My italian itenerary
 

I have planned a trip to italy with the following itenary and hotels if I could get some feedback on both the top sights in each. Be gentle Im a newbie
Leave Montreal 22 July
July 23-26 Venice @ San Clemente Palace
July 26-28 Florence@ Splendid montebello
July 28-31 Sorrento@ Hilton
July 31-03Aug Rome @ Hilton Cavalieri
Aug 4 ciao to Montreal

It is often helpful to think of your itinerary by the number of nights in each location. Your itinerary translates to

Venice 3 nights
Florence 2 nights
Sorrento 3 nights
Rome 4 nights

This sounds like an excellent balance of time in each location. I assume you are flying into Venice and out of Rome.

To advise you on sights, we need to better understand your interests. Any hints?

Have you searched for similar threads already? Also check the Helpful Information: Italy thread for . . . lots of helpful information.

Not to mention "Destinations" here at fodors.com...

Our interests are general we want to see the top three in each location and are real neophites, but I would also like some opinions on my choice of hotels and yes we are flying into venice and out of rome, I would really apreciate any additional feedback, especially as San Clemente wants 180E to shuttle us from the airport to the island, also we will be driving after venice

180 euro is pretty steep for a one-way shuttle from airport to the hotel. Are you sure it's not round trip?

You could take a water taxi for less, assuming they'll let a water taxi use their hotel dock. If not, you could take a water taxi (about 80 euro) or the alilaguna boat to P. San Marco and use the hotel's shuttle from there to the hotel.

No that one way meet and greet, Hey guys I pushed the tread to the top some feedback on my choice of hotel per favore

I don't have any comments about your hotels,but have you been to tripadvisor.com to read their reviews?

Hi one,

>..some feedback on my choice of hotel ..<

Well, if the San Clemente wants 180E for what is normally an 80E taxi ride, I think that you are staying in a very expensive hotel.

((I))

PS

I suggest that you not rent a car and take trains from Venice to Florence to Naples and hire a driver to take you to/from Naples to your Sorrento Hotel if you don't wish to use the train.

Cars are not useful in any of those cities.

((I))

I assume that you have Hilton points for the Rome and Sorrento stay.
I will be staying at both this year and have stayed at them before.
Sorrento's hilton is on a hill making it a long (hot during July-Aug) walk up-hill from town. Nice hotel with great views. They have a nice lounge with free access for gold and diamond HH members.
The Rome property is one of the finest Hilton's in the world. We've had GREAT rooms and unbelivable views of Rome. Their lounge has food, wine and drinks all day. It's fantastic.
However, you need to be a diamond or pay a lot foe access.
There is one very big drawback to the cavalieri, it's far from the "action". There's a hotel van that runs often during the day ,but stops at nine. Much too early for returns. We generally take taxis (15E)back.
As nice a hotel (great spa,restaurant,etc.),if I wasn't staying for "free" (points),I would not stay there.
I would stay closer to the piaza Novona area.
I hope this helps.

here's the Helpful Information Italy thread

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34568596

I don't care for the location of the Rome Cavalieri myself, but since you booked it, what were your reasons?
Are you locked in and just looking for a comfort level, or might you change any of your hotels?

OK thanks for the feedback, frankly we picked hilton sorrento and cavalieri because of cost, my trophy wife insists on 5 star hotels and frankly Ièm a bit of a luxury hound too! Dont spank me for that! I missed out on europe when I was younger, I only discovered it well past my back pack years. So Cavieleri is cheaper than the other 5 stars. As far as the car goes I learnt in Spain that the real country can only discovered when u get off the beaten path, But more importantly what about the feedback on the hotels???

Hi
Not all five star hotels are created equal, price may have nothing to do with it. Did you pick the Hilton because it was the least-expensive 5-star hotel in Rome? You might do just as well to stay in the very best room in a 4-star hotel, in a better location, and perhaps even with more charm and local character. Did you look into the Grand Hotel Minerve?

ttt

Elaine makes an excellent point. Don't pick your hotel by room rate alone. Hotel stars do not relate to luxury, decor or thread count of the sheets. They only relate to available amenities, some of which may not be important even to your wife (things like on-site parking, on-site gym facilities, etc.). You should think about what amenities really are on your list (room service, concierge service, swimming pool, internet, etc.) and then investigate hotels more central to major sights.

Let me emphasize that the Cavalieri is a great 5 star hotel, but you really need to pay the extra money for the upgraded rooms and the lounge floors.The last I remember it's around an additional $75 per day/per person.
In Rome, the location makes a huge difference.