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.

Sorry, capo, if I struck a dissonant chord. I understand (the sensitive musician). There's nothing more charming (or juvenile) than a guy who would use a smiley face to soften the blow of a bitter and angry dig.

Grinisa, practically every tour guide in Rome tells that same rivalry story as they address their group in front of that fountain. The majority of visitors to Rome make lousy art historian "students." You can't imagine the erroneous "facts" I've overheard through the years by the so-called experts. Let's hang out in the Forum sometime. I'll bring lunch.

I think Steves would privately admit he's no historian and plays fast and loose with facts and details. The truth is, he's encouraged a very large group of people to travel that, otherwise, might not have, and I think that's a good thing. I doubt his imperfections would ruin anyone's trip. Every guide book has its flaws.

I firmly believe everyone should visit the great art and architecture of this world at least once in their life, regardless of budget, income or level of education. Rick Steves' unique brand of travel has brought joy to millions and that accomplishment deserves credit.

I don't think Rick recommends 1 day and two nights in a major city at all. I think he does know that he caters to a crowd that likes to travel at a quicker pace than many on this forum.

I also don't find his accomodations to be low end at all (travelling on Canadian dollars in fact I often can't afford his recommendations!!).

Having only seen one of his shows, I can not say that there is anything about sleeping in a barn and eating with some farmers family that stirs great jealousy in my heart.
I really prefer traveling the way I do, stay in a nice hotel and not have to carry my luggage on my back walking through the countryside. Even my backpacking children seemed to have traveled better than Rick S did on that show! But then maybe, all of his trips don't include the red faced wife and kids tagging along while they trudge up a hill carrying big heavy backpacks?
OR is that just for the cameras?
I have never really used a Travel Guide by a particular person, Fodors, Frommers, etc..but not a single persons.
This site is the best for travel and restaurant information! Who needs Rick Steves?
*disclaimer*
this was said in a Light manner, please do not take offence if you looove RS~

Rick is young enough to be my son, but I would congratulate him for his efforts to help tourists overcome one emotion: fear.

How many times have I heard people my age say that they wished they had gone to Europe when they...were younger...had their spouse been alive...when the dollar was stronger...when they had their health...had someone to go with them...and on and on and on.

Rick and all those loveable and unloveable characters from "Lonely Planet" (I especially get a kick out of the scrapes run into by Ian) have helped people overcome the fear of the unknown and add a little adventure to their humdrum lives...if they only would get out the rut. Bravo, Rick! Bravo, Ian!

NYFS, lunch in the Forum would be great; wonder if Steves would describe it as the medieval forum. Yes, it's true there are many guides that still tell that bogus rivalry tale, but Steves has plenty of researchers at his disposal and he should at least try to get the facts straight if he bothers to relate a story to millions of television viewers.

I use his books (as well as Fodors, Frommers, EyeWitness and several others) as well as his website, and this one and several others. He provides another great resource and I value the information.

I live in Seattle and have gone to his free workshops in Edmunds and they too have been very helpful.

I've loved some of his recommendations--Hostal Cardenal in Toledo, for one, and have been disappointed with others--Hotel Europa in Madrid and Hotel Continental in Barcelona. As another poster said, he seems to love Rue Cler, which I like, but don't love, and some of his restaurant recommendations are good, others, just so-so.

But overall, I think he provides a very useful service.

You can count me, also, an admirer of Rick Steves. For the same reasons most of the other posters had stated. I generally don't use his hotels, but have on occasion, and found them quite acceptable. When planning my travel, I use MANY guidebooks, this forum, plus other internet research. His books have very useful BASIC information that many other books lack.

Several years ago, I went to Paris solo after about 40 years since my last trip there as a teenager. Rick's book was terrific, and a comfort (and light to carry!) My style of traveling is not at all like his (I prefer to stay in one general area longer), but I certainly benefitted from his guidebook.

A recent thread on this board discusses a malaise of the modern man: information overload. The paradox is that the more detailed an explanation of anything, be it a country/city or the clock setting feature on a VCR, the less likely it will succeed as an explanation.

In other words, products that worsen the overload tend to fail. Products that help one to start making order out of information overload succeed. Rick Steves falls into the latter category.

He has my admiration, therefore, as a travel engineer. (He also has my money, as I have eight of his books so far.) As to his sermons on culture, the less I say about those, the better. But hey, I don't expect anyone to be all things to all people.

Go to www.ricksteves.com and you'll find plenty of people who adore Rick Steves!

Love him or hate him I think he is incredibly helpful, especially for people new to European travel and on a moderate budget. I think he can give a mainstream neophyte traveler the courage to go it on their own, rather than sign up for a packaged tour. Posters on Fodors mostly travel a bit more upscale and have been abroad multiple times. So maybe feel his advice is elementary, or insulting, or not applicable to their situations?

Personally I have never used his guidebooks while on a trip, but consider "Europe through the Backdoor" essential reading for anyone new to Europe and/or foreign travel.

and . . ya just gotta admire a guy who would moon a tour boat on the Seine . .

I have had the chance to meet and talk with Rick on several occasions. He has always been gracious and helpful in his answers to my questions. I enjoy his shows. I used to enjoy the Travel Channel until new management took over and ruined what was an excellent source of information.

I have used some of his guidebooks - most of the places that I used were just fine. I love the Rue Cler neighborhood in Paris. I stayed on a quiet tree-lined street in Berlin. Last month I stayed in a very nice hotel in Rome and got a 30% reduction on the room by mentioning his name.
The Graffiti Wall on his website is another good source of information for places you might never have found.
His website is just one of many places I look at as I never tire of reading about Europe.
I don't agree with his political views but everyone is entitled to their opinion. And as other posters have pointed out he has encouraged many people to travel to Europe who might not have otherwise.

I have long adhered to his ideas of traveling light. It never ceases to amaze me to see people bring half a dozen giant suitcases to Europe. One carryon bag works fine for me (I never have had any lost luggage). Having a laundry where you can drop your clothes off and pick them up the next day is nice.

Maybe Grinisa can clarify her historian facts. (One can find medieval in the Forum if you know where to look.)

The rivalry between Bernini and Borromini is well documented because both artists competed for the same patronage, with Pope Innocent X (1644-1655) favoring Borromini and Pope Alexander VII Chigi (1655-1667), favoring Bernini, and Pamphilj money paying for some of the greatest works.

What makes their story more fascinating is its class-war element, with Borromini from a working class family and Bernini's family being nobles. Throw in the fact that Bernini served under the patronage of eight popes, lived until the rare old age of 81, at one point hired Borromini to help with St. Peter's, and Borromini committed suicide at the age of 68, what more does any art historian or third rate guide need?

One can argue that the legendary stories surrounding the Rio de la Plata and the River Nile and their relationship to S. Agnese are, indeed, just stories. But I've always enjoyed contemplating the mystery behind such rumor and innuendo, especially when the stories revolve around these two geniuses.

I watch Rick Steves on PBS, sometimes, but I don't travel like him.

I think if the people on this board who know what they're talking about concerning cetain areas of certain countries banded together, they could provide serious competition to Steves, who in my opinion is still a babe in the woods when it comes to Europe. I mean, here at Fodors we actually have people who can speak European languages, which is always a big entreée into local society that Rick is always waxing poetic about. Why not create a guide that is even better than Rick's (not that i've ever used it - I haven't ever since reading that he thought that the dordogne was too far for anyone to visit - fine with me :))

I suppose I am a fan. I use to watch the shows on PBS and drool about going to Europe. I couldn't find anyone to go with me to the cities/site that I wanted to see so I decided to go on one of his tours last summer. I spent time on my own in Europe but did a two week France tour as well. I was really glad I did. While there always seems to be an air of arrogance with Rick, there was none of that on the actual tour. Interestingly, we ran into Rick in a couple of cities as he was shooting for the next season and he was somewhat standoffish but again, not enough to make me never tour with them again. It was a good first time to Europe alone experience. We did go to nonchain restaurants and charming hotels but I thought that was part of the great experience. We also didn't have to worry about optional tours for more money that I think is almost standard on other tours.

I would hardly classify Rick as a babe in the woods. The man has been going to Europe for 35 years. He spends 3 months in Europe every year updating his guidebooks. He is on the road several weeks a year in the U.S. lecturing and teaching about Europe. He is getting paid to do something he loves. He has put together a successful company that leads thousands of people to Europe every year.

His style of travel may not be for everyone, but as been discussed on this board countless times, there are different ways to travel. The important thing is to enjoy your vacation.

I will never take his tours as I prefer independent travel. But lots of other people will take his tours-many are repeat visitors.

I am getting ready for my 9th trip to Europe and the 3rd in the last 5 months. I will be going again later this year. One reason I can go frequently is I don't waste money on overpriced hotels or overpriced restaurants. I stay in nice B&B's owned by people who in some cases have become an extended family for me. There are plenty of places to get a nice meal without having to fork over a gold card.

My comment about the Forum was obviously tongue in cheek. However, I wouldn't put it past R. Steves to latch onto the fact that the church of Santa Maria in Antiqua is in the Forum and thus refer to the Forum as "medieval." Bernini and Borromini may have been rivals, but it doesn't take that much effort to discover that Bernini completed the Fountain of the Four Rivers two years before Borromini even began work on the facade of Sant Agnese in Agone.

I have mixed feelings about Rick Steves. We have watched him on PBS many times and find some of the series entertaining. I think I admired him more before we starting going to Europe yearly and expanding our horizons, both in terms of how to travel and about Europe itself in general.

I have only one of his books (Spain)and found it somewhat helpful, although his maps are laughable. Contrary to ArtLover's opinion, we were satisfied with the Hotel Europa in Madrid and would probably stay there again, assuming it has remained as it was when we stayed there. It was inexpensive, clean and we loved the location.

The only other thing we have used and was helpful was a guide to Pompeii which I found on his site, printed out and took with us.

More power to him, however, and I too envy his ability to make a very good living by doing something all of us here love: traveling!

I'm one of those who think little of Rick Steves (when I think of him at all, which is seldom). After all these years, you'd think he'd learn to speak more of the various European languages than some butchered phrases.
And all his "live like the locals" by staying and eating cheap is silly. Plenty of Europeans spring for 4 star hotels and nice restaurants on their travels; to suggest that you won't see/can't meet "natives" traveling in first class style is just plain ludicrous. Also, he finds a few "off the beaten path" places and then goes back to them over and over and over, drawing his crowds behnd him. OTOH, I should be grateful that he sticks to his own path so closely--it leaves so many places in Europe as beautiful and charming (or more so!) as his "finds" still relatively untouched.
I suppose he's fine for novice travelers. When I was first going to Europe on my own, I lived by my Let's Go guides. I put RS in the same category as Let's Go, only he writes for an older crowd.

I have used books by Rick Steves, as well as by others, while planning trips to Europe. But if I take one book with me, it is usually his. I find my trips are enriched by the information and tips he offers.

I have attended some of his free travel seminars in Edmonds, Washington, and would recommend them to anyone wanting to learn more about European travel destinations.

Woody

I have said this before: The only reason Rick Steves attracts all the attention (and hostility from self proclaimed experts) is that people are envious of him.

If you think you can write a better guidebook, by all means do it, but shut up about Rick Steves. He is not worth a gazillion threads on travel message boards. If you don't like the Steves' guidebooks, don't buy them.

Rick Steves fills a niche. His market is inexperienced timid travelers. I see nothing wrong with marketing to that niche. While I do not own any of his guidebooks, I would never trash him for not speaking foreign languages, not being suave enough, making mistakes in his guidebooks, staying in budget hotels, etc. You do know, by the way, that ALL guidebooks have mistakes--and things change just as soon as the books are published.

Wouldn't we all like to be paid the big bucks Rick Steves earns for traveling in Europe? Again, I think a good piece of this is plain and simple jealousy.