Sandra Gustafson fans
 

I know there's lots of people that consider her books to be travel bibles so just in case you didn't know, her 2001 Cheap Sleeps & Cheap Eats Paris is now available. I had never heard of these until I became addicted to this site and can't believe what I've been missing. She's great! <BR> <BR>No, I have no investment in her and this is not an ad. Just good will between Fodorites.

Woo hoo! Must buy/order before I go to Paris at the end of March. Monica was looking for the new edition of Cheap Eats/Sleeps Italy--do you know if that one's out yet? The Barnes and Noble still had the previous editions out this weekend.

Gina <BR> <BR>Check at amazon.com to see if her new Italy books are out.

Yes, I've done that. But they have the new editions of the "Great Eats/Sleeps Paris" books (has she changed the titles? Were people getting snippy about "cheap" or something?) way down at the bottom of the catalog, after all the old editions, so I wasn't sure how carefully they were updating the listings. Does anyone have any word from the publisher or from SG as to when the new Italy editions will be out? <BR> <BR>(I'd also be very interested to know if the whole series is changing its titles from "Cheap Eats/Sleeps" to "Great Eats/Sleeps.")

From what I've read she's changed the title of all her books from "Cheap" to "Great" Eats and Sleeps. I also heard her new Paris editions weren't going to be available until April. I've been waiting and will check that out. Thanks for the information!

I'm indebted to Sandra Gustafson for turning me on to my favorite budget hotel in Paris, and also one of my favorite budget restaurants, the Restaurant des Beaux Arts. Interesting about the name change from "Cheap" to "Great" but that's understandable since I imagine the word "cheap" is off-putting to quite a few people.

Wow! I sure have missed the boat on this. I tried a couple of her recommendations on two separate trips to Italy and France. We had very poor luck with her advice. The rooms were dirty and in unsafe conditions. We left the hotels after the first night. <BR> <BR>All these recommendations really surprise me. <BR> <BR>Gloria

Gloria, Do you mind revealing the names of these hotels so we can steer clear? Many thanks! Peg

Peg, <BR>I will be happy to pass that information on. It will be later tonight, I'm sure, before I'll get to it. <BR>I would like to hear what your favorite picks from her books may be. I am all for a nice little hotel at a great price. <BR>Thanks! <BR>Gloria

Thanks Gloria. I'm off to Paris today and will be at Hotel Bonaparte for eight nights. I'll report back when I return.(Please don't tell me if one of the duds was this hotel!!) Au revoir! Peg

Just a note on the whole book release timing thing - an April release will probably be in stores in mid-March. A good bookstore can give you a pretty precise idea of when the book should be on the shelves, and can call you when it's in. <BR>For what it's worth, my luck with Sandra's books has always been 100%. Please let us all know of bad experiences, and contact her directly also - I know she actively solicits feedback.

Peg, <BR>Happy to report that your hotel IS NOT on the list. I would have remembered that name easily. I am sure your choice is fine. <BR> <BR>Have a wonderful trip, Peg!!! Can't wait to hear about it! <BR> <BR>Gloria

I'm surprised to hear a negative review of SG's books as well. She's never steered me wrong for lodging or accommodations in Paris and Italy, and until today I'd never heard anything but raves from others about her books as well. Gloria, I too would be interested in the names of the hotels she recommended that were both dirty and unsafe. That really surprises me. <BR> <BR>So the whole series is switching from "Cheap" to "Great"? I guess I understand the marketing concept, but I really liked the "cheap" moniker. I suppose you can't win--"great" doesn't necessarily convey that it's a bargain, and "cheap" doesn't imply that it's necessarily good. Oh well, I don't care that much what she calls them, as long as she keeps writing them!

I ordered mine from Amazon ahead of time and received them yesterday. The pub date is usually a week after the books are on the shelves to give long lead magazines time to do reviews and such (I work in publishing-but not for her company). I actually looked on her site to find out if a new edition of her books would be coming out after going to Barnes and Noble and being told that their latest edition was from 1998 (!), and the site mentioned that the Paris books would be available this spring. I believe the Italy books will be out shortly as well, but I'm not sure and Sandra G. is presently in London working on that next edition. <BR> <BR>Check out cheapeatssleeps.com

We loved Hotel al Piave in Venice. Small (only 13 rooms, I think) very clean and nicely decorated. The staff was warm and friendly and spoke very good english. It was on a small side street not far from St. Mark's Square. I never would have found it if I didn't have her book.

I have used the Cheap Eats books a few times in Paris (one restaurant in Rome) and have been very happy with them. I’ve had wonderful meals at every location (see my web site for the places I enjoyed: http://www.luvtotravel.homestead.com/home.html) I’m looking forward her new books on Italy as I will be traveling there in November!