Today I thought I’d share all the pros and cons of each hotel I stayed at during my European Study Abroad. I recently posted my Europe Travel Vlog (so if you haven’t seen that go check out the post before this one!), but if you haven’t been following along so far, last month I traveled to 7 different European Cities on a study abroad trip! So yes, 7 different cities means 7 separate hotels! So, let’s get into it…
London, England – University of Richmond Atlantic House
Since I was studying abroad through the University of Richmond located in London, I actually stayed in the University of Richmond dorm called Atlantic House. And since I realized as I was typing this that this location is not open to the public, nor is it a hotel, let’s just skip on down to my second city…
Amsterdam, Netherlands – Park Hotel Amsterdam
The Park Hotel was one of the nicest hotels that I stayed at! The lobby had a very luxurious feel with dim lighting, comfy couches, pastry bar, and fireplace that gave an overall calm and soothing mood. It was easy to get work done in the lobby when I needed because it was usually quiet and not crowded. In addition, our actually room was fantastic as well. Although I do not know exactly which type of room we stayed in, I did note that the bathroom was gorgeous. From black tile to deluxe soaps, it was definitely an overall win! Aside from the amenities this hotel had to offer, it was also in a great location for traveling Amsterdam! It was only a short walk to many restaurants and bars, shopping areas, and tourist areas like the Rijksmuseum and Heineken Brewery.
Paris, France – Citadines Bastille Marais
The Citadines Bastille Marais had a bit of a small hotel lobby, but there was a 24/7 coffee bar for guests (which always comes in handy!!). The coffee bar was stocked with all the essentials – cream, sugar, brown sugar – and the coffee machine brewed lattes and cappuccinos as well! Furthermore, the rooms are apartment style which means you have a full kitchen area, small dining table, and desk included in your room. As part of our program, we also reserved the “Meeting Room” for our class sessions. It was a spacey room with about 45 chairs and a projector that acted as an excellent classroom for our purposes (would be a great area for business meetings too!). The only downside was that this hotel seemed to be a little ways from the museum attractions like the Louvre or Musee D’Orsay and the Eiffel Tower – however, I will say that Paris is a HUGE city, and being close to everything just isn’t realistic.
Lausanne, Switzerland – Hotel Royal Savoy Lausanne
If you’re looking for a relaxing getaway, I would definitely recommend going to Lausanne – it is drop dead GORGEOUS!! And the Hotel Royal Savoy had a ton of features. The breakfast restaurant was on a terrace that overlooked a nice garden area, and there was also a “SkyLounge” on the roof where you could order food and have drinks! The hotel staff was incredibly nice and helpful – assisting us whenever needed and greeting us at the door. Our room was very luxurious as well with complementary glass waters and chocolate bar being provided (and let me tell you that chocolate was probably the best chocolate I’ve EVER tasted!). There was also a rainfall shower and good size tub in the bathroom. My favorite amenity was probably the spa though – there was everything you could want – a steam room, sauna, jacuzzi, and indoor and outdoor pools with jets and a fountain! Overall, I would HIGHLY recommend this hotel – and it’s only a 15 minute walk down to the beautiful view of Lake Geneva.
Venice, Italy – Hotel Continental
As you probably know, Venice was built on water so space is limited. The Hotel Continental was a great size for a hotel in Venice – the rooms weren’t huge, but you’re probably not going to find that anywhere in the city. However, this hotel was extremely authentic and antique feeling with decor that sort of reminded me of an ancient palace. Breakfast at the hotel was a large buffet with assorted croissants, cheeses, meats, a juice and coffee machine. One downside – although this does not apply to everyone – was the key situation. Part of the authenticity of the hotel was that there were actual door keys as opposed to modern key cards, and the key is left at the front desk every time you leave the hotel. This proved to be a problem for me since there was only one key and automatically locking doors – and I had another roommate that came and went at different times. So, if you are planning on having a roommate or even have kids that may come and go at different times than you, this would probably be an unnecessary hassle. But if this isn’t a concern for you, than this hotel is a great option!
Florence, Italy – StarHotels Michelangelo
This hotel has the largest lobby I think I’ve ever seen. It is equipped with many many couches and sitting areas as well as a full massage chair and a bar. The room was pretty standard with a minibar in addition to a good size tub and bidet in the bathroom. Breakfast here was great as well with a buffet of assorted croissants, breads, cereals, pastries, and a fantastic blood orange juice! I would say this hotel ranked slightly above average to me – nothing was bad, but nothing really stood out either – especially since the center of town was a decent ways away (about a 25 minute walk) and there weren’t many restaurants close to the hotel either.
Rome, Italy – Starhotels Metropole
So, this was our second StarHotel of the trip, and to be completely honest, I wasn’t too excited for it since my first experience did not blow me away. However, I enjoy this StarHotel much more than the one in Florence. First off, the location was much better – our hotel in Rome had a hundred different restaurants and shops around the corner (lol yes that is an exaggeration but you get the point!). We actually ended up eating at a few of these restaurants and getting a pizza to go from another, and they were delicious! I loved that we didn’t have to go far away for a great meal. In addition, the hotel had a spacious and quiet lobby that made it easy to finish homework that we may have left up until the last moment possible (guilty!), and a nice breakfast area. This was definitely a step up from what I expected – and ultimately I would recommend it!
Thanks to everyone for following along – I love that I get to share my experiences with all of you! And if you’re planning a trip to Europe I hope these reviews will help you choose hotels that will make your experience the very best.
Let me know if you want to see a blog about Go-To Restaurants or Things to Do in Europe!
Comment below the best hotel you’ve ever stayed at!
|| Olivia ||