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Refereeing Hotel Reviews: Hotel Arcangelo's Breakfast

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: Via Boezio 15,, Rome, Italy, 00192
November 8, 2006 at 12:38 PM | by | Comments (2)

There's been some buzz going around lately that travel writers haven't really been giving us the full truth about the destinations they've been visiting. Mostly because the hotel or it's PR department is paying for their trip.

So we've pulled out our dusty referee whistle and looked closley at the reviews for Hotel Arcangelo. Recently, MSNBC Travel writer John Frenaye at this hotel in Rome with his family and found it great:

The room was fabulous, the daily breakfast was more than adequate and the service was sublime.

Hmm, but our research says that the rooms are dirty, the staff can be rude, and well, see for yourself on the breakfast:

The breakfast is basic continental and just about adequate, with tasteless coffee, no choice of cereals. The ham had ants running about on it on some mornings.

This was just one of several breakfast complaints and there were far more criticisms against the cleanliness of the room.

What can we say? We side with the majority. Although there is a chance that Frenaye did just happen to hit the Arcangelo on a good day. Either way do your research pre-booking.

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Re: Refereeing Hotel Reviews: Hotel Arcangelo's Br


As always, hotel reviews are arbitrary.  If John Frenaye was up front about having his room comp'd (if it was even comp'd...), and genuinely enjoyed the place--that is his opinion and he is entitled to it.    

If he never mentioned the conditions of his stay (if I could get the slow ass MSNBC site to come up I might know more) then, in my opinion he should have.

Check the source, check the conditions of the stay, and draw your own conclusions.  Most importantly find review sites, or reviewers that you can regularly identify with.

I've never been to this particular hotel, so I have nothing to add in that regard.

markj on November 8, 2006 at 2:38 PM #Permalink

Re: Refereeing Hotel Reviews: Hotel Arcangelo's Br

First.  The room was most certainly not comped. We do not operate that way at all.

Second. I said the breakfast was adequate. Adequate does not indicate a 5 star buffet.

Third. The service was good. I was met at FCO by a car the hotel had arranged on time. I left my camera in the back seat and the car left to pick up another  passenger and came back to return it. Reservations in a few city tours were made by the hotel and all were fine. They hired a private car for a day and that was fine. We got a bit lost near the Terminii and could not hail a cab. I called the hotel and they sent a taxi to pick us up.

Fourth. The hotel was unaware that I was with MSNBC when I was there. That is the only way to get a reasonable experience.

Fifth. Everyone will have a different experience in ANY hotel. SO for you to insinuate that this is a payback for a comp is absurd.

Sixth. Have you personally been to the Arcangelo? I am talking personally, not going off the reviews from TripAdvisor?

Just curious!

jfrenaye on December 1, 2006 at 9:55 PM #Permalink

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