Once in a Lifetime Trip
Italy | Jun 22 - Jul 5, 2025

Paul & Mary Ann
Paul & Mary Ann S.
Nicetown-Tioga, PA | Reviewed on Jul 06, 2025

Melanie made this family trip a once in a lifetime trip. We started planning over 20 months ahead and she led me through all the necessary details once I laid out things we wanted to see and places we wanted to visit. She set up a couple of unbelievable events that made the trip beyond description. I had 13 of my family the first week and 11 continued onto week 2. She made all the arrangements for our visit from hotels and tour guides; all of which were the best! I even asked her to make some dinner reservations away from tourists and they were all great restaurants reserved! The suggestion of the private boat tour out to Capri was worth the entire trip - it was fabulous! My daughter and granddaughters called her throughout the trip to locate the tour guides or see verify the plans for the day and she was always available to us. In fact, there were times when I called from the states and it was late at night, when she was homes with her kids but still answered the phone and handled all my questions. She and her team were the greatest! I would never do an Italy tour without them!

Hotel Reviews
Hilton Sorrento Palace
Sorrento

The Hilton Sorrento Palace was our favorite accommodation on the trip. It was really nice, with great pools and excellent air conditioning. It provided a comfortable and enjoyable stay for everyone, including the kids who loved it.

Hotel Pendini
Florence

The Hotel Pendini in Florence had some challenges. The room I ended up in was very small, which made it difficult to move around, especially considering my wife's wheelchair. The air conditioning was not up to par, which is a common thing in European hotels, but made our stay a bit uncomfortable.

Activity Review
The Ruins of Pompeii & Winery on the Vesuvius
The Ruins of Pompeii & Winery on the Vesuvius
Italy

The Ruins of Pompeii & Winery on the Vesuvius tour was outstanding. The guide was amazing and very considerate, especially with us having a wheelchair. He expertly maneuvered through the tricky terrain, always ensuring we were comfortable, and even made sure that we were always standing in the shad. It exceeded all our expectations.

Local specialist: Melanie Rapuano
Melanie
Melanie Rapuano
Local specialist in Italy | Replied on Jul 08, 2025
Hi Paul, it took me a few days to reply to your review and even now I am smiling with tears (happy ones) in my eyes. I can't really descibe what a pleasure it has been; from day one, when we had no idea about dates, number of people, not really sure where you wanted to go, all I remember you saying was ''I want this to be the best holiday for my whole family'' and I immediately knew I had to make it as special as I could! And yes, we had a few calls with my screaming babies and even then you... Read more

Hi Paul,

it took me a few days to reply to your review and even now I am smiling with tears (happy ones) in my eyes. I can't really descibe what a pleasure it has been; from day one, when we had no idea about dates, number of people, not really sure where you wanted to go, all I remember you saying was ''I want this to be the best holiday for my whole family'' and I immediately knew I had to make it as special as I could! And yes, we had a few calls with my screaming babies and even then you would say, just enjoy the madness.

So thank you once again for trusting me completely with your special holiday and I wish you all the best, you have a great family and I feel honoured to have had you as my guests.

My best wished to Mary Ann, take care Paul and GRAZIE!

Melanie