Verona Hotel Problem
 

We thought we'd make another attempt at the Arena Opera for a couple nights next summer, as our last attempt was rained out. Our proposed dates are the 17th and 18th of next July. We've stayed twice at the lovely Gabbia d'Oro. It was expensive at a couple hundred dollars, but so very nice. So I contacted them. Well, next summer during the Arena season -- they've quoted me a standard double room for 426 euros per night, with breakfast. That's well over $500 and too rich for our blood!
I emailed the little Torcolo Hotel that gets good reviews, but it is already fully booked (yes, they personally replied to tell me so).

Any suggestions? We'd be arriving and departing by train and would want to be very central. Some of the other hotels -- like The Grand -- are running 300 euros a night and get mediocre to bad reviews.

hi
try checking out the following link to see if anythings available:
http://destinia.com/hotels/hotels--i...urope/28382/en

Neither of these is based on a recent experience, but my mother stayed at the Hotel Accademia and liked it very much.

I've stayed at the Hotel Bologna (the one at Piazzetta Scalette Rubiani 3, right off Piazza Bra and the Arena). It's not at all "atmospheric" but well maintained. I think it caters primarily to a business clientele and may not raise its prices during the Opera Festival.

Both seem to be fairly well reviewed at tripadvisor.com.

Thanks for the suggestions.
Oh, by the way, the Gabbia d'Oro, also informed me that there is a 30% charge for any cancellation. That means I'd have to book now -- but if I cancelled even 6 months before arrival, I'd still owe them about $300. I don't think so!

Just last month, we stayed in a beautiful B&B in Verona. in September. The time period you want would be high season in Verona so a room here would be 230Euro at that time. It is in an excellent location just off the Piazza delle Erbe in Piazza dei Signori. We were put into the residential suite due a problem with the room we requested and it was magnificent. When we return to Verona we will not stay anywhere else. Their website is www.domusnovaverona.it

Check it out and Good luck.

Hotel Verona. Just outside the old town on Corso Porta Nuova, about 5-10 minute walk to the arena. Reasonable, nice, modern and clean, OK breakfast. I enjoyed my 1-week stay in October 2005.
http://www.hotelverona.it/

Danielle,although I always say I hate B&B's, that really does look lovely. I've emailed to see if they have availability. I also emailed Bologna, although they clearly DO mark up for the opera season (why wouldn't they?). I got my email back from them -- but without any reply. Weird.

Eloise, that destinia site is interesting. Apparently it's geared for business travlers? Nearly all their availabilty was for hotels in outlying areas, but they show availabilty of the Mastino at less than half the price the hotel itself shows. But then I looked on Trip Advisor and see than some people arrive to be put in the "horrible" annex down the street, so I suspect if I'm paying half price, that's what we'd get.

Neopatrick, I see what you mean about the Hotel Bologna - there's quite a spread between minimum and maximum prices, and I suppose the latter would apply during the Opera Festival.

It is weird that your e-mail came back without a reply. Was it just bounced back for being to an invalid address, or did the Hotel Bologna show as the sender of a reply without an answer? If you're at all interested, you might try them again and ask for a clear reply.

P.S. I didn't give you the destinia address; it was another poster.

No, I actually received an email from the Bologna Hotel, but it was a copy of the form that I filled out for a room request without any further comment. I've replied asking again.

Yes, I realized the destinia site was from begbie.

It's been a few years, but we enjoyed our stay at the Best Western Hotel de Capuleti. The hotel was modern, but comfortable with nice large rooms.

www.hotelcapuleti.it
((c))

Hi Neo, I have always stated at the Hotel Colombo d'Oro which is just steps from the Arena..right at Piazza Bra. I have no idea what the rates would be but you might want to check it out. Best wishes!

LoveItaly, I cannot find any record of that hotel. Are you sure you don't mean Gabbio d'Oro?

Meanwhile I have gotten back an email from Hotel Bologna confirming availability of a room with breakfast for 185. They've given me 10 days to confirm.

We stayed in a great little apartment in May, the La Residenza Verona House, Stradone Antonio Provolo, Verona 37123 Telephone 045 8001177 Fax – 045 8089311.

It's right around the corner from Piazza Bra along the river.

Hotel Colomba d'Oro:

http://www.colombahotel.com/

Hi Neo, I found their website.

It is the Hotel Colomba d'Oro
Via Carlo Cattaneo 10 - 37100 Verona

www.colombahotel.com Click on the flag for English. There is even an ariel view to show you where the hotel and the Arena are in relationship to each other. Neo, I did not check out the prices. Great locaation, nice hotel staff etc.

Thanks. That really looks nice. I just emailed them as well. Funny, that spelling it Colombo instead of Colomba couldn't find me any reference to it! The website shows 212 a night including breakfast.

Hi Neo, I did misspell it the first time, sorry! If you can get a room for 212€ that would be great Neo!
I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

We rented an apartment from a lovely woman for 2 nights when we were there just last year at about this time of year. It cost about 95 Euros per night for the three of us. It was just exactly in the center but Verona is small and we could easily walk in several minutes to wherever we wanted to be. If this is something that might interest you, let me know and I will give you details.

Colomba d'Oro has responded with the offer for 219 a night including tax and breakfast buffet for two. It really likes nice, so will take it. During opera they require one night's advance payment, but have given me until January to do that either by bank transfer or by credit card, so long as I confirm that we want to reserve by Oct. 30. That seems fair. They also will return the deposit if cancelled 60 days in advance of arrival -- that seems extreme, but these cancellation policies seem to be running that way more and more.
Thanks LoveItaly for the great suggestion, and now that I look at the pictures, I think I do remember that place --it is quite close to my "beloved but expensive" Gabbia d'Oro.

"It really likes nice"???
Now that I've had one cup of coffee and on my second -- I see that I meant "It really LOOKS nice".

Oh Neo, I am very pleased that I was able to add something to your next trip to Italy! And I have not, for various reasons, ever attended an opera in Verona so I will be there with you in spirit. I am glad you can pay by credit card rather than having to wire a deposit, that is good. Wishing you and Lee a lovely weekend and hope the play is coming along to your satisfaction. Take care!!

I guess one must really be getting old to be looking at booking two nights at a hotel and Aida, the opera at the Arena before realizing it will be his birthday on that night! Anyway, it looks like my birthday may now be a little more special.

Oh, Neo, noooo!!!!!!!!!! I've heard of forgetting somebody's birthdays, anniversaries, but to forget YOUR OWN birthday! :))

Hotel Accedemia in center of town...very nice. We were upgraded to a suite. We only stayed one night in Sept 06 but would love to return to Verona.

ttt Patrick where did you end up staying and how was it? I am going to Verona in Oct.

Wow. This is old. I had to look in my journal to figure out why we DIDN'T go to Verona last summer. Our itinerary changed in order due to some apartment availabilities and we ended up in Venice the last week of June. That was basically too early for the opera in Verona, so we never did it. On the days in question here, we were in Amsterdam!

I'd still stay at Gabbia d'Oro if I could swing it. Actually in October with no opera, I think it might be much more affordable. It's really a lovely little hotel.

I did a search on Vernona Hotels and it came up. :-)

I will see what the rate is at Gabbia d'Oro - I am not spending over 500.00 a night either...

When are you going? I see the prices drop dramatically on October 8th.

Here's the website:
http://www.hotelgabbiadoro.it/

I just looked thank you! I see that it is not bad at all - I will be there Oct. 24 - just one night on the way from Venice to Salzburg. I have always wanted to visit Verona.

I will let you know what they come back with - it looked like they had availablity.

From Venice to Salzburg the most direct route does not go through Verona at all. You go via Udine and Villach straight to Salzburg, missing the Brenner Pass.

Interesting. I used the German site and saw that I could train from Venice to Vernona and spend the day/night and then go to Salzburg the next day. No?

You can do that - it just takes 1 1/2 to 2 hours longer than going via Villach. It's about 6 hours from Venice to Salzburg, and it's still 6 hours from Verona to Salzburg. Instead, you might be able to go to Verona before you go to Venice.

On the other hand, I find the train trip from Verona through the Brenner pass and Innsbruck to be FAR more scenic and interesting. Sometimes for me it's not "how quick I can get there", but how beautiful the route is to do so. I'd personally stick with the plan you have.

In fact if I were you, I'd consider leaving Verona on the 8:59 train, stopping for lunch and a stroll at 12:33 in Innsbruck (putting your bags in storage at the station), and then 3 hours later taking the 15:30 from Innnsbruck to Salzburg. Or at least I'd do that if I hadn't been to Innsbruck.

Neopatrick THAT is exactly what we shall do!

I heard back from Gabbia d'Oro - WAY too much money. Not what is on their website for that time period. 280 Euros for the night - 439.00 USD. Not in my budget.

I did also hear back from Hotel Colomba d'Oro - it is 161 E - around 270.00 USD - more then I wanted to spend but I am making up for it with other less expensive lodging through out the trip so it will work in the over all budget. Sounds lovely as well.

Thanks so much for this 2006 thread!

Mom, all I can say is WOW. I just looked up what we paid at the Gabbia D'Oro -- one night in HIGH opera season. Granted it was in 2000 and in lira, but it amounted to $129 US. I would suspect that in October then it was about $79 or $ 89 -- not $439.00.

Patrick - I thought on the website (granted they are all blurring together) it was around 180 E for that time of year. They added another 100 E.

I guess they can.

Oh! I just went back to their website and looked again at the rates. Actually the rates for a double room at the end of October show 130 - 140 euro. But if you look below, you'll see that is per person -- so that's where they get the 280. They also show single room use at 196 to 310.

there you go. I was wondering. Oh well. Too much cash for one night.

And it just sunk in. That means during the opera season a standard double is now 380 euros per night. That's pushing $600! I love that little hotel, but I clearly have had my last two stays there!

Wow - that is a LOT of cash - is it "that" nice???