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Back to Hotel La Rovere
Hi there,
Just to let you know that we had the most WONDERFUL holiday in Italy and I must say that this is the first time I have booked a trip online and everything was just perfect. From the time we arrived in Rome (our shuttle was waiting for us). The hotel we stayed at "La Rovere" was absolutely charming and the car we booked was ready and waiting (getting out of Rome was a real challenge - we took an hour to find our way to the ring road from the station, but it was an experience as in South Africa we drive on the left hand side of the road!!)
We have been so impressed with all the fabulous info that you had online for us, maps, weather etc. etc., that you guys made this holiday just so easy. Once again thanks for all the assistance, we will definitely be using your services again and I have passed on your web site to many of my friends telling them if a trip to Italy is what they are looking for then there is no other way to organise it.
Kind regards
Pat B. & family
Dear In Italy,
We had a marvelous trip to Italy and we would like to thank In Italy for their wonderful website and all the help and advice we received when making our bookings and planning our trip.
I'll go over the problems we encountered first. We had arranged to pick up our hire car from Pisa airport and the location was given as inside the terminal. There is now a new Car Hire building located close to the terminal but you need to get a shuttle bus from the terminal to the car hire building.
I queued for a couple of hours to see Michelangelo's David but had to give up as the queue was only going down by about 30 people an hour as there was such a long queue that had pre booked also.
Our stay at Hotel La Rovere in Rome was very enjoyable. Very helpful and friendly staff, great location and comfortable rooms. The breakfast was a disappointment after staying at Pieve a Pave.
The Vatican Tour was fantastic. I would recommend a private tour. Our tour guide Antonello (not sure of the spelling) was superb! I wished we had pre booked a few more trips as we found we wasted an awful lot of time trying to visit sites on our own. The information available is scant and the queues horrendous.
Karen P.
Hi!
We had a fabulous trip to Italy - the only problem was that it was far too short!!!
Our first 4 days were in Rome, and the hotel that we booked with you (Hotel La Rovere) was quaint, clean,
comfortable, the staff friendly, the breakfast that was served was more than satisfying and the coffee...!!
What can I say...puts Starbucks to shame!! There was a little restaurant nearby that by the third time we
had dinner there they began to treat us like locals or family - one night we watched the world cup football
match there on TV - THAT was exciting! The location was also great - within walking distance of the Vatican,
and various other spots that we enjoyed, and a short bus ride to ancient Rome, where we spent most of our
time. We used the underground rail to get around as well as the public transit and never had any problems.
In fact, at one outdoor cafe our son left his backpack under the table when we left, and once we realized
it we phoned the restaurant (I had picked up one of their advertising postcards just as we left so we had
the number) and they had found the pack, and promised to keep it until we were able to return. Since we were
on our way to a tour, we had to wait until the next day to get it and it was safe and sound, intact. I have
to say that part of the fascination with Rome was just watching how people drive there...absolutely amazing!
Between narrow streets, millions of scooters, thousands of tiny cars, and no logic or traffic rules that we
could determine, it is amazing that we did not actually observe any accidents! We did see many many dented
cars though.
We had also booked a car rental through Italy Online for when we were leaving Rome to go to Sorrento.
We were a little nervous about how that would go because my sister and her husband had a nightmare experience
once at the Rome airport trying to obtain the car that they had booked (not through you). It took them something
like THREE HOURS to get their car...but once we got to the counter, it took us less than ten minutes and we
were on our way!!! My husband was a little disappointed that we had not gotten an Alpha Romeo like he thought
we would - we got a diesel Ford Focus if you can believe it - but at any rate all our luggage fit, it drove
beautifully, and we were on our way!
Getting back to the airport near Rome was an adventure! We left Sorrento very early,
and would have been fine, except that I am no navigator even in English, let alone trying to decipher an Italian
map and road signs. At one point as we approached a particular exit from the highway my husband asked me if
that was our exit and I said "I think so, but I'm not sure..." so on we went, and ended up going
three quarters around the ring road that circles Rome instead of one quarter. AND it was morning rush hour
for Rome AND there had been a semi truck that had tipped its load causing 4 or 5 lanes of traffic to have
to merge into one, so it took us ages to get to the airport. We checked in just in time and breathed a sigh
of relief. Only, no one ever arrived to board everyone onto the plane, in fact, there was no plane. Announcements
were in Italian and German so we wouldn't have known if there was an announcement...eventually, far after
the boarding time, someone arrived, told everyone for that flight to follow her, and took us clear across
the air terminal to another gate, where we boarded a different plane and were on our way.
We had an incredible time, we were very pleased with the hotel and B&B, and with the car rental. We will
be going back to Italy in a couple of years and we will definitely use your service again, and we will recommend
you to any of our friends and family who plan a trip to Italy. I was the one who did all the online trip planning,
so I truly appreciated how easy you guys made it, and your willingness and prompt replies to my inquiries.
I think we will learn a bit of Italian before we go again...most of the tourist areas had staff who spoke
English, especially in Rome, but in Sorrento it would have been better if we spoke some Italian. However,
we managed, and no one ever seemed put out that we could only say a few words. Everyone was very very friendly...we
never felt uncomfortable anywhere.
Thank you for helping our first trip to Italy such a great one!
Sincerely,
Tracy D.
Dear In Italy,
Very Nice Trip – Love Italy – Before we went friends said this will not be your only trip to Italy and now I know why – Rome Hotel La Rovere was everything we expected and very conveniently located - Vatican tour was very nice and guide was knowledgeable and excellent at avoiding the lines – Florence Uffizi tour on the other hand, was too rushed and guide spent too much time on history lectures in the hallways and not enough time in front of the art. Tuscany ( Siena) and the Amalfi coast (Positano) were our highlights. Used your Auto Europe rental service and took your advise on getting the GPS – don’t know how we would have survived without it – You were also right about driving in Italy, it’s only for people crazy enough to do it – and sure enough, all of them on the road qualify! Nothing like going 100 miles an hour on the expressway and getting passed by motorcycles on both sides at the same time!!! I found the Airport pick up and drop off is much easier than their center city location near the train.
Thanks,
Robert D.
Hello,
We will remember our wonderful weeks in Italy for some time and want you to know we found the hotels booked through Initaly to be grand. Our few days in Rome at the La Rovere Hotel were lovely. The hotel was very nice and only 3 blocks from the Vatican in a quiet neighborhood. The only problem we ran into was a taxi strike while there but buses were very nearby. We are already planning our next trip and will visit your site again when we are ready to go!
Kathy A.
Dear In Italy,
We returned to the US yesterday after 10 days in Italy on a trip which was planned using your website. Thank you for a wonderful trip. The hotels were just as nice as you said and everyone was so gracious, especially the staff at the Hotel La Rovere in Rome. When we go back again, we will use your services and tell all our friends about you.
Teresa S.
Dear In Italy,
We had a fabulous time in your country. The people, sights, food and experiences were absolutely fantastic. I do have a complaint, however, about Hotel La Rovere. Although the staff was friendly, it was very uncomfortable. We were given remotes for the "air conditioning" but the rooms were so hot on the top floors that they NEVER cooled off. The hallways and common areas were not air conditioned and our party was very unhappy with that aspect of the hotel. I was quite disappointed for our party because I was the one who made the reservation. Compared to the other hotels we visited in Italy, it was the most undesirable. It is not air-conditioned and the beds were very uncomfortable. Otherwise, our visit was terrific.
Best,
Dawn Z.
Dear In Italy,
We used "In Italy" to reserve a room in Rome. We reserved a room
at the Hotel La Rovere. I will say that I liked the hotel very much. We had a
large triple in a beautiful room, with a nice view of the neighboring yards.
The staff was very friendly and helpful. I thought the location was pretty good
being close to St Peter's and not too far from the Piazza Navona. I had thought
I would be using the bus from right out front, but unfortunately I found out
the hard way that you can not get bus tickets on Sunday (at least in that area).
So what I thought would be convenient did not work out.
One negative, and I know it is not the hotel's problem, but cleaning up the alleyway
to the hotel would add to the charm of the hotel. As it was, you had to watch
where you stepped.
Rome was more to visit my friend, but we had spent time in Venice, Padua, Siena,
Florence and Pisa. Regarding that I can say the trains in Italy are fantastic,
but I would make two suggestions: buy your return ticket when you get to the
station, not just before the train comes (similarly buy bus tickets for both
trips when you have the chance), and print out the train schedules ahead of time
for any place you plan to travel so you know your options beforehand. Also people
should not be afraid to use the ticket vending machines - they worked very well
for tickets for reservations made in advance and for spur of the moment travel.
Interestingly, I think the Italian train system needs two improvements - more
and better signs at the stations; it gets hard after dark to find from the train
what station it is. Also, a way of telling people which train to take. For example
the train to Genoa is the one that stops in Pisa and the train for Grosseto is
the one for Siena. You have to know Italian geography to understand the train
routing and which train passes your station.
Overall it was a fun and full trip.
Thanks,
Charles B.
Dear In Italy,
First of all, I want to say that working through In Italy Online was a fantastic experience, from the ease of booking hotel reservations, to information on what to see, where to eat and what to do (and definitely what to have reservations to see). We made hotel reservations for Venice, Chiusi, and Rome through you.
We dropped our rental car at the airport in Fiumicino (very easy) and took the train into Rome Termini, where we finished our trip, staying at the Hotel La Rovere. Wonderful location, very near the Vatican. Another recommendation for food near the Vatican -- Dal Toscano on Via Germanico.
Melisse B.
Hi Jessica,
First of all, I must say that everything we booked through InItaly Online was absolutely perfect. The maps I ordered were simply great, right down to the tiniest detail. We walked all over Rome and found even the most crooked lanes on them.
Being picked up at Fiumicino and delivered to our hotel was so convenient, and reasonable. We had a great room on the top floor at Hotel La Rovere in Rome, the staff was excellent.
We are already planning our next trips (yes, we have several in mind) and will obviously use your services. One includes Sicily and it would be great if you would be able to have some more recommendations there. We will also be looking at your apartment rental suggestions in and around Florence and Positano/Ravello, as we want to spend more time in these areas.
I wish you happy holidays and good health in 2006.
Grazie per tutto e a presto!
Sharon T.
Dear In Italy,
My husband and I were in Rome October 4-9. We stayed at the Hotel La Rovere due to your recommendation given on the website. We found it to be exactly as described. Fabulous!! It was just off the beaten path, extremely quiet, yet close and convenient for sight-seeing. We had our 10 month old daughter with us and I was particularly thrilled about how clean it was, considering that she was crawling all over the room. Our bathroom was spotless everyday. It is run by very friendly professional people. The free breakfast was delightful, and the owner himself was there every morning making coffee (cappuccino) to order. Our room had its own private veranda which was quite large and offered extensive privacy. I can't say enough about our experience at the Hotel La Rovere. I would, and have, recommend it to anyone staying in Rome. Our hotel for the rest of our vacation in Venice was not nearly the gem this one was. It was a Best Western with more stars and didn't hold a candle to Hotel La Rovere as far as cleanliness and service. My husband and I own a cleaning company, therefore you can tell that is of great concern to me. Being in a different country you never know what to expect.
A. M.
Jessica,
Thank you for your e-mail. We had a wonderful time in Italy – thanks to you and your excellent website services. Both hotels were splendid with very nice rooms and friendly staffs. We had no negative surprises, but lots of positive experiences.
After I catch up at work, I would like to send you more details to post on your website.
Thank you for making our trip to Italy hassle free (with the exception of passport control in the Rome airport, which was chaotic, but certainly not within anyone's control. All they really needed was a way to form a line -- instead, we were a mob scene of 200-300 people trying to get through 4 doors -- like cattle.)
Suzanne P.
Dear In Italy,
All of the accommodations were fantastic. Hotel Rovere was the most ordinary but still great. A good location. Room was smallish but very nice. People there were very helpful with a lost baggage hassle.
All the directions were absolutely accurate. The reservations were all exact. I was always fumbling for the confirmation paperwork when the staff handed me the key and a fistful of helpful information. Sometimes they knew our name as we walked in the front door.
The car was great. I thought the driving was easy but I grew up in Detroit. Even I would not drive in Rome, though. The article on driving in Italy on your website was VERY helpful. I strongly recommend it. The only small criticism of this process was that the information said "Auto Europe". NO ONE had ever heard of that entity. Europcar is the proper name and everyone knows that. It took some time wandering around the Milan train station to find the place. Once there, the reservation was set and off we went. As the information says- NO grace time is allowed on the 24 hour rental times.
Plan on using more cash. We were told everyplace took credit cards. Not so true. We found several restaurants that did not and NONE of the museums take them. ATM's are everywhere. Make sure your checking account has some extra. Withdraw large amounts- $6 service fee on most.
Restaurants - Go to the ones with good prices and full tables. It was a no-brainer. Always great food.
Thanks a ton. I talked up your site to everyone with even the slightest interest in going to Italy.
Grazie!
Douglas H.
David,
We had a really great time in Italy! La Rovere was just as advertised - the location very near the Vatican and the San Pietro Stazione for bus stops made it very convenient for getting around Rome cheaply. Figuring out the bus schedules and stops was very challenging and we sometimes walked around a lot before we got the right bus back, but we made it! Too bad Rome's bus stop names aren't coordinated somehow with the sights we are there to see, making it a little easier for visitors. By the time we had figured it out it was time to go home.
All in all it was a fantastic trip. Thanks for your help and all the advice you supplied that made the trip go so smoothly. We have already recommended In Italy to friends considering a trip to Italy. Please feel free to edit and/or delete some of the above before posting on your web site.
Paul A.
Dear Jessica....
Thank you for your kind email...Yes, we had a marvelous trip to Italy and thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Hotel La Rovere. We found the hotel well located for our needs, and we enjoyed walking to the Vatican and across the river the Piazzas. We also used the city bus from the train station which was convenient and easy to use. Hotel La Rovere we found very comfortable, the staff friendly and courteous and the breakfast delicious with fresh brewed coffee. Our room met all our needs and we slept well. Thank you for your map and detailed information. We look forward to returning soon.
Aloha,
Noel B.
Dear In Italy,
Hotel LaRovere was OK although we felt is was overpriced when compared to other B & B's we've used in Rome - including this trip. Its location is good as its close to the Vatican and Trastevere. Good European breakfast, clean rooms. We ate at a local restaurant recommended by the staff and had a wonderful and relatively inexpensive dinner.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Howard F.
Hi, David.
The trip was amazing. Hotel La Rovere was nice, although when I first saw the
alley leading up to it, covered in graffiti, with all the surrounding shops
closed for the month of August, the neighborhood looked a little frightening.
However, once we reached the door, we were relieved. The hotel was in a great
location, as we were two minutes from our tour of the Vatican and a comfortable
walk from the other major monuments. I'm a frequent traveler to Italy, but
this was the first sightseeing trip I have enjoyed in Rome in years, and
definitely the first time that I was the leader of a group in Rome, and I
was pleased with the ease of getting around.
We ate twice at a little place called Il Cantuccio that was fantastic, with
its hot pink ceiling, gold accents, and walls covered with celebrity photos.
The staff was welcoming and the cuisine excellent. We ate for about 30-35 Euro
per person, including wine, bottled water, bread, and either a primo or secondo
piatto. Try the delicious spinach risotto or the ravioli. The filet was to
die for, but if you don't like your meat bloody, be sure to ask for it well
done, or it may walk off your plate. Corso Rinasciamento, 71-73-75, between
Piazza Navona and the Pantheon. Eat inside or out.
Thanks for your help with the trip. I plan on taking/sending some more groups
there next summer, so I'll be sure to get in touch with you if they decide
to go.
Thanks,
Suzanne W.
Dear Jessica,
We did have a marvelous vacation thanks in large part to you. I meant to email you immediately upon our return but have had problems with the computer. I have a few minor items that I would like a response to, but I will email those to you in a separate email.
Hotel La Rovere: We loved this hotel. It was immaculately clean and very well located. The breakfast served in the morning was perfect and our hosts were so kind. The air conditioning and the elevator worked very well which was good as we were on the fourth floor. We absolutely loved eating at the little trattoria that was located just around the corner.
Thank you so much for your help with our trip, Jessica. We had a lovely time and will highly recommend Initaly to anyone we know.
Ciao!
Melanie M.
Hello Julie,
We just had the best time in Italy. Hotel La Rovere was a wonderful spot. It was cozy, clean and very friendly. I was relieved that the beds and pillows were comfortable and could have stayed any length of time. We had been at several four star hotels throughout our stay that were beautiful to look at but lying on the beds were like sleeping on park benches and I was more than happy to check out! Hotel La Rovere was perfectly situated by Piazza Navona (I think I'm spelling that incorrectly) where we spent a good deal of our time in the evenings. The kids loved the street entertainment and the shopping was fun. We found the best Gelati shop there with banana splits as large as my arm and topped with the leaning tower of Pisa (wish I'd taken note of the name!). The highlight of our trip to Rome was the Private Tour of the Vatican. The guide was unbelievable and the kids were kept mesmerized for a full four hours. Catherine, our guide, took one child under each arm the moment she saw them and conducted the whole tour at their level and hardly stopped to take a breath. She thoroughly charmed the boys. I can't wait to go back, it was hard to come home. Thank you for the great service on your website, I've recommended it to many,
Sincerely,
Karen K.
Dear In Italy,
We had a wonderful trip. The accommodations were excellent and very easy to find.
Hotel LaRovere- One block from the Tiber River and very close to the vatican this hotel was in an excellent location. We walked to all of the major Rome sites, the Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Piazza Novona, the forum coliseum, etc. Vatican, museums, etc. The room was very comfortable with a beautiful terrace garden. The staff was very friendly.
We have recommended your website to two people already. Everything worked out really well and we are so glad we used you for our bookings. Thanks for your help. This is an excellent website you have to offer.
Tim K.
Dear Julie,
Using Initaly has been a great pleasure for my wife and I, and we think very highly of your organization and tell others we meet about it.
Regarding our recent trip to Italy, the Florence B. & B. was wonderful. It was just the right size for us, in a great location and with a very friendly and helpful staff. I especially want to mention Chiara, a most interesting and unusual young lady. She is studying Japanese at the Univ. of Florence and is the resident authority on the Japanese Tea Ceremony. We enjoyed talking to her very much. Then there is Sandra who takes care of the breakfast room, speaks no English, but is one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. The breakfast at the hotel is also super, and we have been in quite a few Italian hotels for comparison (this was our 5th trip to Italy). Our room was terrific with a wonderful view of the street bustle below and the Duomo down the street.
The Hotel La Rovere in Rome was also very nice, especially since we had a superior room with a terrace. My wife, after seeing the terrace, just wanted to relax there and forget the crowds. My only complaint about this hotel is that we had to ask to get such things as towels and toilet paper when we needed them. The hotel is not just around the corner from the Vatican, but certainly within reasonable walking distance. To get there, you have to get over a four lane highway emerging from a tunnel where you take your life into your hands to cross. Fortunately, we found that you can go over the tunnel and avoid the traffic, but then you have to enter the Vatican parking garage and finding your way out of that maze is a challenge. But we did make it! We caught a cab back from the Vatican.
I also want to recommend the Rome Airport Shuttle - it is well worth the money and got us to the airport in about 25 minutes! The La Rovere is in a very narrow alley, so we had to walk down to Lungotevere to get the shuttle and got there about 15 seconds before it pulled up.
Also, using your service to make museum reservations in Florence was great! All we had to do was walk in, present our confirmation sheet and scoot on into the museum. We especially enjoyed the Bargello.
Thanks again for helping us to have a successful and enjoyable trip to our favorite country- Italy.
Dr. Gil H.
The Hotel La Rovere in Rome is a treasure. Charming and small and clean and luxurious all at the same time. We received several messages while there which were delivered promptly with a smile and a translation! We had requested an early check in - and at 10 in the morning they were ready and waiting for us. An adorable terrace - a towel warmer - and oodles of hot water - we'll recommend it over and over - and did to friends who live in Rome and were delighted to know of it!
A walking tour of Rome with Dennis was possibly the highlight of our trip. We learned more in 3 hours than we might have in a semester of art history. Dennis is warm and personable - and has a real knack for putting things in perspective in a very understandable way.
All in all - our trip exceeded all our expectations - and working thru your site was great. Every arrangement was flawless!!! We will use you over and over again. We're already planning to go for a month next October - starting in Umbria - and cruising the site for places to stay.
Thank you thank you thank you!
Michelle and Roger Y.
Thanks, we had a great time. Hotel La Rovere was excellent. The room was very clean, a little small for a family room, the staff were very welcoming. It is really well situated to get to all the key tourist spots. It is probably worth reminding men that you are not allowed entry to the vatican in shorts or women in sleeveless tops no matter how hot it is.
Richard J.
Hi Julie,
Thank you for the welcome home note. We returned to the states yesterday evening after 2 weeks in Italy (Rome, Venice, Torri del Benaco, and Siena) and we had a marvelous time.
Hotel La Rovere in Rome was charming, and the staff was very helpful and friendly. There were a few unexpected things though. I knew the hotel was not on a main road, requiring the traversing of one of several narrow alleys on foot to reach the hotel, so that wasn't a surprise, but rolling 6 suitcases through the trash, dog droppings, and past a dead rat in the alley was a bit disappointing as our welcome to Italy. The Hotel is also within a block of one of the main hospitals in Rome, near the Vatican - that meant listening to endless sirens (literally one every 10 minutes for most of the day and night).
One of our best dining experiences was in Rome at "Dino & Tony's Hostaria" on Via Leone IV, 60, near the Vatican museum entrance. It is quaint, but that shouldn't distract anyone - they cheerfully welcomed us and kept food coming for nearly 3 hours, including several courses we didn't order or pay for, but ones they said we simply couldn't leave without trying.
Your site and services have helped make another trip to Italy a success. Thank you.
Steve W.
Cindy,
What a fabulous time, made special by your organizing and preparation ... a lifetime trip for us indeed ...
Hotel La Rovere was good ... we had a decent sized room with two beds together - the european way?- and a third single bed ... on the 3rd floor, with a outdoor patio of good size ... also quiet and literally a block off the river and a few blocks to the Vatican ... great location ... plus we walked - quite a hike - to the forum and colosseum ...
All went well.
Thanks again,
Jim C.
Dear In Italy,
The Hotel Rovere was a great hotel to stay in. It is very close to the Vatican which makes it convenient. Rome is not the kind of city where you spend hours in your hotel room. We found ourselves touring all day and coming back to the hotel just to sleep. It is a very clean hotel with air conditioning which was always a great relief at night. The breakfasts were filling and the staff very kind. A perfect place to stay when visiting Rome, close to many of the major sites. I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone travelling in Rome. A very nice 3 star hotel!!!
Doug M.
Dear In Italy,
We have just returned from a trip to Rome, Italy -- many of the arrangements we made were through InItaly. I am writing to tell you that we had a great time and were extremely pleased with your service.
The car service you arranged to pick us up at the airport and bring us to our hotel was there waiting for us. We also reserved the tour of Pompeii you offered and was completely satisfied with it -- the people involved were friendly and courteous and the guide was very knowledgeable and interesting.
But best of all was the hotel we booked through your company -- the Hotel LaRovere. It was all you said and more -- the hotel was modern, clean and comfortable and had all the conveniences we could want -- from the air conditioning (controlled by us) to the big, fluffly towels, to the lovely garden balcony right outside our room. The staff were all courteous and helpful but our favorite was Antonio - the night desk clerk. He was just a delight.
I have to admit I was a little apprehensive booking through an on-line agency -- this was the first time I had ever done it -- but I couldn't have been more pleased. Thank you so much for all your help and friendly advice -- it resulted in a great vacation for us.
Most sincerely,
Anne T.
Dear In Italy,
The Hotel Rovere is a modest hotel near St. Peter's. We booked a superior room, which gave us a balcony for more breathing room. The room was adequate in size but seriously lacked closet/cupboard space for clothing and the shower was miniscule (unusable for anyone of extra girth). The staff were very nice and the breakfasts were yummy. While close to the Vatican, the hotel is a walk to other sites.
Enjoyed Sant' Eustachio Caffe for the fried artichokes and the chocolate tartufo--we ate there twice.
Marie M.
Dear Jessica,
Thanks for your email. Yes we had a WONDERFUL time!! Hotel La Rovere was lovely. Very nicely situated, within a close walk to St Peter's (less than 10 minutes) and easily accessible to bus routes to the Trastevere (we went there for dinner one night), the Colosseum, Forum etc. The staff at the hotel were very friendly and accommodating. We had booked a quadruple room. It had a double bed and two singles. It was ample for us and the bathroom was lovely. We especially enjoyed the patio off the bedroom where we spent our time relaxing after walking Rome in the heatwave!! The Hotel is highly recommended.
Thank you for all your help. We will definitely use In Italy again for our next trip to Italy.
Best regards,
Maureen & Mark H.
Hi Julie,
My 88 yr old mother and I went to Rome last week, with your help. We stayed at Hotel La Rovere. The people who ran the place were very nice, helpful, friendly and most accommodating. The bedroom and breakfast room were clean. The rooms were smaller than I expected but it really helped that we had a breezy porch overlooking all the apartment roofs. Initially, our pillows were huge and hard as a rock but when we asked for replacements, they were quick to remedy this. I could only find fault with the fact that the hotel entrance is on a one-way narrow street which meant that when we first arrived in a big airport van, they refused to drop us off in front of the hotel and instead dropped us off on another street and we had to lug our bags thru a narrow path between apartment buildings with some amount of dog droppings. Not a good introduction to our hotel. I also had some concern with walking my mother thru the said street. Otherwise, the hotel was conveniently close to the Vatican (as I requested from you) and really quite safe to walk around even at night. We did see several hotels equally close to the Vatican also 3 star, where the abovementioned problems would not have been an issue. If I were travelling with my husband, this would not have been an issue either. Across the bridge from the hotel, we had dined at Trattoria di Giovanni, and this was superb. Friendly staff, great very italian-looking decor and menu and we had a good time. Thanks again for all the help.
Evelyn
Dear Kristin,
What great service at a great location! We found this to be a perfect place to see Rome. It was convenient to metro and bus stops although we chose to walk to most places. The highlight of our trip was the private tour with Stefano. What a marvelous young man who brought to life for us the history of Rome. He even tailored it to meet some of our personal interest about Paul and Peter and the early Christians who suffered in Rome for their faith. We would definitely recommend taking the private tour! We watched group after group of 20-30 people tagging along with a guided group while we had the total attention of an archeologist who was superb!
Stefano also recommend a great resturant a little off the beaten path from the Pantheon that we enjoyed. L. Eustachio offered real Italian cuisine at a fair price. Almost every table had a reserved sign on it when we arrived and we saw later that the locals knew to make a reservation if they wanted to eat there!
Thanks again,
Cathy & Spud A.
Dear In Italy,
This was a tricky hotel to find, especially when you have your own rental car. You have to drive up a NARROW one-way alley off of the main road and then take a right (which is nearly impossible) which puts you in front of the hotel. However there is no place to stop and unload luggage without holding up traffic. Despite the fact that this road is small and virtually unnoticeable from the main road along the Tiber, it is an obviously well-known local shortcut!!
We were on the 3rd (i.e. 4th) floor with a nice terrace (shared with every other room on the same floor) facing the river, although the view is obstructed mostly by the 3-story hotel right on the main road. You can't see the River but you can see the trees that line the river. The room was large, clean, and reasonably nice. Antonio was at the desk and he was a friendly (even funny) 50-something gentleman who was very helpful despite his lack of English. He referred us to a nice little restaurant around the corner for our first night, which was nice since we had a long scenic drive from Florence during the day and were rather tired.
Perhaps the best feature of the hotel is the location, at least for walking... it is nowhere near the metro. Close to St Peters and Piazza Navona as well as the river. However the public parking garage is NOT 50 meters away as it states on your website. More like 400 meters and you have to walk up the alley, take a left up the hill, take a right by the hospital and then down the road. And parking is EXPENSIVE ($30 per day). Instead I parked at the top of the narrow alley that the hotel is on where there are meters. Luckily I never got a ticket, but with a rental car, it wouldn't have mattered anyway. :)
Thanks for all your help. You have a great website.
Bill B.
Dear Staff,
My family and I just wanted you to know how much we appreciate your services. We took a trip to Rome and Florence, and booked hotels through your site as well as a tour.
We stayed at Hotel La Rovere in Rome, and were absolutely delighted with our accommodations. The rooms were spotless, and boasted wonderful views of the neighborhood. We were within walking distance of St Peter's and Piazza Navona, and an easy taxi ride of most of the other main sites of the Eternal City. We especially appreciated the fact that the hotel is in a residential neighborhood; it didn't feel at all touristy, given our proximity to areas of interest to us. We took a Jewish tour of Rome which was fascinating, and our guide was very knowledgeable, not only of Jewish Roman history, but of history in general. One of the members of our party had special needs, and he was very considerate of her. We would recommend the tour to anyone, as we would not have been able to see these places on our own. Thanks In Italy, for helping to make our trip wonderful!
best regards,
Tamara Y.
Dear Cynthia,
We started in Rome and were very pleased with our accommodations at Hotel La Rovere. The staff was wonderful; Raphael, Georgia and Luigi (family), and the rooms were clean, comfortable and charming. The attention and assistance we received while there helped up make the most of our stay.
Polly K.
Dear In Italy,
Italy was amazing. The Hotel Rovere in Rome also was fabulous and the location was absolutely perfect, just 1/2 block from the Tiber and literally around the corner from St. Peters. The staff was also wonderful, I would highly recommend both. The breakfast at both hotels was wonderful, but then all food in Italy is wonderful! Thanks so much to your service. I also booked museum reservations and saved tons of time not waiting in lines. In Italy was fantastic, I would highly recommend. Thanks so much.
Ciao.
Pam S.
Dear Julie,
The La Rovere hotel is an excellent location for those travelers who want to walk to the treasures of Rome. It is located one block away from the busy avenues paralleling the Tevere River, and it has sound resistant windows and air conditioning. The Sistine Chapel museum and St. Peters Cathedral. We had no problems with lines to get tickets and into most attractions. They accommodated my wife, adult daughter and myself comfortably. The staff is English-friendly, and very helpful with directions and special requests such as confirming our next hotel accommodations. The complimentary breakfast was a great way to meet other guests and to share a variety of Italian breakfast items including Cappuccino or Cafe Americana, ham and cheese, various breads, granola and fresh fruit. Highly recommended for location, accommodations and service. It will be our first choice when we return.
Thank you and Initaly for assisting us with these accommodations.
Alric C.
Dear Julie,
We stayed at the Hotel La Rovere. It was quite nice. We paid for a top floor room, which was air conditioned. This was good because although we were there in September, Rome was having a heat wave and it was more like August, very hot and humid. Also there are no screens on the windows and the mosquitoes were really bad! If we left the windows open at night we were all bitten up by morning. It says on the room rates inside on the room door that they charge extra if you use the air conditioner, but this was not true for us. When we checked out they just asked if we had used the phones or the mini-bar, which we had not, so we paid exactly what we signed up for on this site.
The breakfast room at the hotel was very nice and the staff were all friendly and helpful. Especially helpful to us was the woman who worked at the front desk in the mornings. She spoke very good English and we, speaking almost no Italian, asked her to make two telephone calls for us, one to confirm our airport shuttle before we left and one to confirm our day trip to Pompeii on a bus tour company. She very kindly did this for us and I am sorry to say I don't know her name, but she was blonde and the only woman we saw working the front desk.
Another good thing about the room was it had a small refrigerator that we could keep bottled water, cheese, fruit, etc. in which is really handy so you don't have to go out foraging for every meal and snack. Also it had CNN International as the only English television channel.
The hotel is near St. Peter's Basilica, which was a nice spot to go and sit on the steps in the shade and people watch when you are too tired to do anything more energetic. It is also very near the Tiber, and between the buildings and trees at night you could just see a street light illuminating a little patch of river water flowing from our room window. I know because I had horrible jet lag and was awake all night a couple of nights. I had my Walkman on and listened to the radio stations, which were excellent. One has "cancions de amor, tutti al notte" (I am sure I am mangling the correct spelling) but it means, "love songs all night long", and it was very soothing and was mostly songs I knew (in English).
I would definitely recommend this hotel and also recommend you go in October when there is less chance of a heat wave!
Edward V.
Dear In Italy,
Hotel Rovere was great. We liked the location, especially because we could get to the river easily for our morning run and because it was well located within walking distance to the Vatican, Piazza Navona and the Fior De Campo. The Hotel is a bit hard to find, so travelers should not forget their map. The breakfast was wonderful with the best cappuccini we had in all of Italy. The room was very nice and the staff was helpful. We could have found a less expensive place, but it would not have been as enjoyable as this hotel. Thanks for your help, we had a great trip.
Bob C. & Sandy K.
Dear Julie:
Yes, we had a marvelous trip! Thanks to all your help and recommendations. We loved the Hotel La Rovere...great location, we walked everywhere from there. Especially walking home one night we went thru St. Peters, that was beautiful. We ate in a little restaurant that I believe the name was "Giovanni's," it was to the right when you came out of the hotel, down an alley by a tobacco shop. Local place with great typical Italian food.
Again thank you for all your help, it was very easy dealing with In Italy, I have recommended it already to several people.
Nancy W.
Dear Julie,
Hotel La Rovere is very quaint. however the street is so narrow that you must stop the cars behind you to unload your luggage. It would be nice if they had someone to help. The room was very small, however the private balcony was very nice. I hope the above helps. I will certainly think of you the next time I plan a trip to Italy and I thank you again for your help.
SH K.
Hi Julie,
Italy was wonderful, and Hotel La Rovere was equally wonderful. The owners were very friendly and accommodating. The rooms were nice and the patios were well worth the extra money. Our favorite surprise was coffee made to order for breakfast each morning. It was nice being so close to St. Peters and the Vatican museum, as we went early in the morning to both places to avoid the long lines. We found it easy to walk to all of the tourist attractions from the hotel, yet it was in a nice quiet area. We would stay there again.
Thank you for the recommendation.
Danette K.
Dear In Italy,
The La Rovere was a VERY nice hotel. The room was nicely decorated and spacious. The bathroom was roomy, towels were good, shower was a bit small. Our particular room had a nice balcony as well. Breakfast was excellent. Coffee was made to order. The hotel staff was great - very friendly and helpful. The air conditioner worked great. The location was a bit out of the way -- a good distance to walk to busses, etc. However, we liked the location due to the fact that it wasn't as busy and was quiet.
Jeff W.
Dear Cynthia,
I just got back from Italy this weekend and wanted to drop you a quick note concerning Hotel La Rovere. I spent 5 nights there when I first arrived in Rome, and then another two nights there this weekend on my way back. When you and I spoke before I left, you indicated that this was a relatively new hotel listing, so I wanted to give you some feedback.
Hotel La Rovere is a very charming place - small, homey and inviting, not impersonal as most of the large hotels are. The rooms were very clean and looked recently remodeled, especially the bathrooms which are supplied with several nice amenities. The complimentary breakfast was always fresh and delicious. It was also very convenient to have a mini-bar fridge in the room, and compared to US hotels, the prices of the stocked items were very low. You also can't beat the location - just a few blocks away from St. Peter's and the Vatican, you can walk to just about every major tourist attraction in Rome. The hotel staff is without exception warm and friendly, and everyone was always very helpful with any questions or requests I had. Everyone speaks English well and there was never any language barrier. I would absolutely recommend this hotel to anyone, and I plan on staying there again next year when I return to Rome.
You run an incredible site. For someone like me who was traveling to Italy (and Europe) for the first time, it made everything so much easier and more enjoyable. Plus, I would have never found Hotel La Rovere on my own if I hadn't booked through you.
Thanks for helping make my first of hopefully many visits, such a great experience.
Brent T.
Dear In Italy,
Despite the difficulty we had with the train system getting back to Rome, we did make it. Language barrier was certainly a problem. I went to the ticket booth to reserved seats on the fast train and get the tickets validated as Maria had instructed us to. The person behind the window told us we were all set and to hurry before our train left. We had no seats and our tickets were not validated and ended up on the slow train.
Back at Hotel La Rovere, our luggage was already back into our room. Giorgio was friendly and a wonderful hostess. Everyone was very accommodating. Breakfasts were good. The rooms were clean and beautiful with a lovely private terrace which we made use of.
We explored St. Peters, visited and ate dinner at Navona Piazza. The next day we arrived 1/2 hour before the opening of the Vatican museum and got right in when it opened. We used headsets instead of a tour. That way we could go at our own pace. We spent from 9AM until 5PM exploring every nook and cranny, we even forgot to eat lunch! It was so special. I would definitely recommend headsets for each person and tell them to take it slowly and enjoy. We also did the stop and go tour to visit the major sites we wanted to see
Near the hotel we found a cozy little restaurant called Trattoria La Taverna just across the bridge from the Castle S. Angelo. We found this to be our "hidden jewel" of Rome. We even went back there our last night in Rome for a specially prepared bowl of pasta e fagioli that he promised to make for us. I had not been able to find it as it is a winter soup and not on summer menus. As soon as we sat down our soups were in front of us. Before he brought our bill he poured us (on the house)a lemon color digestif which was so good. Later when we got home we found out that it was Limoncello. They made us feel as though we were family. We really hated to leave.
Thanks for all your help. I know you made it a more interesting stay. When we go back to Italy, which we plan to, we will definitely contact you.
Donna and Ed G.
Dear In Italy,
We had a great time! Italy was everything we thought it would be and more! The people were friendly and helpful. We traveled on our own, as we wanted the flexibility of change, resting when needed, site-seeing at our leisure, etc. We ran into few language barriers - at least none that weren't overcome by a smile, gestures and the little Italian we knew and learned!
We flew first to Munich where we met a friend. Left Munich a couple of days later for Vicneza. We then traveled from Vicenza to Rome by train and it was wonderful ride. Rented a car and drove from Rome down the Amalfi Coast and back up to Tuscany, ending in Vicenza. Train to Venice and a train back to Munich for our return flight.
Only one of us had been to Europe and that was with an organized tour group many years ago. None had ridden a train (not counting the little choo-choo around the zoo!). So, actually the whole experience of traveling abroad was totally new for each one of us. We never felt uncomfortable about being on our own and we enjoyed each new, crazy experience so much! We laughed so many times a day that even the airline losing our luggage for 3 days didn't get any of us down (at least not enough to put a damper on our party!)
We thoroughly enjoyed Rome and the Hotel La Rovere was very nice, situated downtown. The staff was great and it was so convenient and within walking distance to almost everything! So much to see & do!
Joleen B.
Everyone at Initaly-
We had a most delightful time on our trip -- and much was thanks to you. This was the first trip to Italy we've had with NO glitches (somewhat of a rarity there!).
First, let me tell you about Hotel La Rovere. It is such a sweet and hidden wonder in Rome; we just loved it there. My husband mostly stays in 5-star hotels because most of his travel is business-related. I was a bit nervous about taking him and our two grown sons (ages 17 and 21, and both over 6 feet tall!) to a quad room in a three-star hotel.
Hotel La Rovere, though, is a five-star three-star hotel. It is beautiful! Very Italian, very clean, very modern. Its location is delightful -- in an alley behind the main road, it's conveniently located and secluded at the same time (I wonder if we could have found it on our own -- glad we had a driver!). The four of us had no trouble sharing one room (for several days!). We arrived late in the evening, had dinner down the street at a lovely restaurant recommended by the hotel (.... Eva -- they can give you the full name), and fell into bed. What a lovely surprise in the morning to find a balcony on our room! We spend many early evenings after sightseeing, before dinner, with a local bottle of wine, reviewing our day's adventures (there's a grocery store within walking distance for when we just HAD to have olives with our wine!). We were walking distance from Vatican City, Piazza Navonna (where we had dinner every night because it's one of our favorite places), and all the 'famous' sites of Rome (it was our sons' first visit, so we did the Spanish Steps, Colosseum, Forum, etc etc). We even were able to manage to get up early enough to enjoy the Hotel's wonderful breakfast a few days. I just can't say enough about this place -- what a find!
While we enjoyed our Vatican tour (you really can't do it by yourself), our guide was very young and Swedish. His English was excellent (as with most Swedes) and his knowledge good. We would have preferred someone local, though, with more passion and in-depth knowledge. Still, it was worth the private tour.
Thank you so much for getting us a rental car on such sort notice. We like to play vacation a bit loose, and you really let us do that with comfort. We drove from Rome to Naples (see below) and then from Naples to Milan, where we dropped the car at the airport with no problem.
Naples continues to amaze us. It was the first time we spent several days in Naples proper and it's now our #2 favorite in Italy (Sicily is still #1). We stayed a few days at the Grand Vesuvio (an awesome 5-star, though it wasn't La Rovere) with my husband on business and visited friends. We did Vesuvio (one of my sons had never been there) but not Pompeii or Herculaneum this time. We did tour the historical section of the city, which is absolutely beautiful. And, of course, drove to Sorrento and took the boat to Capri. We went to the very top of Capri this time to see the castle -- well worth the hike for the ruins and the most amazing view.
There is a delightful new park in Naples that I would highly recommend to any visitor, with areas for strolling, concerts, and great playgrounds for kids (I'll find the name and send it to you). It's on a cape and the view is spectacular.
Driving up the country from Naples to Milan gave us a wonderful overview of Italian geography -- from the mountains in the south to the rolling hills of Tuscany, to the mountains between Pisa and Milan. W took a quick detour to Pisa -- the boys wanted to see the tower lean! We were very pleased to see that the tower braces have been removed (though, being a science-oriented family, they were pretty awesome) and that folks were again allowed in the tower -- though the €15.00 price is a bit steep (no pun intended).
The Hotel Grand Verdi in Milan was very nice, but, truthfully it was wasted on us. We had requested a hotel close to Linate because we were just staying overnight to fly out early. The hotel was not really close (though it seems to be in a good location; I'm not familiar with Milan) and we were not able to take advantage of their breakfast because we had to leave early to get to the airport. Not sure this is all your fault -- I wondered when you sent me the info, but, truthfully, did not have the time to question it.
Again, thank you so much for your assistance. You can be sure we'll contact you for our next trip.
Regards,
Tess W.
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