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Back to Hotel Giglio
Dear Initaly:
We enjoyed our trip immensely, of course with InItaly's assistance. We arrived in Venice on Dec 10th in the morning and found the Hotel Santa Marina very nice, staff friendly and helpful. The room was small for a triple, but I would definitely return. I became ill the 1st night and was unable to attend our 1st tour of St Mark's Basilica & The Doge's Palace with Elena. My husband and son enjoyed and appreciated Elena's tour. They said she was very knowledgeable and interesting with her facts. Have to try Cafe Florian, great hot chocolate, best I've ever had in Piazza San Marco, Venice.
We moved on to Florence on the 12th and stayed at Hotel Giglio recommended by In Italy. The Hotel Giglio was very nice, newly decorated and renovated large room for a triple. We would definitely go back to the Hotel Giglio as well as the Hotel Santa Marina. The Staff at the Giglio were very nice and also very helpful. The next day we had a tour of the Uffizi & Academia with Valentina. She was great and again very knowledgeable. She assisted me with my medical problem by helping me find some medicine to calm my stomach virus. The next day we rode with Maurizio to Siena & San Gimignano and enjoyed ourselves even though the weather was very cold. Maurizio recommended a restaurant in San Gimignano where the food was different and very good.
We then moved our trip to Rome and had a great tour with Monica of the Vatican which included Basilica of St Peter & the Sistine Chapel. Hightly recommend all the tour guides. The next day we had a tour with Julio of the Coliseum, Forum & Ancient Rome, again he was great. We really enjoyed the Piazza Navona and a restaurant named Cafe Bernini. We loved all their stories. And Maurizio & Julio, you need to quit smoking.
The train stations took some figuring out, but were manageable. The 2 train rides we took were nice. If one has never been to Europe, find some books and read before you go. Don't plan to do laundry in a self service laundromat, we got ripped off by a service attendant. Either go with enough clothes for your stay...or do laundry by hand in your hotel. The more we got lost by walking into small old neighborhoods away from the main tourist attractions, the more fun we had.
Thank You InItaly.
Julie, Paul & Robert A.
Dear In Italy,
We just got back from a fabulous 2 week trip to Italy. We stayed at Hotel Giglio in Florence. The staff was super friendly and very helpful when it came to places to eat. They recommended two places Semidivino and La Congrega, both near the hotel. Both were delicious, but you need reservations, which the hotel will set up at La Congrega because there are only 12 tables. It has the most scrumptious homemade pasta and delicious tiramisu. They were very friendly and the atmosphere was very cozy and the food so worth it. Without luggage it's an easy walk to the hotel, but with luggage the bus is so much easier (that's because Via Cavour is a long street.) It only took 5mins. There is a bus stop a few yards from the hotel on Via Cavour. It was close to San Marco Plaza and the Accademia. We also found that if you line up by 7am in the morning you can easily get into the Acadamia to see David when it opens at 8:15am.
Now about the best gelato places: In Milan there was one in the shopping area across from the Duomo (can't remember name) but it was in one of those places where there a lot of little eateries next to a bar. Get the local specialties Pesca (peach) and ananas (pineapple) Yum! In Rome, this is a must (we went there everyday- sometimes 2x in one day) Gelateria Caffe Pasticceria Giolitti (2min. from Pantheon and in Rick Steve's Italy 2006 book- great book by the way, lots of helpful tidbits) Every flavor is good there. We loved the green apple, the chocolate, the strawberry, the pineapple. You can get hand dipped cones. Pay first and then order and take it to go. You pay extra to sit at a table. Finally, also in Rick Steve's book in Venice La Boutique del Gelato. We went there more than once in a day as well. Next to Hotel Bruno, you can get 1 huge scoop for 1 Euro or 2 for 1.70 Euro. Very good and very generous. All flavors are good as well. Loved the tiramisu and chocolate. Flavors aren't the same everyday but it's all good.
Also, in regard to souvenirs. Every city has their own items to sell. If you want landmarks from that city you need to buy it there. For instance, you won't find the colosseum in Florence. Oh, we took a train to Pisa and that was great too. Climbing the leaning tower was totally worth the 15 Euro.
Finally, we like to say that we loved everything that we booked with In Italy. The hotels and the tour were fabulous! We will definitely recommend this site to any one traveling to Italy and we plan on using it again when we visit Italy in the future!
Sincerely,
Melissa and Nestor D.
Dear Hotel Giglio,
I really enjoyed my stay at your hotel. Everyone there was so helpful which made my stay more enjoyable. Than you so much for your hospitality and I will certainly mention this hotel for anyone who will be in your area.
Sincerely,
Pam
Dear Jessica,
In the very heart of the historic district of Florence, the Hotel Giglio cannot be surpassed for convenience. It is not the most luxurious setting, but it is immaculate, peaceful and hospitable. The owner also runs a wonderful restaurant (Osteria Del Cinghiale Bianco) that is a must; you receive truly royal treatment.
Thanks for hosting such an outstanding site Jessica!
Brian and Geoff
Dear In Italy,
We were very happy with the Hotel Giglio. It provides all that a vacation traveler could require - clean and elegantly furnished rooms and bathrooms, attentive and helpful staff, and breakfast. You’re not paying for a bunch of business-related extras that you won't be using, or for hotel leisure facilities that are superfluous if you're out sightseeing all day. The small size of the hotel makes check-in and -out very quick and painless. The hotel's location turned out to be very advantageous - easy to find, and far enough away from the center to avoid the noise and crowds, but close enough to be an easy walk to the attractions.
It's worth doing an internet booking for the key attractions of the Uffizi and the Academia (where David is). The queues are hours-long so the extra fee is money well spent. As for other sights, don't miss the Medici Chapel's bizarre and imposing Cappella dei Principi. And climb the bell tower of the Duomo - it's worth the exertion.
It's nice to get out of town for a change of scenery - we took trips to Siena (pretty and quite unique) and one of the Medici villas. Don't waste money on a tourist bus - take one of the very cheap local bus lines, whose termini are at the railway station. The tourist information office - next to the Medici Palace - is very helpful and well-informed, with lots of maps, brochures, etc.
As a general point, it really helps to have a good guidebook, and to read up in advance, if you want to get the most out of such a culturally and historically densely-textured place. We relied mostly on the Lonely Planet guide. The red and white Uffizi guidebook - available at the entrance to the Gallery - is a great help.
David C.
Dear In Italy,
Thank you for offering such a thorough and honest website. We were happy with all of our choices. The guest reviews on your site are especially helpful. My husband, 23-year-old son and I met our 20-year-old daughter who had been traveling in Italy for a month. We all had a blast!
I write for a local entertainment magazine and I'll be putting together an overview of our entire trip, mentioning IN ITALY of course. In Firenze, the Hotel Giglio was a wonderful choice for us. The rooms are comfortable, quiet, and the staff so gracious...we couldn't have asked for a nicer place. We enjoyed drinks in the lobby and chatted with Victor and Antonio, who kept us entertained and educated. Maria and Marco, the whole gang, are just terrific! We ate wild boar at Marco's Dad's restaurant (delicious...our most "fun" meal of the whole trip...I'm sure the staff is still talking about the tall obnoxious Americans!).
Some recommendations:
The rome airport shuttle service you recommended is wonderful. I highly recommend it. Knowing the charge upfront keeps you from worrying about being cheated by taxi drivers. You also feel relatively safe in a 15 passenger van!
While it is not necessary to speak Italian in the cities, in the country, few people speak English. We went to the spa at Chianciano while in Chiusi and it was nearly impossible to make a reservation for services because NO ONE could understand us and aromatherapy is not in the phrase book! Everyone is very nice and they don't seem to mind that you have no idea what they are saying to you.
When you are shopping, don't touch anything breakable. They will make you pay for it and they won't be nice about it!
Don't buy anything at the Rome airport. These awful women tried to charge me 16 euros for a magazine and paperback book and wanted cash for it. A box of 16 tampons was 10.50 euros. The duty free shops aren't a good deal at all. Thank you thank you thank you. I love your website and your staff is amazing. Best of the best to you,
Cathy K.
Dear In Italy,
Yes, we had a very nice vacation. The room was quite large though fairly bare
with basic furniture and unappealing. The bathroom was very small and they
were quite stingy with even basic bathroom essentials. Also, the only ventilation
in the bathroom is by opening a window but this brings in mosquitoes. There
is very little help for luggage, etc. They were quite stingy even with some
breakfast items such as croissants. On the positive side, the front desk
were friendly and helpful. The hotel is also a little far from the central
tourist spots. Overall, this is an inexpensive hotel but appealing. We would
not stay there again.
Thank you for your help with the hotel arrangements. They worked smoothly.
Raj R.
Julie,
We found Hotel Giglio to be wonderful. The room was spacious and accommodating, but it was the staff that made the hotel special. They were all most warm and helpful. I would doubt that we discovered anything new in Florence, but we thoroughly enjoyed our dinner at Osteria Del Cinghiale Bianco. It was a fabulous experience with wonderful food to match. Far more than just a dinner. We also dined at the ever popular Il Latini and absolutely loved it, but I would advise visitors to make a reservation for 7:30, be at the door by 7:00, and ignore the line because everyone else does. The place was full in just 10 minutes and people with reservations were not seated first. It too was a special evening, with good food and good service.
Reserving the tickets for the Accademia in advance through your website was also a great choice. The 9:00AM reservation admitted us at the head of the line before the museum actually opened and we were able to stroll into the gallery at 9:00 with no crowds and tour groups to contend with. Expensive, but worth it for the time saved and the pleasure of avoiding the crowds. We finished there so early that when we left and arrived at the Duomo, there was no line to climb to the top of the dome! A charmed morning.
Thank you for your help. I have already mentioned your website to others.
Shannon D.
Hi, Jessica,
Sorry about the delay -- I'm actually still in Italy (at a language course in Florence for a month), so time indoors at a computer has been (wonderfully) limited.
I loved Hotel Giglio. Everyone was spectacularly nice and helpful and the room was a lovely oasis (and thankfully one of the few in the city with real air conditioning, which saved my life and sanity). I don't remember it being mentioned on the site, but the father of Giglio's proprietor owns a charming osteria over in the Oltrarno (Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco). Massimo had actually heaved my ridiculously overpacked suitcase to my room for me when I checked in and when I walked into his restaurant for dinner alone on the next evening (a Saturday), he took care of me personally. It was wonderful meal, from the unusual and delicious extra-large, goodie-stuffed gnocchi to the sampler plate of desserts he whipped up for me.
Thank you for arranging everything for me. I'm looking forward to enjoying La Luna e i Falo in Piemonte just as much [happily with company this time, since my long-distance boyfriend will be meeting me there (-: ].
Thanks again,
Katherine M.
Hi Jessica,
Thanks for your message. I had such a fabulous trip to Italy and appreciated the assistance from "In Italy". We stayed at Hotel Giglio for 4 nights. Although we had GREAT difficulty finding it, once we got settled in, it was a great location in a residential area (restricted to outside traffic) and we really enjoyed our stay. We were in walking distance of almost everything that we wanted to do. The management was terrific - very friendly and so helpful. I would definitely stay there again.
Thanks,
Sarah M.
Hotel Giglio was delightful! Maria and the other workers at the front desk were always available for questions and spent the time needed for answers. We were there the Sunday morning when there was no electricity in Italy and our wake up call was Maria knocking at our door and being delightful as ever.
Our tour guide, Chiara, was great! Drew and I and Chiara did our tour thing without showers.
It was a great trip! Thanks for all your assistance. I tell people all the time about initaly.com. Until next time, take care! And happy traveling!
Thanks.
Rose G.
Dear In Italy,
This was fine for one night, but was not as upscale/luxurious as it appears on the web site. The rooms were a good size, but there were no screens on the windows and as a result our room was filled with mosquitoes during the night which resulted in an unpleasant night's sleep and several bites to contend with the next day. The location was fine and is centrally located between the train station and the Duomo area/heart of Florence (both are about a 15 minute walk). The breakfast service provided a nice spread with a variety of fruits, cereals, and breads to choose from. The front desk staff was very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. They do not provide an alarm clock, so bring one with you. And the hair dryers are just awful -- bring one with you but make sure it's low wattage (1200 watts or less) or you will burn out the fuse on your converter. I would recommend this hotel for those travelers who are looking for a nice place to stay in Florence, but are not looking for the amenities offered by many other hotels.
Let me know if you need any futher details.......
Jennifer K.
We stayed at Hotel Giglio in Florence for 3 nights. They were wonderful, especially Maria and Marco. We originally had planned for 2 nights, but because of the blackout on that Sunday, we stayed another night. They were so helpful to us that day. Marco drove my husband up to the train station the morning of the blackout, and stayed with him in case he needed help with the translation, then drove him back to the hotel. Marco had just gotten off his shift that day, so he really didn't have to do that (but we're glad he did!). We ended up staying one more night because of the blackout, but we didn't mind because we liked staying there. The hotel was clean, the bathrooms fairly large (and they looked new) and the room was comfortable. The breakfast was good too, and you got plenty to last you until lunch. The hotel was about a 10-minute walk to the Duomo in a quiet neighborhood. We liked it a lot and would stay there again. I like smaller hotels, I think this one had about 23 rooms. We would recommend the bus ride up to Fiesole for a couple hours if you have time. It's a nice break from museums and churches and it's an easy ride on bus #7. This was probably my favorite hotel of the three, and I think it was due in large part to Maria and Marco and Luca.
Margaret and Terry E.
Hello,
We indeed did enjoy our stay in Italy and we enjoyed our "cool" family suite at the Hotel Giglio during the hot month of July. It was nice of the manager to let us store our bags on our last day because we were taking a late night train to Austria. The breakfast was nice each day and the use of the Internet for a fee was very nice. Actually it was one of only a few hotels that actually had a running computer we could use.
A tiny drawback was getting our 11 pieces of luggage up the lower elevator to the hotel lobby on the floor above, as the elevator only allowed 2 pieces at a time. But this hotel has remodeled their bathrooms and they were very nice.
I am sure you will enjoy your stay at this hotel as they were very friendly and everything was clean and comfortable.
The Nohl family
Travel train advise:
As Americans we would give this advise to travelers using the trains. Be sure to check the date on the tickets you purchase as they sold us 4 tickets for the wrong date. Also you have to buy your sleeping cars separate from your tickets. it was not one purchase as we found out .......another surprise for us after we got on the train. So double check on this with someone who is bilingual...or do as we were now advised...use an Italian travel agent...then this will never happen!
Julie:
You must have read my mind. I was going to write Initaly to tell them what a great place Hotel Giglio is. I was very pleasantly surprised! The accommodations were perfect, the hotel staff was very friendly and helpful, the breakfasts were wonderful and the location couldn't have been better. I would definitely recommend Hotel Giglio to anyone who is planning to visit Florence.
As a matter of fact, at the last minute a friend of mine joined me at the hotel. Before we arrived, I was asked how I found it, in which I responded a site called Initaly. Needless to say, she was very apprehensive about the hotel. Once we arrived, she was very impressed, saying what a great job I did finding such a lovely hotel. I said, "Don't thank me, thank Initaly. Had it not been for their write-up about the hotel on their site, I wouldn't have chosen it!"
Thank you again!
Jenna L.
Hello!
We loved your hotel! I thought the employees and owners were extremely nice and helpful. Tito's restaurant, which was recommended, has the most wonderful Osso Buco - we loved that, too! Our room was great - clean and cool and quiet. It was definitely one of our most favorite hotels in Italy! We did have trouble finding it, but that was our fault. It might be nice to give guests a detailed map before they arrive, if possible. Thank you all so much for the wonderful accomodations!
Vicki H.
Dear Julie,
We had a wonderful time in Italy, and especially enjoyed our time at the Hotel Giglio. We received suggestions on where to shop, eat, and sightsee by the courteous staff (they even made reservations for us). Marco recommended his father's restaurant, which was our best evening in Italy.
I appreciate your help with our vacation!
John K.
Dear In Italy,
We were very pleased with our accommodations in Florence at the Hotel Giglio. The renovated rooms in the former palazzo were spacious and immaculate. The staff was outstanding. They made us feel more like guests in a home rather than paying clients at a hotel. Their graciousness helped make our stay in Florence a joy.
Thanks In Italy, for helping to make our trip wonderful!
best regards,
Tamara Y.
Buona sera Julie,
Our trip to Italy was fabulous and we loved all of In Italy's recommendations! Your website is truly a jewel!
The Hotel Giglio was in a great location and the staff was so very helpful and accomodating. The family owns a restaurant in Florence called Il Cinghiale Bianco. They made us a reservation and we were treated appetizer. The meal was one of the best we had in Italy, so I hope you with such kindness and given incredible service you can highly recommend it to all your readers!
The Hotel Montecarlo was in a great location in Venice, but the service was not up to the same level that we had experienced in Florence. However, I do not think you could find a more centrally located hotel.
Thank you so much for all of your wonderful information. I highly recommend your website and have already told several friends about it.
Grazie,
Terri N.
Dear In Italy,
I just returned from a wonderful two-week trip to Italy. Your service in helping prepare and reservations in hotels was and is so appreciated.
We used the Hotel Giglio in Florence. Marco, Maria and Luca were exceptional in assisting our needs and answering our questions. We booked the quad room which was perfect for our four women travelling together (plenty of space) and the doors onto the balcony overlooking the street were an extra treat.
Your site was a wealth of information. Please extend our thanks to your staff and continue to recommend these two hotels. We were very pleased.
We arrived late in the evening having called ahead to be sure they were to expect us. Luca was on the desk and was very kind, accommodating and helpful in assuring us of our reservation and expectation, and orienting us to our room (a quad) upon arrival. The room was perfect; clean, spacious & charming. It reminded me, being a primary teacher, of Madeline's dormitory in the children's book series. Four of everything; single beds, side tables, lamps, etc. We knew the shared accommodation would either make or break our tolerance of one another within the same room after a week of travel (4 women), but the accommodations were terrific. High ceilings and parquet floors, large shuttered doors to the balcony with interior shutters also, added to the charm. The one bathroom was a ballet of preparation in the mornings, but we performed admirably. Bravo!
We opted for a fourth night in Florence given the proximity to the center of town (5 blocks from the Duomo), feel of the city (culturally rich and inviting) and the exceptional hotel staff (Luca, Maria and Marco) who addressed our every need, directions, recommendations, etc. They couldn't have been more helpful. And all spoke English well, which was comforting and appreciated given our limited Italian.
I immediately wrote them upon return home and thanked them for helping to make our trip so memorable. I'd highly recommend them to anyone. It's not the Ritz, but that's not what we were hoping for. American style hotels are a bore. We were hoping to immerse ourselves in the local culture, and we loved the accommodations. One in our party was interested in keeping abreast of email, news, etc. so the internet option in the lobby was a welcome service for her.
I also sent a "thank you" to your initaly site following our return. We were so very pleased with all the information we received via your website and personnel. We didn't require assistance while in Italy, but it was comforting to know there were staff there should the need arise. I was quite hesitant to plan and execute this trip totally online, but we were so pleased, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Likewise, I'll return to Italy whenever the opportunity arises.
Just as an FYI, the war broke out while we were in Italy. We were so warmly received and treated, it dispelled any concerns regarding the appearance of being American. Those we spoke with were understanding though not necessarily supportive of the war. At no time did we feel unwelcome nor threatened given the international situation.
If I can provide any info regarding the Hotel La Rovere in Rome, I'd be happy to do so. The family of staff there, namely Rafeal, Georga, and Luigi were wonderful. We booked return reservations for the end of our trip because we were so pleased with the hotel when we arrived in Italy. Its proximity to the Vatican and across the river from "downtown" Rome was terrific. We walked everywhere easily, especially enjoying several jaunts to the Trastevere for dinner. Kudos to your staff and recommendations. Thank you!
Polly K.
Cynthia,
Thank you for all your help in getting us our reservations, etc. in Italy. The trip was great..........just what we wanted. Next time we will spend quite a bit more time in the country and looking at the scenery. The museums were great....but the cities were not clean, particularly Rome. The hotels were very nice and clean. We particularly liked the manager/owner of Giglio...very friendly.
We are really glad no one urged us to rent a car for this trip as the local transportation was very adequate for this trip. We walked most of the time.
I was not expecting the shopping to be as good as it was. Lots of stylish clothing and variety. Not at all like the mall shopping in America. It didn't do me much good, but I would really like to take my wife back again. Also, you should stress to visitors that they casual clothing is not the norm (at least in winter) and they will be underdressed if they dress as we do in the States.
Too bad a war started right in the middle of our trip. We knew that was a possibility, but it sort of dampened our spirits.
Thanks again.
Don K.
Hi Julie,
We did have a wonderful time in Italy and all of us were treated very well. Our favorite accommodation was Hotel Giglio. Marco, Maria, Victor and the rest of the staff were absolutely wonderful and we felt very welcome. They worked very hard to make sure we had reservations for anything we wanted to see or any place we wanted to eat.
Please continue to recommend travel insurance. There was an Air Traffic Control strike at the Marco Polo airport upon our departure, and to make a long story short, it took us two days to get home. We had seek out a hotel in Amsterdam which cost nearly as much as the insurance premium. If you have any specific questions, let me know. I will continue to recommend Italy Online to anyone I know who is planning to vacation there.
Thank you.
Debra H.
Cynthia,
Oh my gosh! Can we ever tell you great things about the Hotel Giglio. I haven't time now, but rest assured, this was the best part of our trip. When we left, Marco the owner and myself nearly cried. "It is like a member of my family is leaving." It was that great. I will be in touch.
Best regards,
Don D.
Hey Julie,
The trip was incredible! We loved the Hotel Giglio. Florence was the first stop on our trip and it was very refreshing to arrive at such a nice hotel. We have nothing but positive things to say about the Hotel Giglio. The staff was very helpful and friendly and spoke excellent English. The room was charming with a very new bathroom and cold blowing A/C. The room had a small balcony which was nice as well and the breakfast was very good too. It was a little way away from the center of town - but nothing really to complain about. Thanks for all your help!
Greg and Maggie T.
Dear Cynthia,
Thanks for all your help, we had a great time in Florence and Rome. Both Hotels were superb. We arrived at Hotel La Rovere very late our first night. The next day they were very accommodating by letting us store some luggage and helping find our way to the public transportation so we could get to Florence.
We arrived at the Hotel Giglio during the early afternoon. The rooms were clean and spacious. Antonio was a wonderful host and we enjoyed we enjoyed all our conversations with him. Maria was so sweet, knowledgeable and helpful. She mapped out a great walking tour for that afternoon, made reservations for us at the Uffizi museum for the next day and she recommended and made reservations at the Boccanegra restaurant for that evening.
The Boccanegra is definitely a 'hidden jewel" in Florence. The food was exquisitely prepared, the waiter and the maitre d were enthusiastic and helpful. Florence was easy to navigate on foot without a tour. The only thing that we weren't impressed with was the Boboli Gardens.
Donna and Ed G.
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