lola34

My husband and I will be going to venice, florence, and Rome. In venice and florence, the hotels state laundry as one of the amenities. Having never been out of the US. We are staying in 3 star hotels. Does this mean that we just bring our detergent and fabric softener and we can wash and dry our clothes at these hotels? I know that Italy typically dont use dryers to dry their clothes. We want to pack accordingly, please advise. Also, can we carry non liquid detergent and fabric softener in the airplane. We are flying Lufthansa. THANKS!

ira

Hi L,

<...the hotels state laundry as one of the amenities. ...We are staying in 3 star hotels. Does this mean that we just bring our detergent and fabric softener and we can wash and dry our clothes at these hotels?<

No, dear child. It means that you can put your laundry in a large bag and it will be taken away and returned to you. The cost will be added to your hotel bill.

>..can we carry non liquid detergent and fabric softener in the airplane?<

Don't bother. If you decide to use a laundromat, you can buy the products there.

ecat

Lola,

Correct me if I am wrong but I think the hotel ammenity of laundry is that they would do it for you - at a cost.

Even if they do have this offer the ammenity for a self serve use - you would just purchase detergent there, in Italy, and not bring it on the plane.

LJ

And, this is Italy, so it won't be done as fast as you might expect in the US...it is unlikely to be an overnight service in a 3-star hotel, so don't plan on laundry service for a stay fewer than 3 days.

Dayle

On my last Italy trip, I did have overnight laundry service at 4 different hotels, 2 3* and 2 4*. All were just perfecto.

Neopolitan

And if you are using the hotel service realize that it is pretty cost prohibitive for most of us mere mortals. I'm not talking about the 7 to 10 euro for a shirt, but something like 3 or 4 euro per pair of socks or 5 per pair of underwear. A week's worth of regular laundry can easily cost $100.

blackduff

For use of one's laundry for one week is usually the equivalent of $75.00. This isn't too much but it would be seven sets of socks, seven pairs of shorts, maybe five shirts and possibly a pair of washable jeans. I would travelling for two months per trip, so I had to use the hotel facilities. The company always complained but this is the price-all over the world.

Blackduff

Neopolitan

Blackduff, compared to the laundry lists I've seen in Italian hotels, I said you got a very good deal if you got all that done for $75. In fact, I'd usually expect that much just for the five shirts and the jeans.

The best deal I ever got was in Positano when the hotel apologized that they wouldn't be able to get the laundry done over the weekend. But they sent one of the maids to my room who would take it all home and bring it back the next day. As I recall, two weeks worth of laundry for two of us -- a huge pile -- cost us about $5 or maybe $10. And it was the first time I've ever worn ironed socks and underwear!

GattoBaci

We have had laundry regulary sent out in Florence (usually our mid-way point)and had it delivered to our room (3* hotel) the next day, neatly wrapped and ready to go.

Granted, it's not cheap but in our experience nowhere near the prices listed by the previous poster. It's worth it to us for the convenience and being able to travel lighter.

We don't send out underwear and socks but wash those out in the room (Woolite, packed in our suitcase.)

Statia

I usually just go to a laundromat and do it myself. That would certainly be cheaper, but don't know if the option interests you, lola. Often there is a nearby (or even attached) inernet cafe where I use the time to jot off a note to family and friends.

Budman

When we were in Montepulciano, there was a laundry where you dropped off your stuff in the morning and picked it up in the evening or next day. They charged by the kilo. I had a bunch of stuff that they washed/dryed and folded, and it cost me 10 Euro. I considered it a deal as I didn't have to waste my time there for several hours.

textraveler

My two experiences with Italian laundry: Once our traveling companions in Rome took their laundry to a commercial laundry that happened to be near the hotel. Pricy but well cleaned and ironed (to a fare-thee-well!). That was in 1999 and I can't recall the prices, but they were pleased with the results.

Then another time in Florence, another couple of traveling companions took their laundry to a laundromat themselves one Sunday afternoon. Their clothes came out very dingy and grey-ish; perhaps the person before had washed something with motor oil?

Meanwhile, my husband and I spent the day on a side trip to Lucca and Pisa and didn't worry about laundry other than washing socks and undies in our hotel sink.

LoveItaly

I have many times taken laundry to the type that washes, dries and folds them up for you. Sort of a nice go-between of paying the hotel prices which are always so high and going to a laundromat and doing it yourself.

I did "learn" the other day from Neopolitan though that putting your dirty laundry in your rolling suitcase to get it to the laundry is much smarter than putting it in a laundry bag and schlepping it that way, lol.

When I have used dry cleaners in Italy I have found they never put anything on hangers. When I have had dresses drycleaned even those are folded and wrapped in paper. So one does have some creases which is irritating. I have than hung the dresses in the bathroom when taking a hot shower, that seems to help getting rid of the creases. Guess the secret is to try to figure out the time that the dressed will be wrapped up and pick them up immediately..but I don't know how to work that out.

Bill_Bolton

> Does this mean that we just bring our detergent and fabric softener and
> we can wash and dry our clothes at these hotels?

In hotel-speak that sort of facility is usally called a "guest laundry" (or similar). If it just says "laundry" it means a send-out laundry service!

Cheers,

Bill

lola34

Just got back from Italy the end of September. You'll were right about the laundry. 4 euros for a shirt and also for a pair of shorts. We were there when there was a transportations strike, so no laundry was able to be sent out on the day I had requested. The hotel told us about a laundromat near by and so we were able to wash and dry a load for a total of 7 euros. It only took an hour to wash and dry them. During that time we journaled about our trip. Much more reasonable than the prices of the laundry service. Hope this helps someone.

Mimar

We usually try to find a laundromat. Rick Steves' books are a good source of laundromat locations. I kind of enjoy time spent there. Usually lots of locals around. But the dryers are very slow, compared to American ones. (So don't bring jeans!)

However, the drop-off, pick-up laundry is much more common in Italy. They usually do the load in less than a day.

We only wash clothes about once every week and a half or 2 weeks. In between, it's wash 'em out in the hotel room sink.

suze

lola- thanks for checking back with us and letting us know how things turned out. always appreciated around here!