Cheap ish Hotels

[littleoldman2]

Hoping to take the wife to Tuscany in 2015. She unlike me does not camp, so it has to be hotels. Loose plan is South down the Route de Grand Alp, Monaco, skirt the coast to Pisa, Florence, spend as long as we can in Tuscany, then home via Lake Garda, the Stelvio, Switzerland and then back into France as my better half doesn't want to go to Germany.
So how have you boys and girls and your partners found the likes of the F1, Ibis and Campanile chains. We would like to be fairly close to village / town centres rather than out on an industrial estate.

[maviczap]

F1's and Ibis tend to be much better than the ones over here. I stay in loads of hotels, and I'm no snob, so I'm quite happy so long as they are clean and Quiet!

You could also check out Hostelworld for places on your route as you can still get a private room to yourselves.

Don't forget Trip Advisor for a review of your hotel.

If you're only staying one night in one place, then I don't fuss about it, its a bed and a place to clean up, without the pain of putting up a tent and cooking for yourself

[Luckypants]

I'll second F1 and Ibis in France. The trouble is they tend to be near big towns and in industrial estates, which makes me nervous leaving the bike outside. To be fair I've never had a problem, its just paranoia.

In France I like to just rock up to a town and get a hotel recommended from the Office du Tourisme, I've never had a duff one and have had some real gems. Mostly I look to pay about €60 for two, so maybe not a 'cheap' hotel.

If you plan stopping near Stelvio, this is a cracking hotel in Bormio http://www.hotelfunivia.it/en_default.aspx. The price is half board, so it looks expensive but the food is exceptional and plenty of it. You will have to book it, as it is rammed with cyclists. They have a garage with bike wash too.

[maviczap]

Originally Posted by Luckypants

If you plan stopping near Stelvio, this is a cracking hotel in Bormio http://www.hotelfunivia.it/en_default.aspx. The price is half board, so it looks expensive but the food is exceptional and plenty of it. You will have to book it, as it is rammed with cyclists. They have a garage with bike wash too.

Right I'm off

[Luckypants]

We stayed there and cycled Stelvio and Gavia after the alps. Very good spot.

Sent from my HTC One

[maviczap]

Stop putting these ideas in my head Mike

[STRAMASHER]

Much the same as LP posts but I can only speak for Ibis.

Generally excellent all over Europe. And generally only use them in big towns and cities cos of relative cheapness, cleanliness, en-suite and central location.

You know what you are going into.

Not at all exciting, but reliable (No Honda comments ya fahn cahns! )


Plenty of better, hidden and not-so, gems you will happen upon. B&B's, small family run hotels out in the sticks/towns. Some we have had have been quite a bit cheaper some a bit more than Ibis and no regrets. All cheaper than this bloody country anyway!

Local Tourist information are great to pop in and see whats available if you can't be bothered going round and round when soaked (rain OR sweat!) and the two of you just want to sort the digs out at the end of a long day.


That looks a cracking route byraway.

[Luckypants]

I meant to mention in my previous post, I use the Logis de France hotel guide book when over there. I have always found the local hotels in that guide excellent, but occasionally expensive. http://www.logishotels.com/en.html

For instance... this one at the foot of the Jura mountains ready for the N5 over to Geneva http://reservation-hotel.logishotels...alMode=default. Just the ticket after a day motorway bashing south from the Channel. Run by a camp middle aged fella who gets shouted at out of the back room by his mum, a la Walowicz!

[L3nny]

Just get the booking.com app on your phone, when you want to start looking for somewhere to stay, load it up, find a cheap hotel nearby and book it, normally a lot cheaper than walking in off the street.

Hi, you might want to try Etap. Cheap, but clean. Can't remember which countries they are all in, but have stayed in a couple in France. Added advantage is that if you don't speak the language and you arrive late at night there is an English option in the key-pad to get in.
BTW, my youngest son gave me a ticket for Moto GP at Donington. Should I be looking for you to be camped behind my tent again? Will be looking out for you, just in case!