Tuscany and Rome trip
Italy | May 2 - May 9, 2026

K
Karina A.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on May 10, 2026

Leslie did a great job cultivating a trip for the books for us! The only miss was our hotel in Rome, which we did not like unfortunately.

Hotel Review
Eitch Borromini Palazzo Pamphilj
Rome

In short, this hotel had us wanting to go home. We had requested a LUXURY trip, and as part of this, we expected an excellent and comfortable hotel in Rome. We wanted to be well taken care of, and were paying for this experience. Our agent picked Eitch Borromini. When looking at the photos, we were pleasantly surprised. However, the reality did not match what we saw online. The one and possibly the only thing we appreciated was the location. The hotel was in Piazza Navona, and walkable to many of Rome’s fantastic attractions. We did not get to have the breakfast, but the boxed breakfast provided to us could have been a lot better. We were given crackers, jam, Nutella, and a packaged croissant. I’ve had the privilege of being at several high end hotels and asking for boxed breakfasts in various countries (including our phenomenal accommodation in Tuscany), and they were all far more nutritious, fresh, and enjoyable. However, I cannot speak to what breakfast at the hotel would have been like. Our biggest gripe was the room. The room was not very clean, it appeared dated, and unkempt. There was a lot of dirt and dust on the floor, and there was a bug problem. We killed some in the shower room, and there were flies around the room as well. The room with the toilet smelled badly as well. We were supposed to be in a luxury suite, and there was really nothing luxury regarding it. We didn’t even have any proper windows to look out of, and the iron didn’t work. Perhaps we were supremely unlucky with the room. While I understand Eitch Borromini is an old palace and has character and charm, the issues we encountered were not secondary to it being an old palace. Also, an odd thing, but in the room with the shower (the toilet/sink and shower were in different rooms), there was a locked glass door and a dark staircase that could be seen. It was quite disconcerting and as a trio of three women, we didn’t feel very comfortable. I know I would not want to stay in that room alone. Finally, the hospitality wasn’t great either. We requested some water in the evening, as they provide a complementary bottle, which we finished after a long day walking around Rome, and were told to drink the ones in the mini fridge…which they would then charge us for. We had to call twice and explain that we would not be paying for the mini fridge water, and finally about 30 minutes later, someone came with the provided complementary water. When we asked for help with luggage in the morning of our departure, they told us to bring it to the elevator first (which wasn’t that close to our room). I’ve had less “luxurious” hotels send people to help with luggage’s, or deliver a luggage cart. We were shocked that there would be no help. For a hotel that claims it’s a 5-star luxury hotel, there was nothing 5-star or luxury about it, and we should not have paid the price for staying here (assuming they were luxury prices as we did not see the breakdown when we paid kimkim). I will be coming back to Rome, and I will not be picking this hotel again.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Great central location
Staff
Needs more attentive staff, and maybe some women. No women were seen employed outside of the housekeeper.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Room was dirty and had bugs.
Activity Reviews
Exclusive Chianti Wine Tour with a Driver at your disposal - Half-Day Tour
Exclusive Chianti Wine Tour with a Driver at your disposal - Half-Day Tour
Italy

Great experience, we just wish we had an English speaking group. Our tour guide spent a lot of her time speaking to the Italian group before us, and we felt we were losing a lot of information when she translated.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Cooking class and wine tasting at Castle
Cooking class and wine tasting at Castle
Italy

Phenomenal private tour and cooking experience. What a unique tour! We loved it.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
E-Biking through the scenic cypress trees of Val d'Orcia with Wine Tasting
E-Biking through the scenic cypress trees of Val d'Orcia with Wine Tasting
Italy

Amazing views of Val D’Orcia and a wonderful guide. Would absolutely do this tour again! It was our favorite experience.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Truffle Tour and Homemade Lunch
Private Truffle Tour and Homemade Lunch
Italy

Incredible incredible incredible experience! We learned so much, and Massimo and his family were extremely welcoming. The meal with this tour was the best we had in Italy’

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Early Morning Vatican Tour
Early Morning Vatican Tour
Rome
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Colosseum & Ancient Rome Tour with Roman Forum
Colosseum & Ancient Rome Tour with Roman Forum
Rome
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Leslie Tranchina
Leslie
Leslie Tranchina
Local specialist in Bologna | Replied on May 11, 2026
Hi Karina, Jessica & Sarina, Thank you so much for your message, and first of all I’m truly happy to hear that you really enjoyed your trip to Tuscany and Rome. It was a pleasure organizing it for you! I also really appreciate you taking the time to share your honest feedback regarding Eitch Borromini. This kind of feedback is extremely valuable to me. I understand what you mean, hospitality and overall feeling are very important, especially for travelers seeking a more elevated and... Read more

Hi Karina, Jessica & Sarina,

Thank you so much for your message, and first of all I’m truly happy to hear that you really enjoyed your trip to Tuscany and Rome. It was a pleasure organizing it for you!

I also really appreciate you taking the time to share your honest feedback regarding Eitch Borromini. This kind of feedback is extremely valuable to me.

I understand what you mean, hospitality and overall feeling are very important, especially for travelers seeking a more elevated and refined experience, and I’m genuinely sorry to hear the hotel did not fully meet your expectations.

Please know that I absolutely take comments like yours into consideration when evaluating future recommendations for my clients.

Thank you again for your kindness and openness throughout the process—it truly means a lot.

A big hug to all three of you, and hopefully our paths will cross again for another Italian adventure someday 😊

Warm regards,
Leslie