Viva Italia

[Judyat]

Just wondering if this trip ever offers early booking? I see that it says early booking is no longer available for any dates listed. Most other trips do offer early booking. Is it because this one is so popular? I'm about 66pts short so just wondering. Also find that airfares are so much more when you travel one way. I'm wondering how others handle traveling to one airport and going home from another.
Judy

 

[Happy99]

You don't want to book one way airfare when traveling to / from different airports just price it as a round trip under "multiple destinations"

you can also check kayak.com

Viva Italia is one of the more popular tours and usually sells out well in advance of the early booking rate.

 

[Ivory]

I know when I booked for my Viva Italia, it was in Sept when the prices first came out, and when I asked for my first choice, the early booking was already gone, so I asked for my second choice and got the early booking bonus.

It seems like it is one of the most popular, but that being said, it still didn't stop it from having a few dates (that we know of) cancelled.

As far as the airfare I never priced it out return, just booked it the way I had to from the two different cities.

Hope you get to go!

 

[redzinner]

As far as I know they only way you can tell if there are early booking rates still available is to call AbD and talk to an agent. It is not listed on the Dates and Rates page on the website.

Some people have taken the train back to Rome so they could do round trip airfare. Not only do you pay for the train but you are also on your own as far as schlepping your bags. The guides will help you get to any transportation out of Venice but then their involvement is finished.

I hope you can find a way to do Viva Italia. We did it Sept 2008 and loved it!

 

[Judyat]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I was able to do a multicity and got a great price that was half off of what every other airline wanted from Iberia. And only one stop! The times going and coming back are great. And although it says on the Adventures by Disney page that there is no more early booking on the Viva Italia trip I called them to check on early booking and they had 3 dates left so I called DVC and I was able to book one of them. I'm really excited that we'll be going in September!

 

[Kiderak]

We had the early booking last year, booked the trip about 10 months in advance.

 

[dingoballs]

As far as I know they only way you can tell if there are early booking rates still available is to call AbD and talk to an agent. It is not listed on the Dates and Rates page on the website.

Some people have taken the train back to Rome so they could do round trip airfare. Not only do you pay for the train but you are also on your own as far as schlepping your bags. The guides will help you get to any transportation out of Venice but then their involvement is finished.

I hope you can find a way to do Viva Italia. We did it Sept 2008 and loved it!

Did you stay at the Hotel Bernini Bristol in Rome? If you did, what did you think about the room & service?

 

[redzinner]

Did you stay at the Hotel Bernini Bristol in Rome? If you did, what did you think about the room & service?

Yes we stayed at the Hotel Bernini Bristol in Rome.

Room:
Spacious with large bath area but no storage space in bath like we are used to in the states. I think it was on the 3 or 4th floor facing a side street with a little seating area outside. Ornate decor. Dirty carpet but no evidence of mold. We were there in late September so I would imagine this was at the end of a busy season.
Service:
Front Desk all business, formal not outwardly friendly but not rude
Bellman and porters very friendly and chatty
Waiters in breakfast room friendly and accommodating (getting extra coffee, etc).
We did not dine in the restaurant on the top level because it was way too expensive but there is a seating area outside the restaurant where we had drinks one evening. Very friendly service and very nice piano player. There is also a small lounge area on the lobby level in the back but we always experienced friendly but slow service there.

The best part of this hotel is the location. You can walk to quite a few of the main attractions - Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, some museums and major shopping areas. Convenient to ATM and the subway.

 

[dingoballs]

Yes we stayed at the Hotel Bernini Bristol in Rome.

Room:
Spacious with large bath area but no storage space in bath like we are used to in the states. I think it was on the 3 or 4th floor facing a side street with a little seating area outside. Ornate decor. Dirty carpet but no evidence of mold. We were there in late September so I would imagine this was at the end of a busy season.
Service:
Front Desk all business, formal not outwardly friendly but not rude
Bellman and porters very friendly and chatty
Waiters in breakfast room friendly and accommodating (getting extra coffee, etc).
We did not dine in the restaurant on the top level because it was way too expensive but there is a seating area outside the restaurant where we had drinks one evening. Very friendly service and very nice piano player. There is also a small lounge area on the lobby level in the back but we always experienced friendly but slow service there.

The best part of this hotel is the location. You can walk to quite a few of the main attractions - Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, some museums and major shopping areas. Convenient to ATM and the subway.

Thanks! We'll be staying there in June after our Bella Italia trip. I figure the hotel can't be TOO shabby since AbD has been using them. Plus, the hotel is offering a pretty good deal: Stay 3 Nites & Pay for 2, among others...

 

[redzinner]

Thanks! We'll be staying there in June after our Bella Italia trip. I figure the hotel can't be TOO shabby since AbD has been using them. Plus, the hotel is offering a pretty good deal: Stay 3 Nites & Pay for 2, among others...

There is a Westin right up the street from the Bernini if you prefer a more 'American' hotel but I haven't stayed there ... when in Rome ... The Westin's bathrooms are much more modern.

I wanted to mention the fact that most European hotels do not provide what we consider washcloths. I took disposable cloths with us.
The smallest cloth they provide is something like our hand towels.

 

[glassslipper2004]

We loved the Bernini Bristol. The breakfast there was the best of the trip (since it was included - I probably would never pay for it otherwise). The rooms were fine, and they even switched our rooms for us after we got there because initially we did not have connecting rooms. And, as mentioned, the location is wonderful - right next to the Via Veneto, and a lovely walking distance away from the Trevi fountain, a beautiful stroll at night.

 

[dingoballs]

There is a Westin right up the street from the Bernini if you prefer a more 'American' hotel but I haven't stayed there ... when in Rome ... The Westin's bathrooms are much more modern.

I wanted to mention the fact that most European hotels do not provide what we consider washcloths. I took disposable cloths with us.
The smallest cloth they provide is something like our hand towels.

Thanks for the tip about the washcloths. We don't usually think about that.

Initially, we were going to stay at the Westin Excelsior, but when I checked the Bernini Bristol and saw their promotion, we changed our mind. Plus, we wanted to stay where the Viva Italia folks would be so that we could prolong that AbD feeling... LOL

 

[dingoballs]

We loved the Bernini Bristol. The breakfast there was the best of the trip (since it was included - I probably would never pay for it otherwise). The rooms were fine, and they even switched our rooms for us after we got there because initially we did not have connecting rooms. And, as mentioned, the location is wonderful - right next to the Via Veneto, and a lovely walking distance away from the Trevi fountain, a beautiful stroll at night.

I'm glad to see the good reviews! I'm not sure if our rate includes breakfast or not... we'll find out upon check-in. Do you remember what the price was for breakfast? Which restaurant did you guys enjoy your breakfast?