the lowdown

Located on the lively rue de Rennes in Paris's sixth arrondissement, the Legend is a quiet, quaint boutique-style hotel.  Our room was tiny and our bed was a queen, so my cousin and I had to share.  I'm a comfort-creature and the bed was adequate, but not super comfy.  The staff, however, was excellent.  And the price was very good.  We booked thru booking.com and they not only honored the price but treated us very well. 

Now, this was comfortable.  Lovely hotel, near everything.  The room was very clean but the service was aloof. We only spent two nights here, but aside from a lack of friendliness, I would recommend it. 

Located in the heart of Zurich's old town, this charming little hotel was close to everything.  They offer a small buffet breakfast, and we found the staff to be very kind and friendly.  Our beds consisted of two twins pushed together, but they were comfortable enough. The price was super reasonable (on booking.com), the room was clean, and we were in a very safe neighborhood.  I have no problem recommending this one.

 What a beautiful hotel.  A little outside the hot spots but just a short uber ride away - and worth it.  Super comfortable, modern, excellent service.  And again, beautiful.  I definitely recommend. 

Another beautiful hotel.  Comfortable and spacious, in keeping with the Radisson brand.  The location is excellent, walking distance to restaurants, shopping, you name it.  And a short 5 minute walk from one of my favorite Christmas markets.  There's a cool indoor "food truck" themed restaurant right across the street, that was very reasonable, had all types of cuisine and quite good.  Great hotel.

A gorgeous 5-start hotel sitting atop Perugia, with unparalleled views of the Umbrian mountainsides. An underground swimming pool and spa with sauna, with glass floors in the pool so you can see the ancient ruins beneath.  Massages, facial, etc are availble. Collins - the restaurant located in the hotel - is unbelievably good (and surprisingly reasonable).  The rooms are spacious and very comfortable, and the service was amazing.  One my favorite hotels of all time.  Highly recommend (and in offseason the prices are great!).

 Hands down one of the most unique and beautiful places I've stayed.  Built in what was the Bastione Spasimo Monument, a fort erected in the 1500s to safeguard Palermo from enemy incursions.  We stayed extra days because it was so wonderful, comfortable and perfectly located.  Lovely breakfast included, our room had a spa in it, although there is an outdoor spa and "indoor" pool in a greenhouse of sorts. Ask for a garden room.  You won't regret it. 

I can't begin to describe how wonderful this hotel is.  Situated right on the Grand Canal, the full beauty of Venice is right outside your balcony.  The service was exceptional, the location unparalleled, the room gorgeous, extravagant and very comfortable. There may be other wonderful hotels in Venice, but I don't see how it's possible for any of them to top this.

I wish I had booked a few more days because Corfu was amazing, despite the chilly weather. So many cafes, restaurants (with music), boutiques and gorgeous views.  I stumbled upon the Lorenzo Mavili Suite on Booking.com.  The price was unbelievable, and the "suite" was a nice one-bedroom apartment in the heart of the downtown area.  Check out the video to see for yourself.  Or look them up at  Lorenzo Mavili Suite, Corfu Town – Updated 2024 Prices (booking.com) .