So far, not happy with 2 of the 3 hotels...
[vent on] Currently on day 6 of tour. Our first hotel in Sorrento, while nice, was in a terrible location. FWIW they offered a shuttle bus from the hotel to the center square during a free evening. Meanwhile, we've been paralleling a small groups tour and their hotel was in the heart of town.
Just arrived in Perugia, late afternoon, where outside temp is upper 70s. Opened up the door to my room, which is facing into the sun, and it's 80+ in here. They won't be turning on the AC for another 2 weeks, per TD. And this is supposedly a 5 star hotel (Sina Brufani).
Also seems like they've cheapened the tours since Covid - fewer included sights (no Colosseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish steps, etc. in Rome) and fewer meals included. Not a happy camper at this point. Fifteen tours (including 2 upcoming) and my tenure with them may be coming to an end. [vent off]
Comments
What was the third hotel? Was it ok? Yes, the sights especially in Rome have been cut pack. I think the popularity and crowds are causing a lot of this.
Fyi, if you hope to use the spa or pool at Bagni do Pisa, pack your swimsuit in your carryon or day pack. Most disorganized check in even and bags took even longer. We didn't have time before the dictated dinner time.
Fyi,
BKMD, sorry to hear your accommodations and excursions aren't up to the old Tauck standards. We found the rooms to be hit or miss in northern Italy last fall, too. Seems some get deluxe rooms and some don't. Our TD told us upgrades were parceled out according to the earliest bookings. I don't know whether that's true, he told a lot of questionable stories. Could you ask for a fan at the front desk maybe?
We took this tour in 2015 and many of the hotels and smaller cities were different.
In Rome we did go into the Colosseum but the other three places you mentioned were done on our own. After the tour of St. Peter's we walked back to the hotel stopping at the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. The number meals listed appears comparable to what we experienced in 2015.
Before we book any trip we look up the hotels that are listed. This gives us a good idea of where they are located and the quality of the facilities. If they do not meet our standards, we would look into alternatives.
Claudia - the third hotel was mentioned above, the Sina Brufani in Perugia.
You mentioned the hotels in Sorrento and Perugia but not Rome so I'm assuming that one was ok.
We took the Small Groups tour in 2016- like Kathy M other than the St Peters and the Vatican Museum, and the Sistine Chapel (after hours), only the Colosseum was included in Rome. The others mentioned were within an easy walk and access to the Pantheon was free then. The Circus Maximus was listed but since there is not much of it left, we saw it during a drive-by.
We stayed in La Favorita close to a cliff-side park, a city elevator to marina level, and to the center of Sorrento. In Rome, we were in a boutique hotel (Hotel d'Inghilterra) near the Spanish Steps (which were closed for renovation and cleaning). Our hotel in Tuscany (Province of Perugia) was Le Tre Vaselle, in the small hill town of Torgiano, 13 km south of Perugia.
The real tell will be where you stay in Florence. We were in a great boutique but newly renovated Hotel Brunelleschi. It was within sight of and just 2 - 3 blocks from the Duomo in the heart of the old city. It even had ruins/a museum in the basement!
I looks like if you want better(?) and smaller hotels that are closer to the action, you need to take the Small Groups tour. Hotels are not even on our criteria list when decide about a tour.
AlanS - Per the website the Classic tour hotels in both Florence (Westin Excelsior) and Venice (Danielli) are just as well placed as the hotels used on the Classic Italy, Small Groups tour.
Claudia - yes, Rome was fine.
Alan - I've never had a hotel location issue with large group tours in the past.
The Classic Italy tour is a unique tour. Normally for any tour, the date selected drives if it is a Classic group size tour or a Small group size tour. For this tour there are two distinct and separate tours that dictate the group size. Each has its own itinerary and accommodations.
Here is the link to the classic group size tour.
https://tauck.com/tours/italy-escorted-tour?tcd=it2024
Here is the link to the small group size tour.
https://tauck.com/tours/italy-small-group-vacation-package?tcd=ita2024
BKMD - When my daughter and I did the Switzerland tour last May, it was uncomfortably warm, and by law, the air conditioning could not be turned on until June 1. However, we could -- and did -- ask for fans, and did receive them.
I'm so sorry, but some of the towns don't have 5 star options like we would expect from Tauck (1st world problems) - but please know that Heat and AC temperature is controlled my the EU gov't - we actually learned about this on our Tauck Ultimate Alps & Dolomites tour. Whether this is true or not, I'm not sure, but with the price of electricity in Europe, I doubt Tauck can ask a hotel to turn on the AC.
One reason we did Venice, Florence, Rome with Rick Steves over Tauck is for the reasons you mentioned - we noticed many of the Rome highlights were not included with Tauck, but were with Rick Steves.
In October, we go with Tauck to the Tuscany & Umbria tour - we already know some of the hotels may not be 5 star the way many of Tauck's are as some of the towns are tiny - we still hope for amazing sites, learning, and food. I'm sorry this tour hasn't met up to your expectations - it is hard when the prices are SO high and they seem to be cutting back on things too.
That said, we just go back from The Swiss Alps River Cruise and it was so well done. We have 3 more tours booked.
Regarding energy consumption and like MCD mentioned, more and more countries are limiting cooling and heating in government buildings and in hotels. It makes no difference the quality of the hotel, it's the law. Europeans also have a much different mindset regarding protecting the environment. The aforementioned is in no way meant to be a political statement--just a fact.
Hard to believe how many more people are complaining about Tauck tours, hotels, meals etc..
Is it really Tauck or the clientele? I saw a few minor changes..., but overall, my trip was pleasant and what I expected.
I hope someone from Tauck is reading the posts on this forum....
BKMD you have the right to vent. if the tour was not Tauck quality. - we pay a lot of money to go on these tours.
As I wrote in my review of our Oct Classic Italy full sized, the Florence hotel itself was fine but I believe everyone in the group got rooms looking out at an airshaft. Not great. The Daniel was very well placed though older and definitely quirky. But we loved breakfast on the roof top terrace. Even better in warmer weather when you can sit outside watching the lagoon.
MCD and terrilynn - Switzerland is not part of EU. I looked up AC/heat regs and in my cursory review, it appears that they regulate the temperature settings and not whether they can be used at all. Our previous two hotels had AC on. And I did ask for a fan.
I know that Switzerland is not part of the EU. It's Swiss law that prohibited air conditioning before June 1 -- at least, that's what we were told.
I'm getting the sense that Tauck is having issues with their suppliers (hotels, etc). I've been waiting on final 2025 pricing and itinerary for Scandinavia. Looked at several other European land tours and the same. Has anyone booked a 2025 European land tour with final prices? The river cruises have been finalized.
Claudia - I’ve also been waiting for pricing for 2025, the Week in Scotland and England, Scotland, and Wales tours. I agree with you that the issue is most likely hotel contracts. We made our deposits several months ago.
Claudia, we have been waiting anxiously for our Switzerland Crown Jewel pricing for next June. I know that there have been delays in the past, but this seems to be more than usual.
When we went to Ireland, several of the places we stayed didn't even have air conditioning, and didn't have screens on the windows. And it was hot. We left the windows open and took the chance on bugs.
I think many hotels give you excuses, but the real reason is they don't want to spend the money air conditioning the rooms. In Morocco, the public areas of the hotel was air conditioned but the AC in the rooms (all the rooms) was shut off.
We are also waiting for 2025 pricing for Warsaw, Vienna, Budapest and Prague next May. And dates for Spain and Portugal land tour for 2025 have not yet been released for booking. Hopefully, soon?
Claudia - we put a deposit down for the Croatia land tour for May 2025. Prices still noty finalized.
Mike - I can understand Ireland. Their weather isn't much different than San Francisco - usually on the cool side with no AC needed, but a week or two of heat wave possible. Same is tur od my ski condo in the Colo Rockies (elev ~9500 ft). Rarely higher than mid 70s, but once in a while it gets hot (but cools off quickly after sunset)
No prices for my 2 tours land tours in Italy in May 2025.
Have final prices for 2025 river cruise and 2025 small ship tour - both in Europe, one in May, one in September.
Yep, the river cruise prices were out in March. I guess since the main vendor is Scylla. I wonder if prices for associated pre or post cruise hotel stays are available?
Claudia - Our final prices included the extra GOT night prior to both tours.
I’ve never been to a country apart from the US that I have noticed has screens on windows. England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland do not have air conditioning, it’s rarely warm enough and of course Europe in general is more conscientious about the affects of Global warming.
BKMD - I am aware that Switzerland isn't part of the EU - I simply stated what we learned on our Ultimate Alps & Dolomites tour which also included Germany, Austria, and Italy which are part of the EU. Our TD who told us this was from Vienna. This was in October 2022.
Although, I must say I think Switzerland follows this also - we were just there in April with Tauck and our hotel was SO HOT. We could not adjust the thermostats. The ladies at the desk told us that because of the cost of energy over there, that they are instructed to lock out the thermostats from getting too cool and too warm in the rooms. We did open the windows at night.
There were always prices posted for the beginning and end hotels posted for when people wanted to extend their stays, but they havens been shown either for a while now. It is possible that Tauck can’t commit to the numbers of rooms they need yet and are waiting’s until more people book the tours.