With the new limited posting schedule and Travel Tip Tuesday mandates the “15th of the Month Review” got bounced back a few days. But I think we are making up for it. Today is Part I of a Two-Part series on hotel reviews, brought to us by guest blogger, avid traveler and Burt’s Bees addict Geggie of So … What Else, What Else, What Else.
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A place to lay your head …
I love to travel, but oh the hotels. What a risk. I sleep in hotels three or four nights a week for work, but they’re usually the no character, giant convention type hotels. When I’m traveling for fun on my own dime I want character, charm and a great location and price. Here are some of my favorite finds in the past couple of years for hotels in Amsterdam, Rome and beyond.
Now, I will compromise luxury for location and price, so none of these are movie star worthy (with the exception of the Phoenix and LA recommendations coming next month right here on My Bella Vita.) I’m also very comfortable in pensions and B&B with shared toilets, but if that’s not your thing, all of these places have en suite options.
If you’re a diva, these probably are not for you. That being said, let me know if you’re interested and I’ll give you more scoop.
Paris
Abaca Messidor Hotel
Live like a local in the very non-touristy 15th. It’s not fancy, but it’s clean and the bathrooms are huge and recently remodeled. We really like being out of the center of town and only ½ block to the Metro.
Prague
Castle Steps
Just rent an apartment, you’ll be glad you did. We stayed here twice and it was perfect. And a fabulous deal. I can’t even tell you how cheap it was five years ago. The best part of town on Nerudova Street.
Krakow
Old Town Apartments
Loved this location behind the main square in Krakow. We stayed in the Stolarska 3 apartment and it was perfect. Super clean, modern and the price was right!
Rome
Al Pantheon con Thomas Mann B&B
I am ALL about location and this is the best location in Rome as far as I’m concerned. You step out of the front door of the B&B and look to your right and there’s the Pantheon about 10 seconds away, literally. It’s amazing! Now, it’s spare by American standards, but it was fine with me. Clean, but small and not super cozy. You have to walk through a common courtyard with a restaurant, residences and more. But, for about $140 a night and en suite, it was just the thing for us. Don’t book this for your honeymoon or if you require a hair drier. But if you’re a budget traveler who doesn’t want to compromise location, it can’t be beat.
Amsterdam
Hotel Prinsenhof
Love it! A funky little place right in the middle of town. I stayed in a room overlooking the canal. The rooms are bright and clean. I stayed in two different rooms both with shared toilets, which is no big deal for me, but they do have en suite available. I will definitely stay here on my next trip to Amsterdam.
Be sure to check back on July 15 for the next installment of Geggie’s Hotel Reviews.
What are some of your favorite hotels? Do you choose hotels based on location, price or amenities? What are you willing to sacrifice?
