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Derek,
Here is a summary of the highlights from our vacation.
Rome: The hotel was wonderful. The rooms had ample space for two guests and very clean. The breakfast which was included was amazing and consisted of hot and cold selections. The service at the hotel was excellent too - very helpful on all accounts. We found that the location was very favorable also. It was an easy walk to the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Coliseum, and Pantheon area. We would definitely stay there again.
Private Tour of Vatican Museums and Coliseum: The tour guide Paula was awesome. She was extremely knowledgable and passionate about Roman history. She also was very accommodating to the needs of our group. The day was very hot and long so we would suggest two half days if time allows. Also, it would have been nice to have the catacombs under St. Peters to be included. Overall, the tour was a wonderful experience due to the knowledge and passion that the tour guide expressed throughout the whole day.
Venice: The hotel was in need of some remodeling. The air-condition did not work efficiently in a few of the rooms. The breakfast was good including cold selections. The location was excellent. It was a very short walk to San Marco square.
Water Taxi to and from the hotel: It was very pricey, but it was well worth it. The contact Christian was very helpful and was fantastic at the airport on our departure from Venice.
Private Walking Tour of Venice: The tour guide Frederica was amazing. We were able to see many of the highlights of Venice in a short time. Her knowledge of Dodges Palace and San Marco Church was impressive along with her passion for Venice.
Paris: The hotel was very nice. It was clean and in a great location. It was a block away from a few underground metro stations and the train station to Normandy. The location allowed us to get around Paris very easily. Both families were in family suites that included a main door that lead to two separate rooms each with beds and their own bathrooms. This set-up was very helpful when traveling with children, but one of the two rooms in each family suite was very small. There was an outside courtyard on the ground floor which was lovely. We would stay here again.
Louvre Museum Audio Tour: It was disappointing. It was extremely difficult to follow the map with the audio recordings. Some of the group decided not to use the audio recordings, and they enjoyed it on their own.
Paris Tour: The tour was a wonderful experience. Again our tour guide was very knowledgable about Paris. It included a whole tour of the city of Paris plus we stopped at Notre Dame and had lunch at the Eiffel Tower. The lunch at Eiffel Tower that was included was surprisingly very good. The tour included a Seine River Cruise too. The boat tour was not very informative, but it was relaxing to see some of the sights from the day from the river.
Private Tour of London: It was great tour of the London. Again, the tour guide was very knowledgable. We were able to see all the major highlights of London.
Sincerely,
The Families of Bill & Laura M. / James & Val R.
(This itinerary was for 3 families, consisting of 13 travelers overall)