Northern Italian Lakes & Countryside

The following is an excerpt from my daily journal on the trip. “Arrived at lake Garda. Very disappointed with the hotel we’re staying at for the next 5 nights. On the side of a hill. Too far from the water and very difficult to get around. Many steps to get to our room. This is a resort made for families with pools, game room, etc. two holes of golf but you need to have your own clubs to play. “ That was my first impression upon arrival and it went downhill from there. The resort shuttle times were limited and didn’t coincide with our times so we never made it to the village at lake Garda. Another disappointment. The included meals were not good. The farewell dinner was inedible. And talking with others around the table I knew that many of us shared the same opinion.

Included meals were subpar. Location of hotels were remote. Nothing was within walking distance. Once you got back to the hotel there was nothing to do. The optional tours should have been included. If you didn’t pay for optional tours you were stuck in the hotel. One hotel was on the side of a hill. Many stairs to get to and from the restaurant and to get on the daily bus. Average age of group was 70. I can’t believe that someone thought staying at this place was a good idea. Farewell meal was just awful.

1. Highlight Experiences I chose this itinerary because it was advertised as the “Best of the Italian Lakes”, but unfortunately the time by the lakes themselves felt far too limited. The majority of the schedule was spent in towns such as Bergamo, Modena, and Verona. While these places were pleasant, they were not the focus I expected when booking a lakes-themed holiday. This mismatch between what was promoted and what was delivered was disappointing. In addition, the farewell dinner felt flat and muted, with no entertainment or sense of occasion to round off the trip. 2. Dining Dining was another area where the experience fell short. The included meals did not reflect the richness of Italian cuisine, and at times it felt as though cost-cutting was the priority. For example, at the “Be My Guest” experience, I had requested no red meat and was given only a small slice of frittata as my main course. When I asked about this, the explanation was that Trafalgar had decided not to provide chicken alternatives, citing increased costs—a disappointing and unconvincing reason. On another included dinner, I was served burnt chicken. Overall, the quality and variety of meals did not do justice to Italian food, nor did they meet the standards I expected from Trafalgar. 3. Accommodation Accommodation was one of the biggest let-downs. The tour began well with Hotel Simplon in Baveno, which was comfortable and aligned with expectations. However, the subsequent five-night stay at Hotel Paiano was very disappointing. Most guests, including myself, were placed in serviced apartments rather than hotel rooms. These apartments felt more like dated three-star motels, with 1980s-style decor and very poor cleaning standards—the floors were dusty and covered in fluff, and cleaning was only superficially improved after complaints. It was disheartening to see some guests in proper hotel rooms while many others were relegated to these apartments. The overall impression was that Trafalgar had promised hotel accommodation but delivered something sub-standard. 4. Loyalty Recognition No gift or acknowledgment was offered for repeat customers. This lack of recognition was disheartening, especially given the loyalty to the brand. 5. Optional Experiences Finally, many of the optional experiences seemed like they should have been included as part of the base itinerary—especially the walking tours with local guides. These added little beyond what I would expect in a standard guided tour. Having to pay extra for what felt like “basic inclusions” left me questioning the value of the package. ________________________________________ Overall Experiences ★★★☆☆ (3/5) While there were some enjoyable moments, overall, the tour did not deliver on the promise of showcasing the best of the Italian Lakes. Between limited lake time, uninspiring dining, sub-standard accommodation, and optional experiences that felt like inclusions, the trip did not meet Trafalgar’s usual reputation for quality. I hope this feedback helps in reassessing the design and delivery of this itinerary, so future guests can enjoy a more authentic, well-rounded experience.

Itinerary was great, hotels very good, tour leader *personal info removed by Feefo* was knowledgeable experienced and very engaging

I deal taster of the Italian lakes and Sud Tirol. Excellent informative guide and tour director. Our driver was very good too.