What's the deal with Rick Steves?
 

Hi all--

I'm relatively new to the forum, and a relatively new international traveler (my first trip abroad was in February--to London, Paris and Amsterdam, and i just booked a London/Berlin trip for May)

Just curious why many dislike Rick Steves. I did a search but only found actual negative comments, but not specifcs on why they feel that way (unless perhaps i overlooked a thread, which is very possible). Not looking to start a debate (though i guess i'm ASKING for it, lol), but I'm genuinely curious, as someone who's a new traveler.

(i did buy the Rick Steves books, but really mostly for the hotel info and restaurant info..i didn't do any of the tours in his books or anything.)

I've never purchased his books, but I've watched his program on public television for years. Anyone who puts themselves in the public eye very much is likely to attract a lot of fans and many detractors, too. Would I travel with Rick Steves? Probably not -- and maybe he would feel the same way about me and my style of doing things. But I think he has done a lot of good work in encouraging people to have new experiences and he provides a lot of good advice and insights for people who want that kind of information.

>Anyone who puts themselves in the public eye very much is likely to attract a lot of fans and many detractors, too. <

Agreed. It's a matter of taste.

People who dislike Rick Steves are probably just jealous that he has figured out a way to make money by traveling around the world - something that few of us can say! I like his "live like a local" attitude. I get much more out of my international trips when I stay/hang out with the natives, or expats who live there, rather than sitting at the bar of a 5 star hotel that most natives would never go near. Few of us have unlimited travel expense accounts, and he has some great tips. Of course, not everyone will like his style, but he is a valuable source of info, and I am sure that ANY traveler would be able to use at least some of his tips.

I read his books and watch his tv program when I can. To me there are two problems with him. First, he is like the Martha Stewart of travel. Nothing ever goes wrong or is unenjoyable. His shows are just too perfect. I enjoy watching the Lonely Planet shows more because things go wrong and they express when they don't like something.

Second, he appears to be hypocritical. He is always criticizing tour groups, yet he leads many. He is always criticizng places that are too touristy, yet he is the one that made them that way. So I do feel there is a bit of two-faced quality about him.

Count me as another admirer, and modestly envious. I disagree with some of his likes and dislikes, but he gets points for REAL opinions.

I do have a left-handed compliment/comment on the ricksteves.com website - - there is a lot of good information that it simply not locatable by searching ON his site. To his credit, for example, there is a wonderful guide to the Alte Pinakothek in Munich (from the cutting room floor of an old edition of "Mona Winks") - - but you cannot find this by searching on his site - - http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/countries/munich.htm - - fortunately, you CAN google to this page.

Best wishes,

Rex

Business 101: Many people hate success. (If your bored, try cross referencing the usernames on Rick Steves' posts with the Starbucks posts.)

Most people can only dream of doing something in their life that brings them joy and financial success while others actually get out and do it. I don't own any Rick Steves' products but I fully acknowledge and celebrate his success.

Shoot yes I'm jealous!

I've leafed through a couple of his books now, haven't bought one yet. Saw his show a couple of times. What I think Steves is good at is marketing. Putting a face and a narrowed down focus on the same information that Arthur Frommer and Lonely Planet have been dispensing for years. But he does it in such a way that it's more palatable to those who would normally fear going off to Europe on a budget. On top of that, he is able to lend travelers a little feeling of superiority by telling that people that staying in this list of hotels is far more authentic than staying in that list of hotels. People pay good money for reassurance and status. I wish I'd thought of it!

For fans of Rick's shows - Sam's Club is selling a 6 DVD set of "The Best of Europe" for only $19.99. I haven't had time to watch yet, but the box says it contains 21 hours of programs. I can't wait until the next day I call in sick...

I disagree with him politically on the US and Israel.

I find his tales of youthful shoplifting and railpass abuse disconcerting.

I think he favors rushing too much.

But 85% or so of what he says is useful, helpful information and he does have a great sense of humor. It was interesting to read about how he started his business and made it so successful.

MissZiegfeld: Some people require the uncommon before they will subscribe to a resource or even a place to go. Rick is anything but uncommon. He is the travelling guru of the people, not at all sophisticated. Yet, he offers a very real service to the traveler, particularly the uninitiated. For good or for bad, (there are those that would like to reserve travel for the special few), Rick has shown the way to European Travel for many who might, otherwise, not have attempted it.
We stumbled upon Rick on our first trip to Europe (England and Wales), years ago) and he made that first trip easy. We learned over the years to seek out some of his recommendations and to ignore others (mostly hotels and restaurants). But, he does a great job of getting to what is worthwhile and what you can ignore, quickly.
We have never been on one of his tours (the only tour we have ever taken was on our first trip to China, years ago). But we always use Rick's Guides along with several others when we plan a trip to Europe. We will usually read Rick's book first as a kind of outline.
Is he always right? No, but neither is any other guidebook writer. He got us to Cinque Terra years ago when we had no idea where it was. He led us to Norway in a Nutshell. He was responsible for our going to Pasteum and Aquileia. We have nothing but respect for what he does and the way he does it.

> I disagree with him politically on the US and Israel. <

OK, I'll bite. What are his views on the US and Israel?

It would be too simplistic to say his views are "anti", but that's how I tend to interpret them. You can read some of his opinions if you poke around his site and subscribe to his newsletter. I'd rather not summarize because I know I'm biased.

I have nothing against him or his travel, but it isn't for me. A few things I have noticed that turned me off personally:

On one show he was talking about how you can easily take food from the "free" breakfast buffet and pack it for lunch. I find this tactic pretty low, especially since he was whispering his suggestion as if was something sneaky to do. Similarly, I found the idea of "bargaining" for a room in a small pensione or B&B equally distasteful, but he suggests it.

He often talks about places that are more basic or cheaper than I like. "You don't really need your own bath". Yet oddly enough his package tours are very expensive. It just seems like such an odd double standard.

Not his fault, but he often touts the "off the beaten track" places, but by his writing about them in his guides and showing them over and over on his shows, they quickly become ON the beaten track instead of off.

That buffet suggestion does sound pretty low. Many hotels will gladly pack you a lunch from the breakfast buffet for a fee, which seems the appropriate thing to do.

I don't see anything wrong with bargaining, though. I doubt I would do it myself, but there are lots of cases where it would make sense.

Gothampc, I agree with everthing you said and I never thought of it that way before. But I have always liked his shows on PBS. I wish Lonely Planet would come back. Who cares about Poker tours?!!!

I don't recall using any of Steves' guides until my third trip to Europe, in 1987. On that trip, we stayed in some places he recommends, like Walter's hotel (I forget the name) in Gimmelwald, and Sr. Sorriso's pensione in Vernazza. Loved Walter's place (and Gimmelwald.) Wasn't that crazy about the pensione, but absolutely fell in love with Vernazza, and Cinqe Terre, vowing to return.

On a 1994 trip to the Cote d'Azur (my first of many), we stayed at one of his recommendations in Nice -- a funky but charming hotel run by a feisty Collette from Paris, and her son Jean-Claude -- and it's become my favorite hotel in Europe.

On my last trip, 26 days in Italy and the Cote d'Azur, we stayed in two of his recommendations, a wonderful locanda in Siena (now my second-favorite place to stay in Europe), and a private room in Vernazza (as well as that hotel in Nice.)

I use his guides as one of many, and am not crazy about all of his recommendations. For example, I'm not as entralled about the Rue Cler area in Paris as he is, although I think it's nice. I've also been less-than-thrilled about some of the restaurants he's recommended, but then that's happened with recommendations from other guidebooks as well.

He's not perfect (who is, except for NYCFoodSnob :) but, overall, I've been pleased with his recommendations, especially for lodging and places to visit.

There are a lot of travelers who post here who can only be happy spending THOUSANDS of Euros a week on accomodations. Rick is pretty down market for them. I just ignore them.

I find him fairly useful and at least he tells us what he thinks. Some tour books appear to have been written by the chamber of commerce in each town the writer visited.

I think he really goes a bit oin the cheap.

Also, if you look at the beginning of any city in his books, he recommends one day and two nights for places most of us would want to see for at least several days.

Then he writes a 300 page book about it.

What I dislike about Steves is that he doesn't care about historical accuracy. Any old part of a city is the "medieval quarter." Just watch his shows and every city in Europe will have a "medieval quarter" where you are supposed to go and roam the streets and look at the buildings that have been there since "medieval times." He isn't a good art historian either. He tells a completely false story about a rivalry between Bernini and Borromini in the sculpting of the Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona.