Stay in Italy Using Interval International - REVIEW

[thumpermom]

I have been waiting for your pictures - thanks so much for posting!!

Would love to see more pictures. A link would be great!!

Can you tell me a bit more about what the studio was like? I think I see a counter with maybe a sink? What other amenities does it have? Is there a refrigerator? Thanks!

 

[smep013]

Can you tell me a bit more about what the studio was like? I think I see a counter with maybe a sink? What other amenities does it have? Is there a refrigerator? Thanks!

The studio included the bed you see in the photos, as well as a large flat screen TV, a large clothes cabinet with drawers, a small, round dining table with 2 chairs, a stove with 2 burners, a kitchen sink, a fridge (about the size of the fridges at the DVC), microwave and plates, dishes, bowels, glasses, silverware and other cookware... there was a "bolier" that my husband boiled his water in every morning for his oatmeal, so we never used the stove itself. There was also a coffee maker and sugar. In the fridge there was a complimentary bottle of water as well as a quart of milk.

There was also a "dressing table" with mirror and seat.

I think that covers it. The towels were oversized and fluffy and were replaced everyday if you requested so.

 

[WDWmom08]

How was the food? Were you able to find places to eat around the hotel or did you have to venture out into the larger town?

 

[smep013]

How was the food? Were you able to find places to eat around the hotel or did you have to venture out into the larger town?

The food in Soriano was delicious, as it was everywhere we went in Italy.
We were at the resort in Soriano for 7 nights, and we ate at 3 restaurants there, for either lunch or dinner. We ate both meals at Tres Scalini, which has great pizza and good pasta dishes too. Our first night, we went to another restaurant in town, which in my opinion was a bit better than Tres Scalini, called Taverna Fratti. I had DELICIOUS pasta and so did my hubby. We swore we would be back there again - but it did not work out. The one night we attempted to go back, they were closed so we ended up at Tres Scalini. The folks at the front desk at the resort told us that they really could not recommend another restaurant that they knew for a fact was AS GOOD as those two, so we stuck with those. The restaurant at the resort was also excellent. We participated in two planned meals (planned by the resort even though the restaurant is not operated by the resort.) The first was a traditional Sunday Dinner, and many of the resort's guests participated. We all sat at a long table and it was a lot of fun! We also participated in the Friday Night "Night at the Opera" which included dinner and comedic opera performances. I'll try to post pictures of both experiences soon.

We did not ALWAYS eat in Soriano because we were on the road a lot in other cities/towns.

 

[bonnielynn]

loved all the pictures.. thanks for sharing!!

 

[podsnel]

I am so glad you made this thread!! I LOVE Italy- I have been to Tuscany twice in the last two years- once with my DH in Sinalunga, outside of Siena, and once with a girlfriend, but we were staying in Orvieto which is Umbria. Did you get to Pienza? It is my favorite Tuscan hilltown- but they are all so beautiful, aren't they? And the people are so kind and generous- and so proud of everything Italian! I'm looking forward to seeing all of those photos later-
Thank-you!
Ellen

 

[smep013]

SIDE NOTE: podsnel - is that your dog in your siggy pic? My dad has a dog just like that! They are so cute - he is growing so fast and is jumping on and biting EVERYTHING.

Anyway - I wanted to say that one of the deciding factors for us joining DVC was the opportunity to see the world. We LOVE going to Disney World, and wanted to use DVC to not just go there frequently, but to also have the option to go elsewhere - and in less than a year as members - that dream came true.

Love Disney and Love DVC!

 

[smep013]

Some more images from the hotel restaurant experiences detailed above...


OPERA

SUNDAY DINNER

GARDEN AREA

More posted on the link listed in above post.

 

[nzdisneymom]

Thanks so much for sharing your trip to Italy with us - what a wonderful experience for you all. We also joined DVC not just for the Disney trips but also for being able to go some other places a bit more conveniently for us. Thanks for sharing the pictures... it's great to see places that might end up on our short-list!

 

[CarolAnnC]

Thanks so much for sharing your trip photos with us!

We loved Italy last summer when we visited while on the DLC Med Cruise. This town reminds me of the Cinque Terre which we visited one day on an excursion.

Your last photo above has some shrubs with purple colored tips. We have been viewing these shrubs around Chicago this summer and we actually are thinking of buying some for our yard here! They are gorgeous..

 

[nzdisneymom]

Thanks so much for sharing your trip photos with us!

We loved Italy last summer when we visited while on the DLC Med Cruise. This town reminds me of the Cinque Terre which we visited one day on an excursion.

Your last photo above has some shrubs with purple colored tips. We have been viewing these shrubs around Chicago this summer and we actually are thinking of buying some for our yard here! They are gorgeous..

Carol - funny that you should post this because I was thinking of you and your family's report about Cinque Terre! Ah - this time last year....

 

[Maribell]

What a wonderful experience! I hope to visit Italy (and Ireland) one day too and hopefully through our DVC points we will be able to do that in the near future. Thanks so much for sharing. It sounds (and looks) like you had a wonderful time!

P.S. I notice you are from Bristol...I was born and raised in Torresdale....Hello neighbor!

 

[alldiz]

thanks so much for posting the pics and your report

The pics are sooo beautiful.....it just feels so "ancient" looking at the photos.....I hope to see it in person one day.

It looks like you got an AWESOME trade
King bed in a studio

OP.....curious. How much did one of those dinners run you?....I know the dollar is not so good.
Did you spend more than you thought for food and such.
Thanks
Kerri

 

[mj2vacation]

Looks like a great trip. We are looking at Italy in 2010.

Too bad you did not get the most efficient use of your points (as some would have you believe)........ Looks like a great deal to me.

Ciao!

 

[Disney_Mama]

Thanks so much for sharing. I've been thinking about Italy for some time now. Do you think that it would be fun for a 10 and 14 year old?

 

[thumpermom]

The studio included the bed you see in the photos, as well as a large flat screen TV, a large clothes cabinet with drawers, a small, round dining table with 2 chairs, a stove with 2 burners, a kitchen sink, a fridge (about the size of the fridges at the DVC), microwave and plates, dishes, bowels, glasses, silverware and other cookware... there was a "bolier" that my husband boiled his water in every morning for his oatmeal, so we never used the stove itself. There was also a coffee maker and sugar. In the fridge there was a complimentary bottle of water as well as a quart of milk.

There was also a "dressing table" with mirror and seat.

I think that covers it. The towels were oversized and fluffy and were replaced everyday if you requested so.

That sounds wonderful! It included much more than I expected! Thanks for the information and posting the link. I really enjoyed your pictures!

 

[smep013]

OP.....curious. How much did one of those dinners run you?....I know the dollar is not so good.
Did you spend more than you thought for food and such.
Thanks
Kerri

Hey - I am not going to lie, things were expensive (in general because the dinners at the resort were more formal and included multiple courses and unlimited wine) but also overall because of the exchange rate. We saved accordingly. It was a good time for us to go, so we went, exchange rate was a non-issue for us.

As far as the question about a 10 or 14 year old enjoying it - there were no children under 18 at the resort while we were there, so we asked at the front desk about whether or not there are ever kids at the resort and they said yes. It just so happened there were not any that week. To me, it was more of an adult atmosphere, but I'm SURE that any child would enjoy and appreciate the experience - especially if the resort is only "home base" and you are traveling each day.

 

[podsnel]

SIDE NOTE: podsnel - is that your dog in your siggy pic? My dad has a dog just like that! They are so cute - he is growing so fast and is jumping on and biting EVERYTHING.
Anyway - I wanted to say that one of the deciding factors for us joining DVC was the opportunity to see the world. We LOVE going to Disney World, and wanted to use DVC to not just go there frequently, but to also have the option to go elsewhere - and in less than a year as members - that dream came true.

Love Disney and Love DVC!

Yes- that's our dog, her name is Summer, she is a Gold Rush Golden Retriever. In that pic she is 3 months old, it was taken almost a year ago when we got her. Now she weighs 71 lbs! She's not jumping as much as she used to now, but she is a VERY BAD counter-surfer- she has snagged steaks, pizzas, a batch of the SPICIEST shrimp EVER made in a wok on my stove, medicine droppers, $20 bills...and 3 pairs of sunglasses, 2 of which were RayBans . We're working on training- she's very smart, but also really wants what she wants (like my kids' grilled cheese sandwich in the middle of them eating it!!!). The best thing about her is that she is very, very sweet, especially to my DS14 who is autistic. She LOVES people, she thinks she's one of us! And that can be good & bad. Hope your Dad is hangin' in with his Golden Deceiver (as my dog trainer calls them!).

What did they serve at the Sunday dinner? It all looks beautiful, I can't wait to exchange in Italy. LOVE DVC!!!! Did you have the pasta called Pici with wild boar ragu while you were there? That is my FAVORITE food of all time- it is hand rolled spaghetti (some strands are thick, some are thin, there is no machine) and the wild boar ragu is beyond incredible- I think I ate it 4 times on my last trip- it is very rich, but mmmmmmmmm....

Ellen

 

[smep013]

Yes- that's our dog, her name is Summer, she is a Gold Rush Golden Retriever.

My dad's puppy, Hoosier, is fine, just jumping and biting A LOT. My dad really loves him though and he is a great companion for him (we got him shortly after my mom's death in May.) So Hoosier keeps him happy and busy for sure!

What did they serve at the Sunday dinner?

They served an antipasto sampler (which we eah got and portion was perfect!), cannelloni which was awesome, and then a meat dish, and I cannot recall what it was because I just tasted it (was full!) Dessert was some sort of cake, not chocolate, so I was disappointed, but still very good. Wine and limoncelo.

It all looks beautiful, I can't wait to exchange in Italy. LOVE DVC!!!! Did you have the pasta called Pici with wild boar ragu while you were there? That is my FAVORITE food of all time- it is hand rolled spaghetti (some strands are thick, some are thin, there is no machine) and the wild boar ragu is beyond incredible- I think I ate it 4 times on my last trip- it is very rich, but mmmmmmmmm....

I did not have the Pici you talk about but it sounds great!

Ellen

Thanks!

 

[MBELSANTI]

Thank you for posting those photos! The resort looks so beautiful! For the studio, was that the only bed? So then they only sleep 2?