Hotel Cinque Terre, Monterosso, Italy

February 19, 2011

Hotel Cinque Terre

On the morning of Wednesday, June 3, 2009 I left Genoa, Italy, hoping to get any early start on the Cinque Terre hike. The train packed with other tourists arrived at Monterosso, the first of the five villages on the Cinque Terre, at 10:30 AM and by 11:30 I had found a hotel, unpacked, prepared my day pack and hit the trail. After checking several overpriced hotels right on the beach, I headed up the street and a short block inland where I found the aptly named Hotel Cinque Terre. They had a very nice room available with private bath and a window looking out to their courtyard for the equivalent of about $98.00, which included breakfast. I consider this a good price for a great hotel at one of the premier destinations of the world! The members of the staff were very accommodating to let me check in at that hour of the morning and went out of their way to clean the room early so that it would be all ready for me. It was a great feeling to know that I could leave my pack in a safe place while I spent the rest of the day hiking the eight mile trail to the other villages and that I would have a nice hot shower and clean bed to return to at the end of the day.

An Awesome Accommodation!

The Hotel Cinque Terre, or Hotel ‘5’ Terre as they sometimes refer to it, has 54 rooms with private baths and a limited amount of car parking available. It is just a short walk to the beautiful, sandy beach of Monterosso on the Mediterranean Sea. The large lobby had the feel of a first class hotel, yet was warm and inviting. The front desk was manned by a friendly, helpful, multilingual staff who helped point me in the direction of the beginning of the trail. The Hotel Cinque Terre was very clean and well maintained and met all the standards I look for in accommodations while I travel, namely sanitation, safety, friendly staff, available breakfast, good location and good value. I must say, the breakfast the next morning was fabulous and I actually had to nudge myself to get back on the train heading for my next destination, Rome.

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Hotel Hermes, Marseille, France

1 Comment / January 31, 2011

Hotel Hermes, Marseille, France

It was by pure luck that I found this outstanding hotel in Marseille! When traveling by train, I usually try the hotels near the station, making it easy to catch the early train the following morning. More times than not, I find something available at a reasonable rate, but not this time. After checking several hotels near the station and not finding any that met my standards for one reason or another, I decided to look farther into town.

Location, Location Location

I took a wrong turn, though, and ended up down by the seaport docks in a ‘not so good’ part of the city and it was about 6 PM by this time! Quickly retracing my steps, I was soon heading down into the heart of Marseille. The first hotel I checked was the Hotel Hermes and they had a nice room with private bath for the equivalent of $70.00 (Fifty Euros). Breakfast was a little extra, but well worth it. The Hotel Hermes is right on the Vieux-Port, the main harbor of Marseille, and had a view across to Notre Dame de la Garde on the hill across the water. The location could not have been better and it was within walking distance of most of the main sights.

An Awesome Accommodation

The staff at the Hotel Hermes was friendly and helpful and I was able to use their computer to get on the internet and check my email at no additional charge. There was a terrace on the rooftop which looked out over the entire area and I ended my day enjoying the breathtaking nighttime view from that vantage point. If you are looking for a nice, reasonably priced hotel in Marseille with an excellent location, I recommend checking out the Hotel Hermes.

My Room at the Hotel Hermes, Marseille, France

Dining Room at the Hotel Hermes, Marseille, France

http://www.hotelmarseille.com

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Test Your Travel Savvy #2

November 24, 2010

Can you identify where this photo was taken?

Test your travel savvy and enter your answer as a comment. The answer will be posted on the Quiz Answer page in one week. Hint: infamous

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Doormen in Kilts at the Astor House Hotel

Astor House Hotel, Shanghai, China

November 1, 2010

The Astor House Hotel, Shanghai

The Astor House Hotel was a bit of a splurge for this budget traveler, but compared with some of the other hotels in Shanghai it was a good value. Since I knew that I would be in Shanghai on the last two nights of my trip, I booked it in advance through Hotels.com, which I found to be easy and reliable. I paid $99.00 per night including taxes and fees, but disappointingly, not including breakfast. The hotel is conveniently located just a short walk across the bridge over Suzhou Creek near the northern end of the Bund.

Old World Charm

The place reeks of old world charm from the moment you spot its colonial architecture, to your greeting by doormen in kilts and on until you get to your room, which is big enough to quarter a small army. The bathrooms are correspondingly huge and completely modern. On the other hand, the floors and woodwork are all original and very old. Most rooms include an original fireplace. The front desk staff were friendly and helpful and the maid service was efficient and regular. Although they put out a sumptuous spread for the $11.00 buffet breakfast, it would have been worth it if only to sit in the spectacular domed dining room. I can highly recommend this elegant old hotel based on location, value and ambience and can easily understand why it was frequented by the celebrities of yore.

Update: November 2021

Sadly, it appears that the Astor House Hotel will be closing and is no longer available for accommodations.

TRAVEL TIP:

For independent travelers, booking hotels in advance can be risky, since your itinerary may change. If you are flying in and out of a gateway city, however, you know where you will be on the first few nights and the last few nights of your trip and booking in advance can ease some of the stress of traveling. Generally, at each end of your trip you will be in a big city that you will want to spend a few days exploring. At the beginning of your trip this enables you to refresh yourself after a long plane flight and at the end, it is a nice way to unlax after a busy trip.

The Astor House Hotel, Shanghai, China
Across the Lighted Bridge to the Astor House Hotel
My Room at the Astor House Hotel
Elegant Bathroom at the Astor House Hotel
Dining Room at the Astor House Hotel
Ceiling in the Dining Room of the Astor House Hotel

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The Hongyadong Hotel, Chongqing, China

1 Comment / September 24, 2010

Hongyadong Hotel, Chongqing City, China

The stand out hotel of my 19 day trip to China in May/June of 2010 was definitely the Hongyadong Hotel in Chongqing City. This four star hotel was conveniently located within walking distance of the main sights of the city and had an English speaking staff who could not have been more accommodating. For the equivalent of Fifty U.S. dollars, I got a beautiful room with a balcony overlooking the Jialing River and a sumptuous breakfast the next morning in an elegant dining room.

My room was beautifully appointed with classic Chinese furniture and had a marble bathroom that would please an emperor. Best of all there was a travel agency on site that was able to book me on a four day Yangtze River cruise beginning the next day. Definitely consider this hotel if you are visiting Chongquing City. Address: Hongyadong Hotel, 56 Cangbai Lu