Italian monastery rental-any experience?
 

Has anyone experienced staying as a tourist in monasteries or convents in Italy? <BR><BR>I just received a book written by an American woman with listings and &quot;how to&quot; info on accomodations in religious facilities. Some look fascinating and they are very inexpensive, many less than $25 per night.Its full of technical detail (maps and <BR>instruction on contacts and dates of availability). But it is mighty short of info on environment, atmosphere or ambiance or whatever you choose to call it.<BR><BR>Perhaps I am being unduly cautious, but at such low prices I wonder what the &quot;feel&quot; of the place is like...hushed and spiritual and demanding the same of guests? Or easygoing and friendly and inclusive in their hospitality?

Hi again LJ: Since I had to burst your bubble on Skin-so-Soft, let me pay you back. My wife and stayed in convents in Rome, Siena, and Venice. Mostly our experience was VERY positive. There are a fewdrawbacks, and I can discuss in detail. E-mail me at [email protected] and let me know your questions.

We stayed a t a convent in Rome and really enjoyed it. Try the search function on this forum and you will get a lot of information. We found the atmosphere very pleasant and inclusive. We are not Catholics.

We stayed at a convent in Siena, and it was lovely. There was a small courtyard in the front full of flowers and little tables (several people took advantage of them to write in their travel journals). Inside and the rooms were a bit spartan, but not more so than some of the budget hotels I've stayed in. The rooms had small balconies, though, that overlooked Siena - wonderful view.<BR><BR>I think if you use both the book and other online resources (including Fodors, of course!) to narrow down your choices, you should be able to find some good ones.

Andrea -<BR><BR>If you are referring to the Alma Domus in Siena, I've also stayed there, and it has gorgeous views if you get a room on the right side of the building. However, it's a hotel run by nuns, not really a convent (despite the curfew!)<BR><BR>I've heard very good things about several of the convents that rent rooms in other cities in Italy. Most do have curfews though, which is a consideration for me; perhaps not for those who are early to bed, early to rise types.

We considered doing this for our honeymoon in May, but after calling around to a LOT of them (and having a LOT of them speak NO English), we decided it wasn't that much cheaper than to stay in a bed and breakfast, which is what we are doing. There is a very informative book though called &quot;Bed and Blessings&quot; out there, though I can't recall the author. It's very comprehensive and helpful, giving phone numbers and practical advice.

Thanks all, esp James ( I have sent you a message). I am not surprised to hear of the language difficulties as most &quot;religious&quot; speak languages other than English (like French or Spanish for obvious reasons) if they speak something in addition to Italian.<BR><BR>FYI, the book is called (Staying in) Italian Monasteries by Eileen Barish and is available through Amazon.com. It is quite good, with my personal reservations as noted.