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Summary: The Guide to Lodging in Italy's Monasteries
Review: This is a GREAT book! Took it on my last trip to Italy and stayed in the most beautiful, historic places, had home cooked meals and learned more about Italian life and culture than staying in a regular hotel. There's also loads of information about local activities and sights to see for each monastery. And for the budget conscious, the monasteries were less expensive than hotels in the same area. I definitely recommend this book for your next trip to Italy. The author also wrote one about Spain and I can't wait to use it there!
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Summary: Fabulous way to see Italy!
Review: This is a great book! Took it with me on my last trip to Italy and stayed in some magnificent and historic monasteries where we had home cooked meals and hands-on insight into Italian people and culture. And most nights cost less than the hotels in the same area. The book also tells you about places to visit and local events. This book really enhanced our visit. I already have the author's other book about the Monasteries of Spain. Can't wait to use them both again. Happy travels to you all.
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Summary: Interesting idea...Disappointing outcome
Review: Why is it that travel guides for lodgings so rarely have photographs or even adequate descriptions of the actual rooms the traveller will occupy? Is this not where the traveller will spend the most time when in the accomodation? Like most of these 'helpful' handbooks, it includes almost no bedroom pictures and therefore is hardly useful as an accomodation guide. Instead it is more of a reference book on places which offer rooms affiliated with a religious order. Another caveat, they are not necessarily monastic retreats themselves but are sometimes "regular" lodgings only run by religious orders. Unfortunately, this could have been a very intriguing and informative source if done more conscientiously and if the photographs were in colour. Why are the only colour photographs on the cover? I find that intentionally misleading. A cover should represent what is inside the book, instead of being a deceptive marketing ploy.
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Summary: useful guide to alternative accomodation
Review: You can stay in monasteries - not as a religious retreat - in Italy for very little money and easy availability. This book is the best resource available for it in English.However, as a guide book, the info it offers beyond addresses and telephone numbers, is not great. These places vary greatly in quality and price. Moreover, no directions to get to them - and they are in odd corners of Italy! - are offered, which means you will have trouble EVERY time you try to find one. Recommended, but make sure you have a bevy of other guide books with you for more detailed info.
Rating:
Summary: useful guide to alternative accomodation
Review: You can stay in monasteries - not as a religious retreat - in Italy for very little money and easy availability. This book is the best resource available for it in English. However, as a guide book, the info it offers beyond addresses and telephone numbers, is not great. These places vary greatly in quality and price. Moreover, no directions to get to them - and they are in odd corners of Italy! - are offered, which means you will have trouble EVERY time you try to find one. Recommended, but make sure you have a bevy of other guide books with you for more detailed info.
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