2 nights in a hotel is better than 1 night 0
Ute, VIC, Australia, May 2026
I loved having my trip organised by an experienced tour director. It takes a lot of the stress out of travelling, especially in non-English speaking locations. Hotel check-ins were a breeze & the min. 2 nights hotel stays were far better than just 1 night. The early starts were a bit challenging at times but it meant we saw more & were able to gain read more access to venues & events before the crowds arrived. The breakfasts were terrific as were our tour director & driver. The accommodation was great except in Rome where it wasn't satisfactory as my original room was very small, so after requesting a better room the reception man reluctantly moved me to a slightly better room. He wanted extra payment but I refused, after all I had paid a single supplement & expected a reasonable room.
Venice was exhausting. It was extremely hot & virtually no shade & the café waiters frowned if you stood under their outdoor umbrellas. Getting in & out of the smaller boats was difficult in Venice. Throughout the trip, some guests complained about the amount of walking & struggled trying to keep up with the guides.
Overall it was a lovely trip which took us to very special places, one being the music academy in Budapest with a solo piano performance. That was stunning. I chose not to do all the optional extras as I needed some unstructured time at the end of a long day, plus some optional extras were too expensive.