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We had a fantastic trip! It was incredibly easy to book the trip from the go today website and for the most part, we liked the standard hotels chosen for us. It would be great if a map to each hotel would be included on the website or perhaps a time estimate of how long it would take to get to the hotels via taxi or public transport from the major airports or train stations. 6 nights was enough to see a lot of amazing art and eat some incredible Italian food, which was our main goal anyway. Some of the staff at the hotels were a little less than helpful, but I would still recommend this trip highly.
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Review Provided by:
Devika S who traveled on 4/11/2009
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Excellent hotels and tours selection and advice by go-today. We had a great time, awesome service. Thanks go-today.
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Review Provided by:
Sandeep Sisodia who traveled on 12/13/2008
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This was the greatest vacation ever. Getting to see all 3 cities was fantastic, and everything was so easy. The hotels were nice and convenient and everything went seamlessly. This is a really great way to see a lot of italy. There was time to do everything and we did! I highly recommend this!
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Review Provided by:
Alicia Green who traveled on 5/11/2008
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My son and I had a wonderful time. 2 Days in each city was just not enough to see everything, but great for a taste! Italians were very helpful and most would speak at least a little English.
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Review Provided by:
Holly Manning who traveled on 5/6/2008
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My boyfriend (now fiance') and I spent 9 days on this vacation. Even with adding 3 days to the trip it was jam packed. Rome was a little tough for us because we traveled all night and really lost the first day. We used the metro to get where we needed to go and would recommend getting the three day pass. There is SO much to see!! Florence was our favorite, we were close to everything and just loved this city. The Duomo is beautiful and you MUST walk up all those stairs to see the views of the entire city!!!! Ask your hotel to make reservations for the popular museums, it will save you a ton of time standing in LINE!! Also, the trains to each city were a breeze to use and quick. Venice was great, we spent most of the time on the vaporetto (venice's version of a bus/metro).....again, get a 2 or 3 day pass, you will use it if you want to see all of the city. The best part of Venice was .....when we got engaged!!!!! Go Today is a great company and they went above and beyond to made adjustments when United cancelled one of our flights. The most important thing we have to say is this; go with someone who you care about very very much about, because this trip is unforgettable!!!
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Review Provided by:
Katherine Porter who traveled on 3/22/2008
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Great package deal! Trip of a lifetime! Hotel Palazzuolo in florence the room was completely moldy, but that was the only negative experience on the trip!
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Review Provided by:
Nicholas Lyon who traveled on 3/6/2008
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i loved this package!!! everything went so smoothly, and the gotoday staff (especially amelia) was very nice and helpful in accomidating my requests.i feel absolutley in love with italy, and cannot wait to return.
i have already told friends about this site, and cannot wait to use it in the future!!!
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Review Provided by:
adriana r who traveled on 2/28/2008
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The service provided by everyone at go-today was excellent. All of the hotel, air and rail reservations were flawless. My companion needed a Schengen visa and go-today was able to modify the hotel voucher and fax it to him while he was at the Italian consulate in Los Angeles, enabling him to complete the application process that day. The hotels in Rome, Florence and Venice were respectively the Flower Garden, Palazzuolo, and the Olimpia. All of the hotels were safe, comfortable, well maintained and conveniently located very close to the train stations which was a huge plus. The Olimpia Hotel was exceptionally nice. I would not have thought to stay near the train station in Rome but it allowed me to see a lot more of the city than I might have otherwise. This package was a tremendous value for the money.
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Review Provided by:
Francis Freire who traveled on 2/12/2008
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Go-today.com was a terrific agency to deal with always polite and courtesy to assist with our questions and concerns so I give them a 5 star for that. In reference to the actual vacation it was ok. When in Rome we stayed at Taormina Hotel (not a very good hotel)
Very small and an old dingy smell to it. Would not stay there again! Albergo Montreal Hotel in Florence was very nice and Tintoretto Hotel in Venice as well very clean and comfortable. My impression of Italy was Italians are just rude no common courtesy compare to Americans it hurts to say that of my own people but they are. Me and my husband thought it was just us but we ran into two other couples who stated the same thing with out us insinuating other wise. Venice was just beautiful this was our favorite place just spectacular romantic enchanting would definitely go there again. Tip in reference to transfer from Venice to airport don’t pay a $92.00 transfer fee when you can buy tickets at ferries for 12.00 Euros much cheaper you’ll need to save the money with how expensive good quality restaurants are in Italy. Temperature was ok mid-50’s, it was nice. Just prepare your self and you’ll have fun nice package overall. Thank you go-today.
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Review Provided by:
Shaikira Figueroa who traveled on 2/3/2008
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This trip was wonderful! It truely was a taste of Italy. My only regret is that we didn't have more time in each city to do more exploring. I would love to go back and spend more time in each city.
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Review Provided by:
Julie Bitting who traveled on 9/26/2007
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We loved this vacation! It was a great deal for the $$. The hotels go-today picked out were all very nice and near transfer points. Everything went very smoothly.
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Review Provided by:
Jennylynn Balmer who traveled on 3/23/2007
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A friend recommended booking with GO-TODAY and I am so glad we did. I was pleased with the customer service and how easy it was to call and customize our trip exactly how we wanted it. My mother and I flew to Venice first and spent 2 nights at the Locanda Vivaldi Hotel and it was a great way to start our vacation! The hotel was immaculate and our room was on a canal. The staff was very helpful, friendly, and recommended great places for lunch and dinner. The train transfer to Florence was easy and hassle free. In Florence, we spent 3 nights at the Balestri Hotel which was the only down fall of the trip. It was outdated, musty, and the furniture was worn, ripped, and dirty. We did a day trip to Siena which was great to see and a good break from the bustling city of Florence. Our last 4 nights in Rome at the Nazionale Hotel were great. Very centrally located and the staff was so friendly and helpful. Our room had a view of St Peter's which was a great way to start & end each day. I will check GO TODAY for my next vacation!
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Review Provided by:
B. Berggren who traveled on 3/17/2007
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As always Go-Today planned a perfect vacation for us. With (5) women traveling to Italy for the first time we needed to be able to depend on our travel agent totally. Everything worked like clockwork. We traveled to Rome, Florence & Venice. We stayed at the Champagne Palace in Rome, which is a few blocks from the train station and very beautiful. In Florence we stayed at the Alba, again the accomodation are very nice and centrally located a short distance from the train station and in Venice the Santa Chiara is a short Vaporetti ride from the station and very nice. In each hotel the staff was very helpful also. The only suggestion I have for anyone traveling by train from city to city is don't take any large luggage pieces. We carried medium size luggage and had to store it in front of the car and one of us had their luggage stolen. Next time we will take small bags that can be stored in the overhead compartment near us. Fortunately, we always buy travel insurance when we book our trip and with the help from go-today she is being re-imbursed for everything lost. Despite that little incident we all had the vacation of a life time, until our next adventure with Go-Today which we hope is in the near future. Thank you.
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Review Provided by:
Betty Gillam who traveled on 3/9/2007
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We had a wonderful time on our Taste of Italy trip. Although all the forecasts said rain, we had no rain and wonderful weather for March. Our room at the Executive Hotel in Rome was very small but nice with a lovely balcony, helpful staff. In Florence the Machivelli was close to the train station and the staff gave us a wonderful map of the city. In Venice we recommend telling what church the hotel is near as we could not find our Hotel Tiziano and had to have someone come and get us. Our room was spacious, romantic in Venetian decor and the nicest of all our hotels. It even overlooked a canal! All the hotels were better than we expected and the breakfasts were great. We recommend taking the bus to the airport in Venice as it was only 3 Euros each and took 20 minutes from Piazza Roma. We would definately book another trip with go-today.com!
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Review Provided by:
Lily Fife who traveled on 3/5/2007
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Overall everything went beautiful. Hotels worked out great, great locations, clean rooms, friendly staff. This was my first booking with Go-Today and I will definitely book again.
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Review Provided by:
Douglas Charpentier who traveled on 3/1/2007
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We were very pleased with our travel arrangments and our hotel accommodations. Everything was very convenient----everything went smoothly. Thanks!
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Review Provided by:
Cindy Hays who traveled on 3/1/2007
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My husband and I, along with a friend and her mother, just returned from our first trip booked with Go-Today.com and we were extremely pleased with the whole process. There was only one small problem with one hotel but the go-today agent I contacted in Europe on the last leg of our trip was prompt and responsive in resolving the type of reservation we had with that particular hotel. We spent 3 days in each city - Rome, Florence and Venice - and are still marveling at the value received for the cost of the trip inclusions: airfare, train tickets and 9 nights hotel! At the very least, we probably saved several hundreds of dollars over booking separately or with any other tour company. While basic, the Regency Hotel in Rome was very clean and the location was excellent. The maid was superb and maintenance very quick to repair the chandelier that was not working. The De La Pace in Florence was also a great hotel - location superb and furnishings a little more upscale with even a LCD TV. The bathroom was VERY nice and again, very clean. We enjoyed this hotel tremendously! The only downside was our hotel in Venice on Lido and that is where the clerk gave us one twin and one double room even though our reservation was for two twin rooms. The lift was also out of order, which made it difficult for my friend's elderly mother, but the European representative was very couteous and helpful and we were pleased with the choices we were given and the resolution. I will certainly ALWAYS check first with go-today.com when I plan any trip!
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Review Provided by:
Pamela Nitsch who traveled on 2/28/2007
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The Taste of Italy vacation was so wonderful, I was hesitant at first to book from an on-line company that I was unfamiliar with. Much to our surprise and joy the whole trip ran so smooth, we would recommend an airport transfer in Rome, taxi was fine in Florence about 15 euros, and take the vaporetto in Vencie, the cost was 6 euros per person vs 70 for a water taxi. Also take the something Laguna to the airport which is 12 euros, the trip is 1hour and 15min so alllow for the transportation time. We had such a great time we will be taking our family next time!
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Review Provided by:
Loretta who traveled on 2/23/2007
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I was very pleased with both the cost and travel arrangements. The hotels exceeded my expectations, all were well-located and hotel personnel were friendly and helpful. The air and train travel arrangements were well organized. I will definitely look at go-today offers for future travel. Thanks!
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Review Provided by:
Letha Ochs who traveled on 2/20/2007
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Great package for a great price. Everything went very smoothly--flights, train rides, hotels. No hidden or extra costs came up. Not a lot of time in each city, but enough to get a "taste". Using travel guide books and maps, we planned out our sightseeing and hit all the highlights and more in each city. Took trains, the subway (Rome), or walked everywhere.
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Review Provided by:
Jim Gaylord who traveled on 2/20/2007
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Although the temperature was cool (upper 50s) the sun was out for most of the trip. We thoroughly enjoyed this trip. All our connections and accommodations were fine. We upgraded to "tourist" hotels and found them very acceptable. They weren't fancy, but clean and in very good locations (Rome-Regency; Florence-Delle Nazioni Hotel; Venice-Arlecchino). We did a self-guided trip and I would do it again!
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Review Provided by:
Deborah Teer who traveled on 1/25/2007
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The title for this vacation package is extremely fitting a “Taste of Italy” is definitely what you get. Make sure you get plenty of rest on the flight, because you barely have two days in each city the last thing you want to do is spend time catching up on rest in your hotel room. The people are friendly but do learn some Italian. This vacation is an awesome escape. And I highly recommend the Nazionale hotel in Rome the breakfast is really good and the best continental breakfast you’ll receive (as you make your way up to Venice the Breakfast gets worst). I also recommend the Monna Lisa Hotel in Florence and CA Dei Conti Hotel in Venice great staff. Enjoy
April and Christopher
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Review Provided by:
april rogers who traveled on 12/9/2006
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Every detail was superb. The transfers went without a hitch, the accomodations were excellent. The breakfasts were very good(the Guilio Cesare breakfast was #1).
Our only complaint was it ended too quickly.
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Review Provided by:
Alexander Cooper who traveled on 11/1/2006
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I dont think tour was taste of italy but we went to Rome, Florence & Venice on a self guided tour. It was better than we expected and very easy since go-today did most of the work!
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Review Provided by:
riva bard who traveled on 5/26/2006
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We liked everything that was planned, except the flight schedule. Our outbound flight was to transit in Paris to Rome, however, our ticket was booked with only 1 hour for transit!! We had to clear immigration and custom, and find the transit gate! There was no way we can make it within the hour and we ended up missing the flight and was stranded at the Paris airport for 5+ hours!!!
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Review Provided by:
P Leung who traveled on 3/28/2006
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Although this is a quick trip, it was fabulous! Our hotels were were great! We had the Palentino in Rome; the Paris Hotel in Florence; and Tre Archi Hotel in Venice. The Paris Hotel room was small but very cute... the hotel itself was beautiful on the inside. Dining in the breakfast hall made you feel like you stepped back 500 years! The ceilings are gorgeous! The room at the Tre Archi Hotel in Venice was the best! We had one of two rooms with a balcony. There was a small staircase that lead to the loft bedroom. I felt like a princess, ha ha! If you are looking for American hotels, stay home. Enjoy the quaintness of your surroundings! And, thanks to Go-Today for excellent service.
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Review Provided by:
Melynee Finch who traveled on 3/26/2006
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We just returned from our Taste of Italy vacation and have, for the most part, only positive things to say about the vacation and our experience with Go-Today.
Starting with the pre-vacation contacts, we always found the staff attentive, thorough, interested, prompt and courteous. That can't be said very often for any sales or customer service staff. The excessively indirect nature of the flights to Rome were a bit disappointing, especially after paying extra to leave from Baltimore, but we guess that's the nature of the beast.
When we arrived in Rome, we were scheduled to stay at the Guilio Cesare Hotel. Upon arrival we were told that there was "a problem" and shuttled off to another hotel, La Griffe, assured that it was a 5 Star hotel. After a cab ride that was definitely a rip-off, we arrived at La Griffe. The hotel was centrally located (which was fine), and very modern (which we didn't want). We had built our plans around walking to The Vatican on the afternoon of our arrival, so this move threw our plans off. That was complicated by a thunderstorm, which meant further sightseeing delays. The rain did stop and we toured the Colosseum area. The next day we were able to get in the Vatican, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, all via the Subway. It's easy to use and reasonable.
The train ride to Florence was delightful. And, Florence was the highlight of the trip. We stayed at the Plaza Hotel Luchessi and had a room overlooking the Arno. It was the kind of hotel experience you imagine when your planning a trip to Italy. Wonderful room, wonderful staff, located within walking distance of everything we wanted to see. We would stay here again in a heartbeat. Kudos to Go-Today for selecting this hotel. Shop the Leather School directly behind the hotel. And try the Ristorante la Maremma. Delicious food, great service, excellent Trattoria atmosphere.
Another wonderful train ride to Venice.
In Venice we were booked at the Residencia Canneregio. We made the mistake of asking the water taxi ticket salesperson which dock to use to get to the hotel. She said Ca Dora. That was disastrous. It was a long way from the hotel and no one knew how to get to the hotel. It's only two years old and people just weren't familiar with it. Make sure Go-Today sends you one of the hotel maps that has their location clearly marked on it if Go-Today books you here. It turns out it's a fairly simple 10 minute walk from the train station, much closer than any of the docks.
The Canneregio is a nice hotel with a very helpful staff. It's contemporary, so not for those looking for a romantic old-style hotel. It's also at the opposite end of the island from St. Mark's Square. But the walk is lovely and we're glad we didn't miss it. We thought the food in Venice left a lot to be desired, especially when compared with Florence. We did take a Gondola ride and it was delightful. Being water-wayed through the canals while being sung to has a lot to say for itself. If you think you're too sophisticated for this engaging tourist moment, then you probably are - and that's not intended as a compliment.
The flight home was compounded by the French strikes but came off without a hitch.
On the whole, the trip was a success and pretty much what we hoped for. My wife and I both agree that we would book again through Go-Today without hesitation. We would suggest, though, that you see if they offer this trip starting in Venice and ending in Rome. That way you can get your feet wet in the smaller city and work your way up to the larger one. Not literally, of course.
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Review Provided by:
Vince Clews who traveled on 3/23/2006
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Loved the "Taste of Italy" package and go-today.com is wonderful! Would definitely book another vacation with them again. Went to Italy in March. The weather was good. Completely comfortable with jeans and a jacket so fewer crowds. Would have added one more day in Rome if could do it over again. One a half day just isn't enough to see everything. The Accademia Hotel in Rome is great! Perfect location right around the corner from the Trevi Fountain. Walked to the Vatican, Pantheon and Spanish Steps, too. Beware of pickpockets in Rome Termini Station and Metro! Almost became a victim. Would definitely recommend taking a bus or taxi from airport to hotel. Too much of a target as a tourist carting luggage around. Florence was beautiful. Everything is so compact that we were able to see all we wanted. Reserved tickets day ahead of time to Uffizi Gallery and Galleria dell Accamdemia (to see David). Recommend spending extra money to do this as saves you so much time. Stayed at Palace Machiavelli Hotel. Great location. Very near train station. No problem walking block or so to hotel. Would stay there again. Venice was beautiful! Hotel not so, however. Stayed at Rigel Hotel on the Lido. Bad location, horrible rooms, and could hear people talking in lobby ALL night. I do not recommend and would not stay at again. Pay the extra, if needed and stay within Venice and not on the Lido or St. Elena. Too far to travel and wastes too much time especially with limited amount of time in the city. This is a great trip and March the perfect time to go!!
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Review Provided by:
K Hunder who traveled on 3/18/2006
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Go-today and fed-ex could not get our tickets to us promptly. When a second effort was made, go-today mistyped the delivery address. After we finally got our tickets just two days before departure, we arrived at the airport on-time, only to find that the domestic flight connecting to our international flight did not operate. Air France, the carrier was not helpful at all. Why were we not alerted? So far, we are extremely disappointed and not very happy. We'll check to see if you print this on line.
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Review Provided by:
raymond delevie who traveled on 3/18/2006
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Very flexible plan, hotels were excellent thruout, however Serena in Rome was having elevator problems but their desk help & breakfast were wonderful. Machiavelli Palace was also very convenient location and super baths. Residenzia Canareggio was absolutely lovely but no elevator, it is only two stories total. We were given Jr. suites which were very nice with sofa etc. but should have been advised in advance that beds were on 2nd level. Location was on the outskirts of Venice proper and as such a pretty good walk to the Vaparetto on Grand Canal. Would highly recommend the private water taxi to the airport if you can afford it (we were 8 in our party so it was feasible.) Did book taxi independently on line
2 MAJOR ADVISORIES: Check every document thoroughly. One of our party of eight was on a different flight on the last leg of the return trip. Traveling together as we were, it was only by chance that she discovered it in time to make her flight which left an hour 20 minutes before the rest of us. Also, I didn't realize that the train connections had reserved seats on a specific train (I thought they were open tickets), so we had to rebook our reservations on a later one as we missed the scheduled one.
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Review Provided by:
clara stone who traveled on 3/9/2006
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We had a great time! Nice, conviently-located hotels.... thank you Go Today!
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Review Provided by:
Krista Lance who traveled on 3/1/2006
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Great trip. All arrangements were right on target. Hotels varied from good to excellent with good locations for those that are traveling without a car. I am not a seasoned European traveler and had no problems with all the arrangements made by go-today.com. Thanks again.
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Review Provided by:
Gregg Becker who traveled on 2/8/2006
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Great trip the tour guides made everything so easy and they were all so knowledgable!! You could ask anything! Our main tour guide Tomasso was the best ever and had the all time best personality!! We loved him and enjoyed our trip very much. It wasnt the best time to go, Venice was very cold we wore alot of clothes but didnt let the cold slow us down any, the hotels were on the very very small side, we had to send our suitcases by themselves in the elevators because they only held two people!! But other than that would do it all over again. Oh yeah, and the Italian people were so friendly and helpful even when we didnt make ourselves very clear, we had a little trouble with the language but they didnt seem to mind. Loved it! Thanks again.
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Review Provided by:
Terri Mauro who traveled on 2/1/2006
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I recently went on this trip on Dec 1, 05, and it rained the majority of the time. Also, it was very cold. I chose Cat A hotels for a budget vacation to Italy. The Zone Hotel was ok. However, it is situated at the end of a long winding street and unless your up for a lot of walking or into catching cabs, I wouldn't suggest this hotel. We mainly caught the city bus(for free) but to get up to the street, you literally have to walk about a mile. Plus, they are quick to tell you that everything is right around the corner(when actually, its about a mile or two mile down). Also, our shower was the same level as the floor so therefore, the floor was wet when you took a shower. The hotel walls in Florence were really thin. There was traffic in and out the entire night. The elevator was literally the size of a telephone booth. However, the staff were very friendly. That's the same for the hotel staff in Venice. They seem more professional and courteous. They helped us in everyway possible. And that was the nicest hotel out of the 3 cities. However, to get to the hotel, there is alot of walking. I suggest that if you take this trip, to pick a higher category and to pack light because there is a great deal of walking.
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Review Provided by:
Tequila D. who traveled on 12/1/2005
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I just want to thank you so much for such a wonderful package. I customized my travel arrangements and spent 4 days in Rome, 3 in Florence, and 3 in Venice. Everything went off without a hitch. The hotels were great, and were all in a perfect location. Ground transfers and flights went off without a hitch. I had so many people comment on what a great travel comany Go-Today is. I am highly impressed and will be using your company again and I plan to return to Italy next year. Thank you again for a great trip. I will highly recommend your company to anyone who is looking to travel. Thanks again.
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Review Provided by:
Jared Raymond who traveled on 11/2/2005
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we selected the B package and were three adults in a room. All three hotels accommodated us with a nice queen and a single bed, not a cot. We were upgraded in Venice to the Hotel Colombina, which sits in front of the Remedio on a small canal. The location is superb as it is a few short blocks to St. Mark's Square and within walking distance to the Rialto Bridge. The Machiavelli Palace Hotel, in Florence was very quaint and located very close to the train and many important sites. The San Remo, in Rome was also a few blocks from the train and within walking distance to the colosseum, forum, and the rest of the historic area. The San Remo had trouble supplying hot water, but that is truly my only complaint. The trip was magnificent because we were in charge of our time and sightseeing. We all agreed upon using Go-today.com again in the future for our travels throughout Europe.
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Review Provided by:
janice pierangeli who traveled on 11/1/2005
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This was a great trip! The hotels (B-class) were perfect. Everything was nicely situated and easy to negotiate. The rail transfer worked perfectly- and you could set your own time frame during the day to leave giving you flexibility in each city. We stayed an extra day in Rome, which I highly recommend. This City has so much to offer that you need another day to get settled and explore. This is our third trip with go-today.com and we are already book again for the Escorted Tour of Belgium in Feburary. Go-today.com continues to amaze with wonderful deals and fantastic opportunities to travel. Have fun!!
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Review Provided by:
Serena Larson who traveled on 11/15/2004
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We had the "B" level hotels. Very clean, convenient to the train stations in all three cities. Could not have been more pleased. Paul Graham
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Review Provided by:
Paul Graham who traveled on 11/4/2004
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The hotels were 4 star and excellent. Very helpful hotel staff, helped with excursions. we cant wait to go back to Florence, that was our favorite.
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Review Provided by:
Andrew Reitz who traveled on 10/5/2004
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Our family returned this week from the Taste of Italy trip. Our trip was well organized by go-today.com--documents were received in a timely manner, hotels (Category C) were superb and well located, transportation between cities by rail was easy (would recommend upgrading to reserved seats). This trip wet our appetites for travel and more trips booked through go-today.com. Grazie!
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Review Provided by:
Judith Schilling who traveled on 9/11/2004
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We just returned from the Taste of Italy trip to Rome, Florence, and Venice. We had a great time! Go-today.com made it easy and worry-free by booking all the trip details. The hotels were fabulous! I can't thank you enough for this experience!
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Review Provided by:
Jill Hardwick who traveled on 9/1/2004
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The Taste of Italy trip was great. This is our second trip with go-today.com and we will book many more. We booked catagory B rooms and was extremely pleased with Venice and Florence but I would not stay again at Hotel Champagne Palace in Rome.It didn't compare to the other rooms and the air conditioner didn't work but they didn't care. Everything else about the trip was exceptional.
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Review Provided by:
Philip Gilbert who traveled on 6/1/2004
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The Taste of Italy tour was perfect for me and I have never been abroad before. I travelled with my 13 year old daughter and 71 year old mother-in-law. The Kette Hotel in Venice was lovely and the half-day Lagoon Island tour was great. Having the hotel close to the Florence train station was key. The excellent Evening Walk Tour is a perfect start to our visit in Florence. The Colombus Hotel in Rome was a stone's throw from St. Peter's and the staff was friendly, but the room was not clean. The excellent three-hour Barouque Walking Tour made up for any shortcomings. Great job, Go-today!
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Review Provided by:
Andrea Smyth who traveled on 4/1/2004
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My husband and I did the Taste of Italy Winter Special Feb. 25-Mar.4, 2004 and had a FANTASTIC time. It was a birthday trip for me, and it was a GREAT present. Our first stop was Venice and we were in awe. The city is magnificent and has so much character. We loved getting romantically lost walking over the hundreds of canals. Go to St. Marcos square and feed the pigeons. YOu have never had an experience like it before. It was sooo much fun! The Hotel Olympia was simply wonderful. For the great low price we paid for this vacation I wasn't expecting much (I mean we are there to see the city, not the hotel), but I was very impressed. The room itself was small, as most European hotel rooms are, but it was quaint and clean and had a large bathroom. Tons of character too! The hotel staff were very courteous and helpful. Breakfast was great! Simple food like rolls and meats, yogarts and cereal, but plenty to fill you up until lunch. And the hotel itself was on a canal close to the train terminal and taxis (if you want to go outside of Venice). All in all we LOVED Venice. Then we took the train over to Florence (which by the way is VERY easy to do and you can upgrade easily to 'book' a seat). But I have to admit, I was disappointed with Florence. I still enjoyed my time there, but it wasn't the quaint Tuscan village I thought it would be. And the museums were all very dingy. The churches were beautiful and seeing Michaelanglo's David was impressive, but overall it wasn't what I expected. However, my husband really enjoyed the city, and even though it wasn't my favorite I would still recommend going and seeing it. The Hotel Machivilli was okay. Like I said, I didn't expect much and I'd say this hotel was mediocre. The bathroom was way too small and the shower about the size of an end table. Not a fun experience trying to soap up in that. But again, it was clean so I can't really complain. The hotel staff were also "okay" in their assistance. Breakfast was again very good. About the same fare. Venice may have had a little more, but there was still plenty to fill up on. Then we were off to Rome (again on the train). The train ride alone is worth this trip. The countryside in this area is breathtaking. And Rome was fantastic. We LOVED the history. Expect a big city! Because Rome is huge and busy and loud. But when you go to the Colisuem or the Roman Forum, the noise is drowned out by the sheer magntitude of it all. Wow is all we could say. If walls could talk! The history will awe you. My husbands sole reason for visiting Italy was to see the Colisuem and although he loved everything else, he said the Colisuem was well worth the trip. I also highly recommend going to the Roman Forum. It's amazing to think you are walking on a stone pathway that Julius Caesar once walked on! NOTHING in the United States compares to the age and history of everything there. We were standing on man made things that were over 2500 years old! Just amazing to believe. We also visited the Vatican and again all we can say is wow. Defintely go to the museum and see the Sistine Chapel. Beautiful! And St. Peter's Cathedrel is just breathtaking (you can see I use the same descriptions a lot because everything WAS fantastic). The Hotel San Remo was good. Better than the hotel in Florence. It was a bit "dated", but again, VERY clean and the staff were outstanding in their assistance. Breakfast was probably the least exciting of the three hotels, but again, it was still plenty and a good variety. We were very happy with our stay there. We added an extra day in Rome too and it was well worth it. I HIGHLY recommend this vacation from go-today.com. This is my second trip with them (London being the first) and I was not at all disappointed in either of them. Thank you for a GREAT birthday trip!
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Review Provided by:
Deanna Marino Robinson who traveled on 3/19/2004
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I bought this trip as a gift for my mother's 50th birthday and it was phenomenal. We chose category A hotels and they were very good, in perfect locations all walking distance (2-3 blocks) from the train stations. A restaurant suggestion for travelers to Florence: Restaurant Osteria (sp.?)on Via Nazionale. It's about 2 blocks past the Michelangelo Palace Hotel and the food was very low priced and AMAZING. Had a homemade feel and absolutely delicious. We ate dinner there both nights and recognized returning customers. Everything went extremely smooth and go-today.com has given us a trip to remember for a lifetime. Thank you so much! I have told all my friends and coworkers about go-today.com and will definitely be returning very soon for future vacations!
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Review Provided by:
Paulina Piekarski who traveled on 3/8/2004
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Overall, we were very pleased with our vacation package and had no problems with tickets, train passes or vouchers. We chose hotels in the "A" category and found our rooms to be clean and adequate (although the room in Tempio Di Pallade in Rome was a bit small), and mostly located near the train stations. Breakfasts varied from city to city and Florences' Hotel Machavalli provided a very nice one. Tri Archi Palace in Venice was beautiful and we'd recommend asking for a canal view room. We found all the hotel staff to be accommodating (particularly in Rome), but once outside the hotel, it is benficial to know a bit of Italian to speak with the locals who are genuinely helpful. We chose to add an additional day in Rome and were glad that we did. Also, when in Rome, consider taking the 110 bus (tickets are purchased at a kiosk across the street from the center bus stop). This open-top bus tour is a great way to see the sights of the city. Also, while in Florence, we took a train ride to Pisa and highly recommend it! We've booked our second trip with go- today.com for the spring and are confident that everything will be perfect!
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Review Provided by:
Judith Freedman who traveled on 11/23/2003
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Just returned from "A Taste of Italy Winter" Really enjoyed our trip. Transportation and accomodations were better than expected. This is our third trip with go-today.com. We were a bit apprehensive about getting to hotels without transfers, but were able to find our destinations without too much difficulty. In Rome it would be nice if you would inform travelers that the airport is not actually located at the Termini (train station). One must purchase a $10 euro ticket and take a 45 min. train ride to arrive at the airport.
The hotels were all clean:
Canoletti in Venice had helpful staff. The shower flooded the bathroom floor. Breakfast was mainly pastry. Was not too easy to locate, but central to sights.
Florence: Paris Hotel. Had trouble finding this one. We were impressed with the interior (old mansion) Our room was clean and spacious (unusual for Europe tourist accomodations). Great location to attractions and transportation. Breakfast very good with juices, cereal, lots of fruit, meat, cheeses,yogurt, buns and rolls. Staff knowledgeable and helpful. CNN Europe available on TV.
We were disappointed at with the Tempio Di Palladein Rome. Only one desk person was helpful. One could not even tell us how to use the phone. The TV had no English station at all. Breakfast was coffee, OJ, hard rolls and a small assortment of bisquits.
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Review Provided by:
Jeannette Johnson who traveled on 11/11/2003
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Just got back last night. Hotels were excellently located, Rome and Venice were especially nice, Venice just OK. Trains went like a charm. I would definitely suggest using some of the side trips available. You can book them here OR there. Once you've seen Venice you can move along, but I would add days in both Florence and Rome. Learn all you can before you go, it makes the trip so much better when you know somthing about the time period. I would definitley recommend the trip, but would probably avoid July and August due to the heat and crowds.
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Review Provided by:
Gary Rigby who traveled on 5/31/2003
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Just got back from our Taste of Italy vacation and what a great time we had! This trip is a very good value. The amount of time in each city was perfect. Take comfortable shoes and plan to do a lot of walking! We stayed in the "B" hotels-- in Venice (Marconi) and Florence (Atlantic Palace) they were very centrally located and the rooms were great. In Rome the hotel (Domus Aurea) was a bit out of the way and the room was the size of a closet, but clean. Be sure to buy a good guide book and maps before going and plan out what you want to see the most. I highly recommend buying laminated fold-up maps for each city (they are called "Street Wise" and can be purchased at bookstores). I would not hesitate to book a trip with Go-Today again in the future!
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Review Provided by:
Alison Marcoff who traveled on 3/24/2003
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My husband and I actually took the "winter" version of this special -- same exact trip, just the winter pricing instead of the spring pricing. I would highly recommend it! We had a wonderful time and even considering that we left one day after the war with Iraq broke out, we had absolutely no problems on our trip. I chose the Level A hotels and found all of them to be quite charming -- and best of all they are all near the train stations, which makes it very easy to get yourself around, especially since you'll be toting your own luggage from airport to hotel to train station! My one major recommendation would be to sign up for some of the walking tours of the museums, especially for the Uffizi Gallery in Florence and the Vatican Museums in Rome --- unless you are an art buff, it's easy to just end up wandering through the museums without much appreciation of what you're looking at -- the tours really help you understand and get a lot more out of the experience. Not to mention, your wait time to enter the galleries will be drastically cut as tour groups get preferential admission -- we made this mistake with the Uffizi gallery and waited a maddening 2 1/2 hours in the "nonreserved line" before we could get in! The tours are easy to book either with your booking here or save yourself the commission and sign up with a company directly over the Internet or when you get there -- all the hotels have company brochures in their lobbies. I'd also recommend bringing Fodor's Guide to Italy along -- since you are basically on your own for the whole trip, it offers excellent advice and tips, all the must-sees for each city, and got me and my husband all over Italy with absolutely no problems.
In closing, the only negative thing I would note would be to watch the final cost of your trip if you decide to extend past the allotted six days -- we chose to spend an additional night in each city and found that you end up paying nearly full price for the third night's hotel rooms in each city -- go-today.com can't seem to get any type of special rate decrease on extra nights even though you are already staying at the hotel, and even though this tour special is a great price, you can end up practically doubling the cost by adding extra nights. That was the only drawback to the trip, as far as I was concerned.
Otherwise, enjoy your trip to Italy! We sure did! Ciao!!
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Review Provided by:
Shenna B who traveled on 3/20/2003
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The package was a good deal and my family enjoyed it immensely. Venice was great and the hotel (cassiano) was a bit out of the way but that was part of the charm. All the hotels were more than adequate (how much time do you spend there anyway) Rome is a big city, and be careful of pickpockets and dishonest taxi drivers. Next time I would booked a car from the train station to the hotel. I'd definitely travel with go-today.com again, and really enjoyed this tour.
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Review Provided by:
Kelly Imamura who traveled on 2/13/2003
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Fantastic vacation! We would recommend this tour and this site to anybody. In fact we have already done so since we came back 2 days ago. The itinery was good and we had no problems with the plane, trains and hotel vouchers. There were no hidden charges! We chose the B category hotel. The first 2 nights we stayed at San Cassiano ca Favretto which was a converted 15-century palace with 35+ rooms and was quite nice. Though it was 4-star, it was a little out of the way. We stayed in Atlantic Palace in Florence for 2 nights, which was 4-star and quite convenient to train station and a lot of sights. The last hotel in Rome was Caprice Hotel, which was only 3-star but it was close to Via Veneto and the Spanish steps and other sights. The food was fabulous! We almost exclusively ate at Osteria Del Vini e Pinto in Venice, which was right across from the fish market at Rialto. Locals said that it offered the best food despite the cheap prices in Venice! We also ate in a restaurant in the Getto square area which was also quite good. In Florence, we area few times in Palle D'Oro at Via Sant'Antonino 43, which was also fantastic and cheap to boot! In Rome, we ate in a seafood place called DEEP at Via Lazio 22 off Via Veneto, which was slightly more expensive but also very good. For clothing shopping especially for petite women (size 8 & under), look for Kuki Mellini at Via Ludovisi 29, off Via Veneto. Wonderful Italian and French fashion.
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Review Provided by:
Jonathan Geffner who traveled on 1/13/2003
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Wow! This is a great vacation. Thanks, go-today.com. Our B-class hotels were very nice. We were easily able to change the times on the Eurail tickets to the actual times we wanted to travel. And each hotel was near the train station. Florence was the big surprise. Get a private tour guide for Florence. It's the only way to begin to see even a part of what's to be seen there. We got a name (Carla Lucati) from the Kraft Hotel. They made the call and all the arrangements. The tours in Rome were terrific, as well. Typical go-today.com efficiency and a great trip, with all the details virtually worked out.
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Review Provided by:
Gary Williams who traveled on 12/12/2002
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An absolutely magnificent trip! Florence was amazing -- a genuine art history course. Get a guide for Florence, though, as you have no chance of understanding or seeing all without one. The guided tours in Rome were perfect. The "B" hotels were great and we were able to change the train tickets to the times we preferred. On the train, though, be sure you know the non-reserved seat car and the correct side of the train for boarding a EuroStar. Way to go Go-Today! Another magnificent trip, up to all of its billing.
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Review Provided by:
Gary Williams who traveled on 12/12/2002
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We booked the Paris and Rome Winter Special and were quite pleased with our trip! We received our travel itinerary and vouchers timely. Everything went as planned. We could have spent one extra day in both Paris and Rome. We upgraded our hotel accommodations which we highly recommend. The Terrace (Paris) was nice but the room was quite small. The Nazionale in Rome was quite old and in need of refurbishing. It was not worth the upgrade. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed the vacation and will recommend go-today.com to friends and family.
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Review Provided by:
Kermit and Rhonda Crowder who traveled on 11/11/2002
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This was a perfect trip!!! Thanks to go-today.com, we had no problems at all with our flights, hotels, or transportation between cities. I would recommend spending an extra couple of days in Italy if you can, since there is so much to see.
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Review Provided by:
Heather Enquist who traveled on 11/15/2001
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This was a wonderful trip. We stayed at the cheapest hotels, all of which were very nice. go-today.com could not have been more helpful!!! I would definitely recommend this package. Italy was gorgeous, can't wait to go back.
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Review Provided by:
Heather Enquist who traveled on 11/15/2001
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I highly recommend go-today.com. Our hotels (level A) were all centrally located and all of the transportation arrangements went very smoothly. Customer service also did a great job of taking care of our needs in the midst of SwissAir's ups & downs during the fall!
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Review Provided by:
D. Rim who traveled on 10/26/2001
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Beautiful hotels great airline. Go-today.com is the best travel service I have ever used. I
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Review Provided by:
Anissa Gorka who traveled on 9/7/2001
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Kudos to go-today.com. This was a perfectly executed trip. The flights were excellent, and most importantly the hotels were delightful. We even had a room overlooking the Grand Canal in Venice! Even our train reservations were well executed. We had asked for alot of customoization with this trip, all of which were done to our liking. We are somewaht seasoned travelers and we were not sure what to expect with go-today.com We will be traveling again and again with go-today.com.
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Review Provided by:
Cheryl who traveled on 4/18/2001
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I've used go-today.com in the past, and like those experiences the Taste of Italy tour was great.
We booked the "B" level hotels and they were all excellent. All the hotels we stayed at were very close to the train stations saving a bundle on transportation (and feet!)
The staff and service at all the hotels was great.
I would recommend requesting a canal room in Venice at the time of booking (it might raise your rate slightly, but trying to change once you get there is virtually impossible.
Also, if you're traveling with someone (whether you're a couple or not) book queen beds and share. The rooms are much nicer (at both the Principe Grand, Venice, and the Atlantic
Palace, Florence).
Our hotels were all in the historic districts so we were within a short walk of many of the major attractions. In Rome, the Hotel Genova is literally ten minutes walk from the Forum.
The Atlantic Palace was just ten minutes from the Duomo.
Overall, this was an excellent vacation. Every ticket and voucher were perfect. We didn't have a single problem as far as hotels, trains, or plane were concerned.
And, if you're concerned about not speaking Italian, don't worry. Everywhere you go people speak at least some English!
Thanks go-today for another great vacation!
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Review Provided by:
Gregory Kompes who traveled on 3/8/2001
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We are extremely pleased with the service go-today.com provided. The accomadations were fabulous. Italy was magnificient. We would not hesitate to use Go-Today for our next trip. Thankyou!
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Review Provided by:
joy emma who traveled on 3/6/2001
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My wife and I did the Taste of Italy in March!! It was wonderful! This trip was the first time we had ever taken the train, and it was easy safe and clean! We extended and did a few days extra at the end, which we really recommend. It gives you a chance to get out and see more of one place. We recommend going Venice, Florence then Rome, then rent a car from Rome and head down to Naples and Sorrento areas. You'll love it! We just booked our 3rd trip with go-today.com to Paris for New Years 2002! WHAT A GREAT COMPANY! And you get some really fun luggage tags too! ;o}
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Review Provided by:
Jim Kipping who traveled on 3/1/2001
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The is great vacation at an exceptional value. I've booked through local travel agents and paid three times for less service. In two out of the three hotels we had our own private balcony. All of the hotels had very helpful staff and were either close the the attractions or within walking distance to pubic transportation. I will be booking with Go-today.com again very soon. Thanks Go-today for a wonderful vacation.
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Review Provided by:
Renee Johnson who traveled on 2/28/2001
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this is by far the best vacation i have had. go-today had everything in order and all the vouchers were in perfect order there were no problems. we booked the B HOTEL PACKAGE and couldnt be happier. i have yet to find a better deal anywhere else and have recommanded this site to my friends. The days alloted in each city is enough time to see the major points of interest. I however highly suggest booking a extra day in Rome.
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Review Provided by:
camille sosa who traveled on 2/12/2001
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This was our 4th trip with go-goday.com! Even in January it was fantastic! Actually we love the fact that go-today.com gives us these wonderful options to travel off season. It is the best of all worlds with no lines, great prices and the Vatican and everywhere else (except maybe the Colliseum) has heat! Venice is magical! Our hotel was more like a picture book with incredible tapestries, paintings, etc. Every room was unique and beautiful! The train station was literally 1/2 block away. Florence was incredible! To see the real David as well as incredible works of art by the other Renaissance artists, takes your breath away. Rome is so wonderful and full of history that it is almost impossible to absorb it all in (we plan to do a short one with Go-Today again in either late fall). My college freshman son had been inspired by the movie "Gladiator." Thanks to Go-Today I was able to say - Let's go!
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Review Provided by:
Pam Suhr who traveled on 1/10/2001
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We loved the Taste of Italy - Venice was charming, Florence and the surrounding Tuscany area was beautiful and Rome was as filled with history and people as we expected it to be! All of our hotels were within easy walking distance of almost every thing we wanted to see and do. The hotels themselves were all lovely and in great locations with helpful staff. Thanks for putting together this great package!
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Review Provided by:
Darla Comstock who traveled on 12/15/2000
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Average Rating: (4)
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