asm123

Recently had a chance to take my first trip to Europe, Milan and a day trip to Lake Garda. Had some real good food, the Duomo and Lake Garda were really cool, but in total I was incredibly disappointed and walked away appreciating America even more.
1) The hotel, Ramada Milano. Considering this is a hotel that seems to cater to business travelers, why in Gods name don't they have irons in every room! Honestly the cheapest hotels I've stayed at in the states had irons but not a $100+ hotel in Milan? Also I'm blown away that they don't sell toiletries at the hotel. You'd think that would be a no brainer at a hotel but I guess not in Italy.
2) The garbage. I hope this is just a Milan thing but have these people not heard of dumpsters? Seriously garbage day comes by and you see piles of it lining the streets! WTH
3) Shopping options. So I get it, lots of old buildings with small mom and pop shops etc, but these people really need a Walmart. A one stop shop where you can get almost everything you need. They make travelling in the US a breeze. You forgot something, go to Walmart. You want some snacks and don't want to pay hotel prices, go to Walmart. Need toiletries or whatever else, go to Walmart. Honestly if there's one thing that differentiates a first and second world country it is Walmart, and it's a luxury I learned to appreciate in Italy.
4) The graffiti. It's an industrial city, bla bla bla, we've got cities like that too and they still don't have nearly the graffiti problem Milan has. It is literally everywhere.
5) Service staff. The foods good great! Do you really need a tip for it to take less than an hour to take an order?
Rant over. I wouldn't mind giving Rome a try or spending a weekend in Lake Garda but honestly, Milan and Italy in general was a real disappointing introduction to Europe. Anyways, thank God for American and Walmart.

bvlenci

You'll hate Rome, don't bother coming back here.

J62

Good information, thank you.

I'll be sure to note the top 3 reasons not to visit Europe.

1. not all hotels have irons in the room.
2. hotel does not sell toiletries.
3. no Walmart stores.

I had the same problem when I visited Yosemite National park recently. Suggest travelers avoid that destination as well.

Anybody else have a list of places to avoid because of no Walmart?

StCirq

We're leaving for 12 days in Milan, where we've been before, and Lago Maggiore in 5 days and cannot wait to return. Stay home and enjoy Walmart. Italy doesn't need you and apparently vice versa.

Calabria62

This can't be for real....

MmePerdu

Need I ask what you feel about the impeachment issue? It may just all fall into place.

Dukey1

Yet another TROLL

progol

I think it must be a troll...who would seriously praise Walmart? Someone must be having a good time laughing right now...

Andrew

I have no idea if this is a serious post or not - poster signed up this month and posted only this single topic. I would say that Milan was far from my favorite city in Italy, and I'm not sure why anyone would judge a whole country based on their impression of one city...

xcountry

No iron. Vacation falls flat. The irony.

artsnletters

xcountry, lol!

No Walmart? I live in the US and <i>never</i> go to Walmart, on principle. Needless to say, I don't miss it when I'm traveling.

This has to be a troll.

asm123

Calabria62. What part? A hotel that caters to business travelers much less costs 100+ a night should have irons. Jesus Italy is all suits, do you really like going into meetings with clients, coworkers or bosses with wrinkled cloths. Hell I've stayed at Motel 6s on jobs in the middle of nowhere and they still had irons. As far as Walmart, it truly is the greatest thing since sliced bread. When you're in need or an iron and have to travel half way across the city to find a store that actually sells on that's a sign from God that the city needs Walmart. Milan is a city of 6 million, not Sheet Stain, Idaho, a damn iron shouldn't be so hard to find! As far as the garbage, no joke the piles were taller than me, that's going to get mentioned and its a negative. The graffiti, take the blinders off, its everywhere, and in fact it should make Detroit's taggers feel shamed. They have some work to do to catch up to their counterparts in Milan. And yes the service was terrible at almost all but the most expensive ones I went too. As I've said to anyone I've talked too, Lake Garda saved Europe in my eyes, but Milan is a dark dank hole.

dweislaw

xcountry made it all worthwhile. Thanks.

annhig

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

asm - if this was a work trip, then it might perhaps have been sensible to find out in advance whether an iron would be available, either in your room or from reception. But if you were really desperate, then I'm pretty certain that one would have been available in a shop nearby which reception could have told you about. Ditto a shop to buy toiletries.

as for rubbish collection, sadly some cities go have a problem with this and with graffiti. But it sounds as if you enjoyed the Duomo and Lake Garda so you will have seen that not all Italy is like the centre of it's large northern cities.

Was it only one place where it took a long time to get served? Did you tell them you were in a hurry? Italians like to savour their food, and there is usually no pressure on them to turn the table, so things can take their time.

Glad you liked the food though.

AJPeabody

What business uses $100 hotels in Italy? I suspect an old profession.

Bye, Bye, Troll!

KarenWoo

He/she must be a troll. If the poster is for real, please don't ever leave the U.S.again! Stay home! There is a Walmart 15 minutes from my home, and I never shop there. You give Americans a bad name!

marvelousmouse

i'm trying to remember the last time I ironed anything at a hotel or gone out of my way to go to Walmart on while travelling...

Oh, wait, never.

You forgot to complain about the bread charge, dear troll, and the lack of Diet Coke refills. I feel like that would have really made your post authentic 'Murica!

asm123

Marvelousmouse. It cracks me up that all the criticism I'm getting is Walmart based. Sorry but not all people enjoy dinking around for hours looking for basics at every small shop you see especially when you have things to do during the day and are expected to go to dinners every evening. As far as ironing, obviously you've never done any business travel. I've travelled most of the US at this point and irons are standard everywhere, from Motel 6s to Hiltons, and yes the hotel not having one and not being able to find one at the close by Penny Mart, was a major problem my first evening there. BTW the couple of times I've hosted my Italian and Chinese coworkers in Phoenix, a trip to Walmart is always on their to do list, and all but one said they wish they had an equivalent. Normal people like convenience.

xcountry

Real travellers deal with wrinkles.

massimop

next time look for an Esselunga (although I've never been in Walmart, I don't think -- is there one in NYC?)

https://www.esselunga.it/cms/negozi/ricerca-negozi.html