Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Learn Italian

Learn Italian with Larry Aiello

Need to learn Italian before your upcoming trip?

Then check out my online Italian course for a one-time fee you get lifetime access to my Italian lessons geared for travelers.

Or you can check out my Italian course on Skillshare to pay a monthly amount for access to ALL the courses on the platform.  You automatically get two months for free when you sign up.  So signup to learn Italian today!

 

Check out these books

Where To Stay in Italy | Print |  E-mail

As far as Italian accommodations, you will be able to find whatever your heart desires in Italy. Hotels in Italy are rated according to government standards based on a 5-star system. You can (usually) get a pretty good indication of the accommodations and the corresponding price you will pay based on the number of stars a hotel has assigned to it.

Check out the table below for an APPROXIMATE generalization:

Stars Rooms Description
Price per night from / to
1 Up to 14 No private bath $30 $60
2 Up to 41 Usually no private bath $60 $90
3 Up to 82 Usually w/ TV and private bath $90 $130
4 Up to 49 Full amenities $130 $260
5 Up to 137 Full amenities / pool / etc. $260 Up

 

Of course, the earlier you book a reservation, the better the odds are you will not pay top Euro.  Here are the types of accommodations in Italy:

  • Albergo - Italian word for hotel. These are the most common you will find, especially in the tourist areas. These will be the typical chain hotels, with Jolly and Hilton being the most common. All of the other major chains (i.e. Holiday Inn, Radisson, Ramada, Marriott etc.) have properties in Italy. Increasingly, Italians are dropping the term "albergo" and substituting the word "hotel" instead.  

  • Locanda - More of a country or rustic inn. This term is still used a great deal particularly around Venice.

  • Pensione - A small hotel, or more of a boarding house. In the days of yesteryear, it was common to share a bathroom and eat three meals a day with the family proprietors. Those days are gone, and the pensione is disappearing as well. You will still be able to find some, usually being a one or two-star hotel.

  • Motel - These are gaining in popularity and tend to be off the interstate. AGIP is one of the more popular ones you will see.  

  • Day hotels - "Alberghi diurni" are often found outside railway stations and offer shower facilities, restrooms, hair dressers, telephones, etc. but do not offer sleeping amenities.

     

    Italy also offers other options for more non-traditional accommodations. Gaining in popularity are the following vacation options:

    • Renting an Apartment or Villa - particularly around Tuscany or the Amalfi Coast. Your best bet is to contact the local tourist office of the town you wish to visit. If you are staying less than 2 weeks, the paperwork and red tape involved is usually not worth the trouble. However, there are some advantages: Apartments can offer more privacy, they often come with cooking accommodations (kitchen, stove, refrigerator, etc), so you can cook up your own meals. Whereas in a hotel, you often have to eat at a restaurant, which can sometimes be pricey in Italy. An apartment is typically more spacious than a hotel room, so you can invite friends, guests, etc. They can also be found in older areas of Rome, Florence, Turin, etc. where the number of hotels are often limited. If you are looking to visit the city of Florence then renting an apartment would be a great way of exploring the city with your own itinerary. All the apartments offered have many homily comforts to make you stay that extra bit special. These apartments will give you the freedom and peace of mind in what can be a very buzzing but busy atmosphere.
    • Bed and Breakfasts - Tend to be in the one or two-star category.
    • Home Exchanges
    • Restaurant Schools - Many schools, particularly around Tuscany, will offer you a program on learning Italian cuisine.  
    • Bike Tours - some will let you use your own bike, or you can rent theirs.
    • Agriturismo - becoming increasingly popular. You can spend your vacation on a working vineyard, olive grove, etc. should you desire.
    • Timeshares - Italy has fewer of these resorts than many other European countries, but you can search online to see if any of these suite style rentals are available.
  •  

     

    Comments  

     
    0 #5 Italian lessons 2012-04-19 23:49
    Hi Pizzaguy, thanks for the post. Have fun with your mom. Larry
    Quote
     
     
    +1 #4 pizzaguy30 2012-04-19 20:21
    Very nice post! This will really help a lot since me and my mom are planning to have a vacation there in Italy.
    Quote
     
     
    +3 #3 Romina 2011-09-14 03:10
    We went with a group in Umbria, and we stayed in a luxury villa that accommodated all 16 of us. I think that you would be able to save this way because the group shares the costs and you can get some discounts if you stay for a week or longer. Plus, you get very elegant lodging, full amenities and some extras. The villa we stayed in had a large swimming pool, a large dining room that seated all of us, a large drawing room. Plus we got a caretaker too who partly played as host and tour guide to us.
    Quote
     
     
    +3 #2 Dominic 2011-09-11 20:27
    This is a very helpful article, especially to somebody like me who has never been to Italy before. Now that I am retired, I've taken the plunge and planned a vacation touring the Italian countrysides. Thanks for the information you have here, at least I have a general idea of what to look for when I do arrive :)
    Quote
     
     
    +2 #1 Katie 2011-09-02 20:44
    I'm kinda apprehensive that you would need to pay at least $30 for a room with no private bath. I'm quite shy about parading in an open corridor with only a towel draped on me. I booked my flight to Italy when my couchsurfer friend said that she would be able to take me in next month, but she had cancelled on me last week. So here I am. Thanks for the information you have here. Also checked venere.com and found a good room with a private bath at only $50 :)
    Quote
     

    Add comment


    Security code
    Refresh

    Feedback

    We would really like your feedback. Tell us what

    we need to add to make this the absolute best

    Italian resource site. Click Here

    Privacy Policy | Advertise | Disclaimer