Ciao,

Please forgive if this question appears too mundane; however........We will be staying in Italy for a month in 3/4 star hotels. We have not spent too much time traveling in Europe, ususally Asia & Africa where service levels in hotels are extraordinary. Believe it or not, even in 5 star hotels, it is my habit to have housekeeping bring an iron & ironing board to our room at the beginning of the stay, which I retain so that I can "freshen up" our clothes in between laundering (I know, a complete bore!). Is this something than one can do in Italian hotels.

ST people have answers to everything, so I thought I would throw this question out there.

Grazie Mille,
Joan

Hello,

We have have never asked for this type of service in Italy so I don't know what would happen. Maybe you could ask ahead ?
If we want to iron then we take a travel iron and use the top of our suitcase as a board!!
(Maybe I should say if we NEED to iron something..who wants to iron at the best of times!!)

There is always an iron and board in vacation rentals,in my experience at least but not in hotels.
We have found this equipment as standard in Malmaisons/Hotel du Vins and one or two hotels in France as well as in The States.
My trick is to hang up the vulnerable garments as soon as possible then put them in the bathroom and let them steam whilst we take a bath or shower. Richard's trick is to run a hairdryer over them!!
Wendy

Thanks Wendy,

You mean you don't just love to iron while on vacation?!? (YUCK). Yes, I have used the shower method....usually works fairly well; perhaps this is to what I will resort and make the best of it.

Cheers,
Joan

Joan,
I have stayed in a few hotels in Italy in the past couple of years and did not see any irons or ironing boards in the rooms. Possibly by ringing housekeeping you could get them. In the apartments I stayed in there were irons and ironing boards. Let us know what you find.

One thing that might be a problem (although perhaps not for double rooms at the 3*/4* level) would be having enough space to maneuver to actually iron.

One of my "before we leave on a trip obsessions" is to get all the ironing done at home before we leave. Heaven forbid that our housesitter should have to use an un-ironed tea towel! Or that I pack anything un-ironed.

I have never used an iron in a hotel in Italy - but, like Wendy, only because most of our time is in vacation rentals and they always have irons and ironing boards. Just another "perk" for vacation rentals!!

Let us know what you find out! Ironing Minds want to know.

Definitely keep in mind that hotel service in Italy will be way more expensive than in Asia or Africa. Costs of personnel for a hotel in Italy is probably even higher than in the US. I would most likely not expect to have any of this type of room service in a 3 stars hotel. A 4 stars hotel might have your clothes delivered to their laundry service to iron them, and you will have to pay a fee per ironed piece.

Thanks for your responses....sounds as though when in the 3-stars, I will rely on the old steam from the shower. We are staying at a villa for a week and they do have a washing machine and iron/ironing board. Then we stay in a Hilton for 5 nights in Sorrento, so I am betting that I can get housekeeping to deliver the iron. Then in Taormina we will stay in a 4/5 star, so probably the same. I hate this with a passion, but I love linens, cottons & silks and hate wrinkles---so I am stuck!!
Forgot, too, as mentioned, the sizes of the rooms are going to be too small to accommodate the board. I really don't spend a lot of time with this chore. It is usually when we return to the room before going out to dinner, when we put the music on and have a glass or 2 of wine then I "whistle while I work."
Again, thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by Pauline:
One of my "before we leave on a trip obsessions" is to get all the ironing done at home before we leave. Heaven forbid that our housesitter should have to use an un-ironed tea towel!

Pauline: You iron your tea towels? I know, I know, we are not supposed to comment on each other's personal habits, but I am SHOCKED!

M

Makes me feel better.......I am NOT going to iron my tea towels (and just the tops of sheets --- the parts that show)

Joan