal at lunch OR dinner with a picnic/ sandwich or slice of pizza for the 'on-the-go' meal.

Sue878

This OP is unbelievable! Why not write all your complaints about Italy etc. in one trip report. I LOVED Italy and you just go with the flow in another country. (Well I did cry when we got lost a few times driving, but that wasn't their fault and it wasn't their fault when we got on the wrong train in York).

I don't think (IMO) that $100.00 a day is expensive for food.

StCirq - That was funny! about them not traveling together again.

BigRuss

All this feedback and here I am wondering why she didn't ask this question BEFORE she and slowtourin'hubby bopped off to Italy.

nytraveler

I must admit that the only bad restauarnts we found in Italy were n Venice - understandable given the tourist/local ration.

Don;tunderstant the if your're spending $50 for dinner you must be for lunc too comment. No - for lunch we do fewer courses than for dinner. Also usualy have just one glass of wine (or sometimes none)versus more at dinner.

I must admit our hotel priceppint is differnt. We don;t do B&Bs - unless of themanor or castle variety - generally do 4* hotels though we try for 3* prices. I admit that $20 per day for food seem like alot if you're spending so little for a hotel - but everyone had differnt values/intereats.

I think the bigger question is how much they usually spend on food while vacationong in the the US. Or eating out at home. We tend not to spend any differntly in europe - but NYC may be more expensive than the OPs home town.

bmw732002

Hey woldtraveler!

Have you traveled the world? Or is this your first trip?

No offense intended, just curious!

-john

nochblad

Please please please - can we now stop commenting on the postings as he/she/it is hogging the forum.

november_moon

I can see eating breakfast and then being hungry again at 10 am - I often have a mid-morning snack - usually a piece of fruit, some cheese, or nuts/trail mix is sufficient. When we are travelling, unless we feel like getting a coffee or something, I just stop at a market and get a snack.

I can't imagine eating breakfast, then spending $15 on food at 10am and another $25 at lunch - and THEN $15 on snacks and drinks in addtion to a full dinner. That's a lot of food.

Christina

Actually, I don't think $15 for snacks and drinks during an entire day is a lot of food at all. That is not much, look at what a cup of coffee or gelato costs. You do realize that is not 15 euro, and even if it were, that wouldn't be that extraordinary. Okay, I don't know prices in Italy but I'll bet they aren't that much cheaper than in Paris, and from what I heard a cup of coffee in some of these cafes is just as much or more in Italy. I'm sure each drink or snack cost a couple euro, at least. I think a medium gelato runs 2-3 euro in Rome, doesn't it. Drinks are usually that much or more.

socaltraveler

"Being an American means we are use to the creature comforts of a nice American style hotel. Big TV, ice machines, soft comfortable king sized beds, etc."

For me, being an American means enjoying the European style of living when I am in Europe. I love breakfast in Italy; my DH hates to eat them because then he's too full for lunch. So I have no idea where you were staying or where you were eating, but to sum up all of this post trip complaining, my only suggestion would be to stay home and eat at the Cracker Barrel (which by the way I really enjoy when traveling in the South, but not as any standard of fine American dining).

I think your husband should travel alone, then he can enjoy the meals as you say above, and spend all the time he wants in museums. If he insists on you coming along, maybe you could just suck it up for him - but honestly, I think you should stay home.

Dayenu

The OP spent $200 a day for food for 2 people? This is scary.

suze

Well there is no reason to eat 3 meals a day, every day, in restaurants if you don't want to. There are lots of other options.

Go to the grocery store and make a picnic, have breakfast from a bakery, get some street food and eat in a park or square, assemble some food to-go and take it back to your hotel room.

suze

<I would have died to have a nice $9 meal at Cracker Barrel and stay at a nice American style Courtyard by Marriott with a high quality mattress we got through a $70 successful "name your own price" bid on Priceline!>

Then you should vacation in the United States instead of wasting your money going to Europe. All of these complaints you are posting are VERY easily solved. Not everyone is made to travel in foreign countries. You seem to be one of them.