REVIEWS

Arthur Frommer's Vacations for Real People -
THE BEST-PRICED Hotels in France, Spain, and Italy?
A Newly Updated Book Series Gives You Hundreds of Names
If you're willing to forego frilly descriptions of overpriced hostelries and go straight for the scoop on which hotels are decent and cheap, what they offer, and how you find them, we can't think of any book series that does the trick better than Margo Classe's Hello! series of guides to inexpensive hotel rooms in France ($50-$90 a night for two), Spain ($40-$80), and Italy ($40-$75). All three are impeccably researched and remarkably thorough. An independent, budget-minded traveler going though any or all of these countries should consider the books a must-have.

Say you're planning to travel to Bordeaux--do you want a hotel near the train station, or closer to the center of town? If the former (which Classe does not recommend), then her choice is the Lion d'Or, a 25-roomer for which she gives you the address and telephone, price (single rooms start at 115 francs, or less than $20), credit cards accepted, the extent to which English is spoken, the features and general level of cleanliness, and precise walking directions from the train station--all in an extremely compact, no-nonsense style. Closer to the town center, she offers no fewer than 16 hotels that meet her price and quality criteria. If you can imagine the same treatment for 20 other cities in France (including 80 pages of listings for Paris), you get some idea of how informative and densely-packed these books are.

What makes the books even more noteworthy is that Ms. Classe has done every shred of the research herself, and paid out of her own pocket for every single night of it. The series is clearly a labor of love, and a necessary purchase for anyone in search of unpretentious, well-priced lodging. The books are a bit pricey (the Italy book goes for $16.95, the other two $2 more), but any cost can be quickly made up with your first night's stay. The books are all available by calling Wilson Publishing at 213/939-0821, e-mailing classe@earthlink.net, or visiting the publisher's Web site at www.helloeurope.com.

To comment on this or any other article in our Daily News Magazine of Travel, simply send an e-mail to Arthur_Frommer@prenhall.com. Copyright © 1998 Arthur Frommer

Journeywoman -European Hotels -- $US45 per person

How lucky we are to have Margot Classe as a member of the Journeywoman network! This travel writer is the editor of guidebooks to affordable hotels under $100 a night (for two) in Italy, France & Spain. We asked Margot to share some of her favorite economical hotel choices with us. She writes...

Dream a little...
Have you ever dreamed of going to Europe but thought you couldn't afford it? Close your eyes. Can you picture yourself enjoying an early morning cappuccino in Rome, listening to jazz in a Paris club, or watching a flamingo dancer while sipping Sangria in Barcelona. Better still, can you imagine gazing at the canal from your bedroom window in Venice? Think it's an unattainable fantasy? Well its not. After years of traveling extensively throughout Europe researching its most affordable, charming, and family-owned hotels, I have put together a special list of six places that can be rented in Europe for an all-inclusive rate of $50 single to $99 a night for double occupancy.

How I choose my hotels...
My criteria for selecting hotels are that they must be very clean, safe, inexpensive, centrally located and, above all, have private bathroom facilities in the room. For me, the sole purpose of a hotel room is to provide a safe place to sleep after an enjoyable day of travelling. Because I do most of my traveling by train, I used the train station as the starting point on all directions to the hotels.

Six Favorites in Europe
1. HOTEL RIVA Castello, VENICE, Italy
Located east of San Marco and beyond Cannaregio is a quiet residential area away from the tourist hordes of Venice.
Address: Ponte dellíAnzelo 5310, 30122. Tel: 041-5227034. Fax: 041-5285551. (24 rooms., 22 w/toilet & bath or shower.) Price: 155,000-195,000L double; 260,000L triple. Breakfast (8:30-9:30am) is included in the rates & cannot be deducted. Cash only. English is spoken in this beautiful charming hotel w/beautifully furnished bright modern rooms, marble staircase, #27 is huge w/view of canal & wood-beamed ceiling, #4 is small but has 2 windows w/view of the canal & wood-beamed ceiling, #8 has 2 windows that overlook the canal, nice floors, central heating, quiet location, no elevator, 4 floors. Located on a delightful side of a canal at the junction of 3 canals where you can watch the gondolas go by. Owned and managed by Sandro Nart who is a wonderful and charming doctor of medicine. (Closed mid-Nov.-Jan.)

2. HOTEL PRIMAVERA Piazza Navona, ROME, Italy
This is a great, safe, fascinating, medieval historic area to stay and explore on foot.
Address: Piazza San Pantaleo 3, 1st fl., 00186. Tel: 06-68803109. Fax: 06-6869265. (16 rooms, 14 w/toilet & bath or shower.) Price: 105,000-125,000L (54-64E) single; 145,000-185,000L (74-95E) double; 200,000L (103E) triple. Buffet breakfast is included in the rates. Cash only. English spoken (Serena & Victorio), satellite TV w/English channel, grand small 19th-century hotel w/simply furnished large airy bright comfortable rooms, nice floors, the best rooms are on the 5th floor (#13-19) which are beautiful, newly renovated & are air-conditioned, #11 has a wonderful view w/private bathroom in the hall, marble floors in hallway, hair driers, double-paned windows, central heating, magnificent entrance, marble stairs, terrace, elevator, 2 floors.

3. HOTEL PARC MONTSOURIS 14e Arrondissement, PARIS, France
Left Bank-- this area around blvd. du Montparnasse tends to be lower in price and filled with the energy of young students and their professors.
Address: 4, rue du Parc Montsouris. Tel: 0145890972. Fax: 0145809272. (35 rooms, all w/toilet & bath or shower.) Price: 330-390 francs single; 330/390/440 francs double; 440/500 francs triple/quad. Breakfast (7am) at 30Fpp and can be served in the room. Visa, MC, AX. English spoken, clean, direct-dial phone, cable TV, great hotel, completely renovated villa, soundproofed comfortable rooms. w/classic decor, #633 is the best room in the house, quiet, elevator.

4. HOTEL EDEN NICE, France
Located right on the seafront, this hotel faces the water.
Address: 99 bis, promenade des Anglais. Tel: 0493865370. Fax: 0493976797. (14 rooms, all w/toilet & bath or shower.) Price: 155/385 francs single; 155/395 francs double; 95F for extra bed. Breakfast (8-10am) at 30Fpp & can be served in the room. Visa, MC, AX. English spoken, clean, direct-dial phone, TV, 19th-century art deco villa, beautiful old-fashioned yet modern comfortable rooms, w/rustic decor, #5 is huge w/balcony for 385F (for 2), #1 is beautiful for 295F (for 2), air-conditioned, no elevator, 2 floors, garden, free parking.

5. HOTEL OLIVA L'Eixample, BARCELONA, Spain
A very classy neighborhood, located 10 minutes from the Ramblas activity. The famous "La Sagrada Familia" is located here.
Address: Passeig de Gracia 32, 4th fl., 08007. Tel: 4880162/4881789. (16 rooms, 7 w/toilet & bath or shower.) Price: 3,500 pesetas single (w/sinks only); 6,100-7,100 pesetas double; 9,500 pesetas triple; 12,500 pesetas quad. Children under 5 free. No breakfast served. Cash only. English spoken, This is a nice old building. w/large comfortable old rooms, most are renovated w/modern bathrooms, rooms vary in size, #1 is pretty, sunny and has a great view, elevator, 1 floor. This is the cheapest hotel on this famous, elegant street.

6. HOTEL PERLA PAMPLOMA, Spain
This is an excellent location if you are here for the "running of the bulls."
Address: Plaza del Castillo 1. Tel: 227706. Fax: 211566. (67 rooms, 30 w/toilet & bath or shower.) Price: 4,900 pesetas single; 7,900/8,400 pesetas double; 11,000 pesetas triple. Breakfast (8-10am) at 850 pesetas pp & can be served in the room. Visa, MC, AX, DC. Limited English spoken (Raphael & Fernando), direct-dial phone, some suites, huge old elegant pink hotel w/high-ceilinged renovated rooms & old-fashioned furnishings, 39 rooms, w/balconies overlooking the street, #217 (because Ernest Hemingway stayed here) & #405 are the best, elevator, 4 floors. There are 7 rooms that are similar to #217 with the old elegance decor and hanging chandelier.

Looking For Cheap Hotel in Italy? Here's an Invaluable Resource
Arthur Frommer's Travel online -Arthur Frommer's Travel online

You might remember us singing the praises, about a year ago, of the trio of "Hello!" guidebooks put out by Margo Classe, a tireless seeker of budget hotels in Italy, France, and Spain. Her three volumes on these three countries, while short of ringing prose (who needs it, anyway?), offered a staggering amount of information on a staggering number of properties, all of which had been personally inspected and reviewed by Ms. Classe herself. Well, just yesterday we received a copy of her brand new update to the Italy book, entitled "Hello, Italy! An Insider's Guide To Italian Hotels $50-99," and we can report that it's an improvement over the already impressive earlier edition.

Although the number of cities has been trimmed from 33 to 26, the book itself is nearly half again as long as the previous one. What that means is that Ms. Classe has honed in on the places in Italy that interest North American visitors most, from Lake Garda to the Amalfi Coast, and has gone into several hundred of those places in greater depth. Not only does she provide complete contact and price information, she gives you the best rooms to books, walking directions (for urban hotels), the names of staffers who speak English, the hotel owner whose mother makes the best limoncello--by now, you should be getting the idea that very few stones have been unturned. In quite a few cases, you can save even further on the price of your room by showing the owner your copy of the book.

The self-published book costs $18.95, and can be purchased through Wilson Publishing. Call 888/663-9269 or visit the company's Web site, www.helloeurope.com.

Traveling with Ed and Julie
(on-line newsletter - www.TWEnJ.com)

Hello Italy! an Insider's Guide to Italian Hotels - $50-$99 ... A Night For Two! Yes, Toto, this may not be Kansas but you still can find a good room for under $100 ... with bath. In fact you'll find nearly 70 listings for Rome, personally checked out by the author. And if you're visiting elsewhere in Italy there are extensive listings for 25 other cities and areas. You won't find details on sights here so you'll need another, regular, guidebook like Cadogan. But you can dependably use this as the book to find recommendable, decent, clean, budget accommodations. Save your money for more of the luscious Italian food. And while not a regular guidebook, Margo has included worthwhile travel tips, many you'll rarely find elsewhere, lessons learned from her extensive travels. You'll find some of the author's tips on dealing with hotels and three 'best buy' selections in Rome from the book in Tips and Tricks in Selecting a Hotel in Rome.

Hotel Selection:
Tips and Tricks
by Margo Classé
Author of Hello Italy:
An Insider's Guide to Italian Hotels

Like most Americans you'll travel independently (not on a tour). Your budget is modest. You'll want to make your own hotel arrangements.

After visiting hundreds of European hotels, nearly a hundred in Rome alone, I have discovered some important tips you need to know before and after confirming your hotel reservations.

Forget about American hotels and rating systems. Prepare yourself for a whole other experience when choosing a hotel in Rome. You are traveling to another country and another culture; you'll find different standards and rules in the Italian hotel game.

Here are some questions to ask and issues to address as you choose, confim and check in to your Roman hotel.

How many in your group?
If only two, do you want a double bed (letto matrimoniale), which is usually cheaper than twin beds (due letti singoli)? If more than two people make sure the third or fourth bed is not a soft cot, usually quite uncomfortable.

Do you want breakfast with your room?
Most hotels in Italy serve a continental breakfast at an extra charge unless otherwise specified in the hotel listing. The price ranges from LIT5,000 to 20,000 per person ... per day. Always check before turning it down. Sometimes you might luck out and get a buffet. Breakfast normally consists of caffe latte (coffee with hot milk) and a choice of Italian bread, toast or baguettes and butter/margarine and preserves, and awful canned juice. The bread is not always fresh and the coffee might be reheated from the day before. Most hotels will assume that you are having breakfast at their hotel and will automatically add the extra charge to your bill. Let the front desk know whether you want breakfast. The only time you have no choice is if signs are posted on the wall stating that the room rate is the same whether you eat breakfast or not. Breakfast is usually fresher, and cheaper, at the neighborhood 'bar'. It will cost even less to take your cappuccino and bread standing at the bar (or tall table) versus sitting. Price aside, I enjoy rubbing elbows with the locals standing up at the bar.

How will you pay the hotel bill?
Confirm whether the hotel takes credit cards or just cash. If they take credit cards, indicate that you want to pay by credit card, but ask if the price would be lower if paid by cash.

What type of bathroom facilities do you want in your room?
Do you want a bathtub or is a shower stall acceptable?
A room with a shower and toilet is often cheaper than one with a bathtub and toilet, and a room without a shower or toilet is the cheapest. Make absolutely sure of what you are getting. Do not assume anything. (Italian hotels do not have facecloths and rarely shower curtains.)

Will you be traveling with lots of luggage?
The real question is whether you need a hotel with an elevator or will you mind if the hotel is on the fifth floor (expect no porters). Will you need a room with lots of closet space? Many of these hotels provide little closet space. (Common at any price in Europe.)

Do you want a room facing the front, with a view or balcony, or do you want a room in the back?
What is most important to you, a good night's sleep or a view of a square?
A room facing the front will likely be noisier at night. A balcony is great to have when a traveling partner needs to grab a smoke. When you book your room make sure you get written confirmation of the agreed arrangements. Examples: bath or shower, toilet, balcony, number of people (if children, what is the cutoff age before they charge), which floor, front or back of hotel, extra charge for air-conditioning, room number, with or without breakfast and total cost per night (including the service charge and tax). You may still have to insist upon these same arrangements when you arrive at the hotel, but it is a lot easier when you have a copy of the written confirmation with you. [The 'net is great for travel research; fax your requests wherever possible (or at least request a fax reply). Ed]

I cannot emphasize this enough: Remember to pack and bring your hotel confirmation with the person's name on it along with you.

When you arrive at your hotel don't get discouraged by an unimpressive entrance or lobby. You can walk through the most magnificent lobby and your room can be small and drab, or you can walk through a shabby entrance, take the elevator to the hotel and when the doors open, be pleasantly surprised at how cheerful the lobby and your room looks. When checking in never pay for a room in advance for more nights than you will need. You may not always get your money back. Never check into a room without seeing it first, and remember to check the beds. If they refuse to show you the room, politely leave. If you're running late and will arrive after 5:00 p.m. and the hotel is holding a deposit contact the hotel immediately. The hotel may, properly, give away your room after that time, regardless of the fact that they have your money.

All hotel room rates must be displayed prominently. Look for the rate chart by the entrance or near the reception desk. The quoted price normally includes all taxes and usually the service charge. Italian law requires the rate chart be posted on the back of your hotel room door. If it is not posted you can ask why. Regardless of the reason, the hotel cannot legally charge you more than the maximum rate shown in the official display. If they try, tell them you will send a letter of complaint either to the address that is stamped on the display or to the local municipal office. (You can find out the correct address from the tourist office.) The Italian government is strict and issues steep fines to hotels that gouge tourists.

11:00 a.m. is normal checkout time in Italy.

When departing make sure you get a receipt marked "paid in full." If you plan to leave early in the morning settle the bill the night before. This relieves the stress of trying to catch that early-morning train or bus and allows time to clear up any discrepancies or misunderstandings. And this is a last chance to ask if the rate is cheaper if you pay with cash.

Here, from my book, are three charming, affordable hotels that will allow you to savor the excitement of Rome. (Taken from Hello Italy: An Insiders Guide to Italian Hotels $50-$99 a Night for Two.)

Near the main station (Stazione Termini)

If you are using Rome as a base to explore the region try the hotel NARDIZZI AMERICANA: Via Firenze 38, 4th fl., 00184. Tel: 06-4880368. Fax: 06-4880035. (18 rms., all w/toilet & bath or shower.) LIT100,000-115,000 single; LIT110,000-165,000 double; LIT130,000-220,000 triple; LIT140,000-240,000L quad. Breakfast (7:30-9:30am) included in rates & cannot be deducted but can be served in the room. Breakfast served on the terrace in warm weather. Visa, MC, AX, DC. English spoken (Nik), direct-dial phone, satellite TV w/English channel, beautiful charming 19th-century palace w/nicely furnished comfortable airy bright rms., #10 a corner room w/views is one of the best, #14 has a balcony, #11 & #9 have floor to ceiling windows, the 7 rooms undergoing renovation when I visited will have the best views (#s unknown, they would have been completed in February of '99), modern bathrooms, front rooms noisy, double-paned windows, elegant Roman-style decor w/columns, beautiful floors that resemble Roman streets & halls that conveniently light up when you walk through them, towel heaters, central heating, air-conditioned, bar, garden, new rooftop terrace w/spectacular panoramic view, elevator, 1 fl., parking (LIT30,000 per day). This magnificent hotel is in the middle of renovations. The room numbers mentioned above might change after renovations are completed. 10% rm. discount when you show owner/manager Fabrizio Tarquini or staff this book. Metro: Repubblica. Located near Via XX Settembre & the American Embassy.

Near the Piazza Navona

PRIMAVERA: Piazza San Pantaleo 3, 1st fl., 00186. Tel: 06-68803109. Fax: 06-6869265. (16 rms., 14 w/toilet & bath or shower.) LIT105,000-125,000 single; LIT145,000-185,000 double; LIT200,000 triple. Buffet breakfast is included in the rates. Cash only. English spoken (Serena & Victorio), satellite TV w/English channel, grand small 19th-century hotel w/simply furnished large airy bright comfortable rms., nice flrs., the best rooms are on the 5th floor (#13-19) which are beautiful, newly renovated & are air-conditioned, #11 has a wonderful view w/private bathroom in the hall, marble floors in hallway, hair driers, double-paned windows, central heating, magnificent entrance, marble stairs, terrace, elevator, 2 flrs. 10% rm. discount or free breakfast when you show owner/manager Maria Sena or staff this book. Bus: #64. Stop: Piazza San Pantaleo.

Near the Piazza di Spagna

MARCUS: Via Clementino 94, 2nd fl., 00186. Tel: 06-68300320/6873679. Fax: 06-68300312. www.venere.it/roma/marcus/ (17 rms., all w/toilet & bath or shower.) LIT135,000-155,000 single; LIT185,000-205,000 double; LIT220,000-250,000 triple; LIT250,000-270,000 quad. Breakfast (7:30-10am) is included in the rates & cannot be deducted but can be served in the room. Visa, MC, AX. English spoken (Marcus) direct-dial phone, TV, 16th-century charming palace w/simply old-fashioned furnished, nice-size pretty rms., lots of ambiance, #12 & 18 have balconies, #9 (large) & 6 are the best rms., 1 rm. has private bathroom in hall, some rms. have antique fireplaces, central heating, air-conditioned, bar, double-paned windows, minibars, elevator, 2 flrs. Owned/managed by Salvatore DeCaro. Metro: Spagna. From Piazza Spagna, turn left, then right onto Via Condotti, follow this street which becomes Via Fontanella Borghese and eventually becomes Via Clementino.
Tips and Tricks Copyright © 1999 Margo Classé Publsihed April 8, 1999

Margo Classé is a freelance marketing and sales promotion professional whose passion for travel resulted in a career. She is the author of three books on affordable hotels in France, Spain and Italy, including Hello Italy! An Insider's Guide to Italian Hotels $50-$99 a Night for Two.

[You'll find nearly 70 more Rome hotels for under $100 in Margo's book; it's a must for the budget traveler to Rome, indeed Italy, as it contains similar listings for 25 other Italian destinations. Ed]

Los Angeles Times - Travel Section - by Lucy Izon
Hostels aren't for everyone. Sometimes you want more privacy, but are still willing to forgo frills for an economical price. A new source for finding low- cost lodging in France is "An Insider's Guide to French Hotels: $50-$90 a Night for Two" by Margo Classe.

Classe has collected information on economical lodgings in Paris and 20 other French cities. Her criteria are that they have at least one room that meets the price requirements (with its own toilet and shower), and that the hotels are customer-friendly and centrally located.

This book is designed to accompany a guidebook. Hotel listings cover rates and amenities ranging from TV to direct-dial phones, reservation contacts and if the staff speaks English. You'll learn about the neighborhoods and get directions from the closest rail station. Don't expect listing for youth hostels, however, if the hotel does cater to a young clientele, she points it out.

The Washington Post
World Wise by Gary Lee
You'll find cheap quarters in Margo Classe's "Hello France! An Insider's Guide to French Hotels: $50-$90 a Night for Two."

New York Post
TRAVELPLUS Traveler's Update - Simple Pleasures
Want to promenade through Paris or amble around Annecy without wearing a hole in your budget? "An Insiders's Guide to French Hotels $50-$90 a Night for Two" by Margo Classe, is a no-nonsense directory to hundreds of clean, safe and inexpensive rooms. There are tips on reservations (do you need one?), accommodations (what to ask for) and the nearest train or metro station.

AOL (Amerca On-Line) Travel Book Review
This is a valuable guide. France is an expensive country to visit and hotel prices are no exception. Read a Travel Holiday article or one of the other travel rags produced in the U.S. and you will think France is for the rich alone with the average price of a room (according to their articles) being $150.00. What they don't tell you is that all of the hotels they are reviewing are three star or higher hotels (France has a hotel rating system from 0-5 stars, plus a luxury class.).

If you are willing to do without a few amenities such as an elevator, bellhop, and large room (according to U.S. standards; most hotel rooms in France will be smaller anyways.), you can get a decent room within the price range that the author suggests. Most of the hotels she describes are in the 0-2 star range with an occasional three star hotel found at these prices in some of the provincial cities.

Beginning with the capital of Paris, one of the most expensive cities in the world, Classe lists hotels found in all of Paris' arrondissements except for the 19th and 20th. Why the last two arrondissements were left off, we are not sure since some real bargains can be found there. (These are Paris' lower class neighborhoods, so most everything is cheap.) The book seems a little incomplete without including at least a few hotels from each of these areas. For those arriving on the run, she includes hotels to be found at both Paris airports.

For each hotel listing, she provides its address, telephone number, FAX number, and E-Mail number (a few hotels have this), the latter two which are invaluable if you do your own legwork instead of using a travel agent. Ignoring her own book title, she lists the prices for single, double, and triple rooms, and what forms of payment are accepted. Other information includes the price of breakfast and when it is served, plus any special amenities the hotel provides ranging from cable TV to telephone, hair dryer, minibar, etc. For some entries, she makes note about the neighborhood and ends each with directions to the hotel from the train station. In cities with a subway system such as Paris' vast Metro which boasts over 500 stops, she notes the nearest train station to the hotel with the Metro stop you need to exit at, followed by directions to the hotel from the stop.

After 85 pages of text about Paris hotels, she follows with descriptions of hotels in 20 different cities in France. Although it is probably hard to narrow your choices down to 20 cities to represent France, we do question some of her choices. She includes four cities in the Loire Valley which seems overkill especially since one of them is Orleans, a business city that is not visited by many tourists. Tours, which is in the center of the region would probably have been adequate. And while Nice represents the French Riviera, there are no entries for Cannes or Antibes, two very popular cities. Having visited these cities, we know that each has some cheap hotels. We also would not have included Versailles. Although it is a tourist hot spot, it is too close to Paris to be included. She also completely avoids the regions of northern France, Brittany, Auvergne, and Dordogne. But, nonetheless, if you are going to Aix-en-Provence, Amboise, Annecy, Arles, Avignon, Bayeux, Blois, Bordeaux, Dijon, Grenoble, Lyon, Nancy, Nice, Orleans, Paris, Reims, Rouen, Strasbourg, Toulouse, Tours, and/or Versailles, and you are on a tight budget, we recommend that you take this guide with you.

Although the initial outlay of $18.95 may seem a bit steep for this size of book, you will recoup your costs quickly after staying a few nights at one of the suggested hotels in the book. As a compliment to this book, we also recommend that when in Paris, you use the guidebook Paris for Free (Or Extremely Cheap), now in a new, revised edition from Mustang Publishing (1997). And if you are going to Italy, Classe is also the author of Hello Italy! which follows the same scheme/format for that country.

CNN TravelGuide
Correspondent Lori Waffenschmidt

(CNN) -- Many flights to Europe are packed this summer, and if you don't have a reservation yet, getting there -- especially on a budget -- could be a challenge. ..Where to stay? Margo Classe's "Hello Budget Hotel Guides" can help you find deals. Her books include "Hello Italy!" ($40-75 rooms for two) and "Hello France" ($50-90 rooms for two).

"In the Paris section alone, I have 170 hotels that are under $90 per night, and that includes a private bathroom," said the author.

Travel experts say surfing the Internet and working with a travel agent are also great ways to find bargains for a summer trip to Europe.

Margo Classe's Hello! Budget Hotel Guides can help you find inexpensive European digs.

The Times-Picayune - GOOD READING - by Millie Ball
I've lost track of how often I've been asked for a recommendation of an affordable hotel in Paris. Sandra Gustafson's "cheap Sleeps in Paris" is one book recommendation I've made, but her definition of cheap doesn't always match others'. This new $18.95 book, self-published by Margo Classe could be the answer. She and friends checked out each place in this book--and in another one on Italy ($16.95), where the hotel price range was $40-$75 a night. The target audience, says Classe, is cost-conscious travelers who are too old for hostels and dormitories, but don't care if the curtains match the bedspread. They want a clean, centrally located room with a toilet, in a safe part of town."

Arthur Frommer's Vacations for Real People
LOOKING FOR A CHEAP HOTEL IN IN ITALY? Here's an Invaluable Resource
You might remember us singing the praises, about a year ago, of the trio of "Hello!" guidebooks put out by Margo Classe, a tireless seeker of budget hotels in Italy, France, and Spain. Her three volumes on these three countries, while short of ringing prose (who needs it, anyway?), offered a staggering amount of information on a staggering number of properties, all of which had been personally inspected and reviewed by Ms. Classe herself. Well, just yesterday we received a copy of her brand new update to the Italy book, entitled "Hello, Italy! An Insider's Guide To Italian Hotels $50-99," and we can report that it's an improvement over the already impressive earlier edition.

Although the number of cities has been trimmed from 33 to 26, the book itself is nearly half again as long as the previous one. What that means is that Ms. Classe has honed in on the places in Italy that interest North American visitors most, from Lake Garda to the Amalfi Coast, and has gone intoseveral hundred of those places in greater depth. Not only does she provide complete contact and price information, she gives you the best rooms to books, walking directions (for urban hotels), the names of staffers who speak English, the hotel owner whose mother makes the best limoncello--by now, you should be getting the idea that very few stones have been unturned. In quite a few cases, you can save even further on the price of your room by showing the owner your copy of the book.

The self-published book costs $18.95, and can be purchased through Wilson Publishing. Call 888/663-9269 or visit the company's Web site, www.helloeurope.com.
Copyright © 1999 Arthur Frommer

Newsday - ON THE GO - QUICK TAKES
"Hello France! An Insider's Guide to French Hotels $50-$90 a Night for Two" by Margo Classe offers lots of detail, including best rooms and extent of English spoken.

The Wichita Eagle - Note from Travel editor, Arlice W. Davenport
written to Margo Classé
Dear Margo,
I am an avid European traveler and have found your books extremely helpful. As I mention in my review, they fill a serious need for the independent traveler.

The Wichita Eagle
by Arlice W. Davenport
When it comes to touring Europe, the travel advice industry has never been bigger. But even the most ambitious books rarely devote as much space to listing accommodations as they do to describing destinations. And the lodgings they tend to profile are often too pricey for independent travelers to afford.

If you're headed to Italy or France, "Hello Italy!" and "Hello France!" by Margo Classe are guides that do one thing only: list lots of budget hotels from $40 to $90 a night. Each place is guaranteed to provide a clean, cheap, comfortable room with bath or shower.

For sheer numbers of entries, however, the books can't be beat "Hello France!" for instance, lists more than 150 hotels in Paris alone. And there are dozens of choices for 20 other French cities, from Bayeux to Arles.

I consider the France volume by itself a tremendous discovery.

Pasadena Weekly - Book Buzz
by Paula Johnson
ITALY? TRAVEL CHEAP with CLASSÉ
As a freelance expert for the entertainment industry, Margo Classé had an exciting career. She was responsible for all of the events related to the Soul Train Music Awards, and coordinated festivals and events for corporate sponsors. Still, something wasn’t quite right.

"Whenever I work on a project I live and breathe it. Everyone always told me that I should commit my talents to myself," she recalls. When a Television project with Maya Angelou unraveled, Classé decided to focus her energy and talents elsewhere.

"My love and passion was travel and I do it so well. For years, my friends and their friends have asked me for advice. ‘Where do I stay? How do I find hotels? How do you travel so cheap?’," she says. The answers to all these questions-and more-in "Hello, Italy! An Insider’s Guide to Italian Hotels $40-$75 a Night for Two." Her book is based on boxes of notes she took during five trips to Italy, the last a month-long visit in May 1996.

"Hello, Italy!" is a no-nonsense reference for lodging in 33 cities. The author suggests you use her book in tandem with your favorite travel guide. "What this book does is allow you the freedom of not making reservations until you get to Italy; arm you with plenty of choices, information, and the ability to barter with the hotels," she says. The softbound book is small enough to tuck into a tote, and has room on each page for personal notes.

Does she miss her old career? Not Likely. "I am having the best time of my life!," she says.

Classé also has a book "Hello France!" and "Hello Spain!"

Shoestring Traveler - BOOK REVIEW - "Hello Italy!" http://www.stratpub.com/
by Eric S. Adler
A few summers ago when I went to Europe, I search the internet for interesting places to stay in Italy. I didn’t find many. Even today, there is an incredible lack of good information regarding shoestring accommodations in Italy. I knew from experience that there were many inexpensive accommodations, but I just couldn’t find them. Then one day last month, I received a book in the mail. It’s called "Hello Italy! An Insiders Guide to Italian Hotels - $40-$75 a Night for Two" by Margo Classé.

This book is a dream. Not only does it list over 200 accommodations in 33 cities; all of them are well documented including addresses, phone numbers, credit cards etc. They even have directions from the nearest railroad and bus station! Each listing tells a little bit about the accommodation and what’s around it. There are listings in the center of towns as well as out in the boonies.

An Insiders Guide to Italian Hotels - $40-$75 a Night for Two is not a guidebook. You will not find anything about places to go in Italy, what to do, restaurants, etc. It is simply a listing of inexpensive places to stay. Hostels and dormitories are not listed since they would fall below the $40 price range. This book is for my kind of traveling. Just hop on the train, or get in the car and go where the wind blows you. When you get there, look up the city in this book and you’ll find an accommodation. It’s wonderful. It works just as well if you are making reservations in advance.

There are some nice touches which Margo has added to this book. There is a section on packing which includes the little things which you might not remember: "Don’t forget the Wine opener," another section has commonly used words and phrases in Italian, and another section has tips which help make your accommodation booking smoother.

This book is definitely a winner.

The Edmonton Sun
TRAVELING BY THE BOOK
A very practical guide to low-cost hotels in Italy, "Hello Italy! An Insider’s Guide to Italian Hotels $40-$75 A Night For Two" by Margo Classé , listing hotels and other accommodation.

Books like these deliver what they promise. They save time and money and are good presents.

John Clayton’s Travel With A Difference
If you’re off to Italy, you might want to check out a book called "An Insider’s Guide to Italian Hotels for $40 to $75 A Night ." If you’ve traveled overseas, you know how expensive hotels can be, and this book, well written and researched, gives you descriptive listings of places to stay throughout key cities in Italy in those price ranges. Get it at most bookstores.

The Times-Picayune
WORLD BEATER

Best guides for those on a real budget in Europe. Margo Classe of Los Angeles set out to find cheap hotels in France, Spain and Italy. Ask her to describe a hotel room decor and she laughs. “I look for basic comfort, cleanliness and a central location where you don’t have to have a car,” she said in a phone interview. “The question is, can you have a private, clean, charming room with your own bathroom for under $100, and the answer is yes.” She includes 170 hotels in Paris alone. Classe and her husband spent $30,000 publishing her books; nobody pays to get in a book, and she has seen very place she writes about, except in her first book, about Italy, where some friends helped. She’s rewriting that one now after a recent trip to Italy. Most of the books are $18.95, plus shipping. Call 323 939-0821; fax 323 939-7736

San Francisco Examiner
BOOKINGS
By Linda Watanabe McFerrin
SPECIAL TO THE EXAMINER
An Insider’s Guide To French Hotels. By Margo Classé. Wilson Publishing. 224 pages. $18.95. An Insider’s Guide To Spanish Hotels. By Margo Classé. Wilson Publishing. 224 pages. $18.95. An Insider’s Guide To Italian Hotels. By Margo Classé. Wilson Publishing. 284 pages. $18.95.

Hotel hoppers traveling on a shoestring should check out this series of guides to affordable lodging in major destinations. Accommodations listed in these books range in price from $40-$90. All three books also provide tips on packing, time, language and events with a few extra pages for note-taking. The handy fax form seems as if it would be extremely useful to people booking their own accommodations. A bit congested in terms of layout and therefore a little difficult to access, these first edition guides still appear o be extraordinarily useful.

Linda Watanabe McFerrin is a Bay Area poet, novelist and travel writer whose work appears frequently in the Examiner Travel Section. Bookings appears the second Sunday of each month.

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