Odd Question - freezer and microwave
 

This may seem like an odd question on this forum that's filled with interesting questions about sights, itineraries etc. I need to purchase a small freezer and microwave for my daughters hotel room. I am checkingbwith the hotel to make sure they are okay with this. She is on a school English trip in Rome for a month. She has severe food allergies so I am travelling to Rome in the beginning to cook food for her for the month which is why the freezer and microwave are needed. Does anyone have advice on where I can purchase this. And any other advices that might help would be extremely welcomed ie. grocery stores. I haven't been to Rome in over 20 years so this is all very overwhelming.

It seems to me staying in an apartment with a kitchen would be the sensible thing to do, infinitely easier and more comfortable.

That's not an option as its a trip with her school who are all staying at a hotel. I will be staying in an apartment so that I can make the food for the month.

I don't remember ever seeing a microwave in anyone's house when I lived there so that may be hard to come by. You will also want to call the hotel to make sure they have the space in a room for this and the electric wiring to support it. You may have the best luck just ordering them on Amazon and having them shipped to the hotel if they are willing. When I lived there 13 years ago there was a small appliance store in Trastevere, but I have no idea the name or if it is still there.

If the hotel has a restaurant they may also be willing to let you put stuff in their industrial freezer.

In above comment I mean Amazon.it (the Italian version) not regular US Amazon.

Also Coop is the name of the big grocery store where you are likely to find the best options. There will also be lots of markets for fresh fruits and vegetables and meats if those are an option.

I guess my thought would be- can your daughter even return to her hotel room for every meal? The one time I went on a trip like that, we spent very little time at the hotel. Basically left at 8 am and returned at 9.

And then the other issue is that you said it begins in Rome, so how are the appliances and food going to follow her around? I can't envision a school trip that puts the kids up in one hotel for a whole month. Neither can I imagine your kid being able to manage the food, the appliances, and her luggage without assistance. Did the chaperone in charge suggest this?

And then there's also the fact that every mini freezer I've had that would fit in a hotel room doesn't actually freeze stuff. And keeping food cold isn't the same thing as freezing. But maybe Rome has tiny very efficient freezers.

I don't know, I'd probably go on the trip as a chaperone and monitor what she eats. You're paying for trip package food already, I would assume.

Supplying appliances may not be at all feasible. Many hotel rooms are set up for part or all of the electricity to be off if you are not in the room. The hotel "key" must be inserted in a special slot to turn on the electricity.

Many hotel rooms have a small fridge though I never thought about what happens to it when the room key is removed. Perhaps it is plugged into an outlet that still has power without the key in place. . . I'm not sure. Electricity is very expensive in Italy and I would not be surprised if a hotel would not allow adding a freezer and microwave.

Are there fresh foods she can stock and eat (and shop for on her own since someday she will have to do so)?

This whole thing needs to be 're thought through'. There are huge issues -- whether the hotel's circuits would support a microwave and/or freezer. If you could even find a small freezer. And a small fridge would not have a usable freezer compartment (barely enough room for a couple of ice cube trays)

Are there any freeze dried things she can eat? Because an electric kettle/hot water would be much easier to arrange.

What all is she allergic to?

A rather obvious concern would be whether the hotel would even allow cooking in the room even if electrical circuits are available .

Or it also occurred to me that the hotels I stayed at in Italy didn't have very many outlets to start with. Bathroom, and then usually one by the bed. And that one wan't one that would work with an appliance, I don't think. No floor space really in either spot. But a student group may be staying at a large chain hotel in a more modern building, I suppose.

How old is your daughter? Assuming you can find a tiny freezer (which would be a long shot IMO) will she be able to cope if there is a power outage and the food gets spoiled?

Microwaves are easy to find, but the freezer may be a problem. Assuming you find one small enough for a hotel room, and the hotel allows it, would such a small freezer hold a month's worth of food?

There are lots of markets where she could buy things like fresh fruit, yogurt (dairy or nondairy), canned tuna, or various other things she can eat.

I think you need to work this out with the tour organizers, and maybe let your daughter assume some of the responsibility for managing her diet. She must be nearing adulthood and will eventually have to assume that responsibility.

The hotel should be able to help with both the appliances and groceries. They can also recommend a service or restaurant that will deliver meals. Italians are now very diet conscious: I was recently in Rome and we found vegan, gluten free, raw and nut-free options everywhere (check the app 'happy cow' for those possibilities - the recommended restaurants might also prepare and deliver individualized meals.)

If that doesn't work contact Fluvio at Imago Arts Travel. www.iatravel.com He is 'the' tour guide to the stars and can make anything happen in Rome. He provided concierge services for my group when I was there for work several years ago, and also helped some students we know more recently.

My son studied in Florence and I remember seeing a minifridge and microwave in his apartment (which was in an 18th century building), so I don't think they're that uncommon in Italy. If Fluvio can't help, try one of the large hotels or an independent concierge services for newcomers. Good luck!

They sell microwaves all over Italy. They are called "microonde".

This is the smallest type of mini-freezer they make in Italy, which you should be able to track down a version of somewhere in Rome at an appliance discount store. If that's too small, they have others, but they will be quite heavy.

https://www.amazon.it/Sirge-FREEZER3...zzetto+piccolo

I would try to make an arrangement with a neighborhood store to keep the food you cook in their freezer. She should be able to get a local bar to reheat it for her. Can the school help you with this?

That freezer is miniscule -- barely enough space for one day's meals let alone a month's worth.

That might fit one week of meals. MIGHT. And that's if you package them efficiently. I had a freezer like that in college. My roommates and I had an illegal mini "kitchen" because the cafeteria was that bad. If you wanted to store meat and ice cream, it worked. But not for any decent amount of ready made meals.

I also really, really would not be surprised if that's on the hotel banned list in Italy. It definitely is here.

According to previous threads- the daughter is 16. I hate to agree with janisj, but I think daughter may need to take some responsibility here. I just can't see a local store storing a month's worth of food for an individual anyway.


Maybe if you told us what the allergies were? There may be a chance that she won't encounter some of them there anyway. You don't mention celiac, so assuming it's not gluten, I would think she could at least get restaurants to cook pasta.

Although it did occur to me that it could be eggs, and I'd cry a lot if that were the case for me. Italy without fresh pasta:( and eggs can even be in gelato from what I've read. Italy without gelato may be even more tragic from a teens perspective.

I hope you work this out. I really think your best source would be the tour group company who could work it out with the hotel. Then there would be no misunderstanding with housekeeping, and the tour company could take the responsibility of transporting it carefully. If they are changing hotels; there's the chance the freezer will be off for long periods of time- I think it's fairly likely that on travel days they just store luggage and check into the next hotel at the end of the day.

I think a better idea would be to teach your daughter how to make salads and sandwiches, go shopping in a market, and read ingredient labels. Her diet might get monotonous but at least she won't have to worry about the logistics of keeping food frozen and thawing it out and heating it.

Well, I guess if you are checking with the hotel they will give you an answer, but often I've found it difficult to even charge my camera batteries when out of the room, because the electricity goes off when you remove the key card from the slot. If the room comes with it's own fridge it will be plugged into a circuit that stays on when the key card is removed.