To have changed my hotel booking after reading bad reviews?

[solotravelconundrum]

I’m going on a solo trip to Rome next month. I booked with a package holiday company and all was well. The reviews on the website were great - 5 stars, great location, average rating of 4.9 out of 5.

I was finalising my excursions last night and wanted to check the distance from the hotel to the pantheon. On Google maps the reviews revealed a different story - items being stolen, a stolen passport from the safe, a bad area to walk in at night, housekeeping coming into the rooms at 8/9/10pm.

I’ve cancelled my hotel reservation through the package company and booked a Hilton, because I knew I wouldn’t be able to feel safe in the original hotel. AIBU? Everyone I speak to thinks I’m being really reactionary and probably would’ve been fine.

I hope others have said this as well but for the love of God woman: don’t take your bloody laptop to Rome!! Check what concerts are on, soak up the dusk and night lights, grab drinks by yourself or in a lively taverna or go on an organised night walk. Who the fuck watches Netflix in the evening when they’re in Rome for less than a week??

What makes you think that?

I wonder if some of the rude replies are because some of us are struggling to understand what could possibly be considered unreasonable about changing from somewhere you don't want to stay to somewhere you'd prefer to stay?

Anyway, I hope you have a great time. Rome is fantastic and this is a perfect time of year to be there.

OP, YANBU, your personal comfort and safety in paramount.

As an aside, since Covid l’ve booked everything on free cancellation, l lost a lot of money on bookings and now prefer to pay a little extra for that option.

lf reviews deteriorate, better accommodation/location, or a better value deal comes up l cancel and rebook. I am paying extra for the free cancellation option after all.

Enjoy Rome and if you are taking hold luggage, don’t expect it to be offloaded quickly. x

The beauty of travelling alone is that you can do exactly as you wish without second guessing yourself. People saying they wouldn't change hotels? Great! They don't have to! People saying they wouldn't watch Netflix? Great! They don't have to! You don't have to report back, justify yourself, do things to please other people, because you're going ALONE.

I’m going in November, I have excursions booked until late in the evening. If, at 10pm, after a day of exploring Rome from sunrise to sunset and then some, I want to watch half an episode of gossip girl or Gilmore girls before I go to sleep I fucking well will.

Alright Judith Chalmers, Calm Down!!

You're not being unreasonable to change to a better-reviewed location, and you're not being unreasonable to bring your bloody laptop... it's your holiday! Have a great one!

This!

God, there are some cunty responses on here. Who cares if a total stranger wants to watch a bit of Netflix in bed before she goes to sleep? Christ.

OP, you’ve done what you felt was best for you and it’s not like you’re going to cancel your Hilton and rebook your other hotel even if people tell you YABU, so stop worrying what anyone else thinks and have a great trip. You really don’t need anyone else to approve of your travel choices.

Mumsnet is weird about other people’s holidays.

It’s the fact I’ve had to reiterate multiple times that it’s for last thing at night too!

Women traveling alone.

Honestly, no! Screw your friends (in the nicest way possible). The last thing you'd want when alone in a city is a week of heightened nervousness due to not having somewhere to go where you feel safe.

I can't believe they weren't more supportive.

BTW we went to Rome recently; enjoy yourself. My DS loved the catacombs (which sadly, we didn't go to! He was on a school trip and we went for a long weekend.) We found there was no need for a pre-booked pass for the Pantheon, but it's good to have for the Vatican attractions. If you are religious, go to the Roman jail near Severus' gate, as it was where Peter and Paul were imprisoned and there's a plaque saying they baptised people using a spring in the floor of their cell. Quite haunting. The Aquazzura Bar in the hotel Russie near Piazza Popola does great cocktails and is very relaxing, if you need to wind down after a day of walking!

I missed laptop-gate; YAalsoNBU to bring that. WTF? I find having a bit of TV for company very soothing while getting ready for bed.

You’d think I’d said I’m planning on sitting in the hotel every day!! I’ll be damned if I’m going without any form of entertainment of an evening! I have a walking tour at night booked, a pizza making class booked and a day trip that gets me back to Rome at about 9pm. After the day trip I’m going to be packing up because I leave the next day! Am I meant to do it in silence?

@solotravelconundrum bet you're glad you mentioned your laptop 🤣 💻

I wish I hadn’t! I never knew people could get so worked up ffs

Ha ha! that was my first though when I read the final sentence.

We are going to Rome first week of December I am very much looking forward to it. I'm booking the Vatican for one day, Colliseum for another.

Will be interesting to see how busy it is that time of year.

Have a wonderful trip. 😊

Not unreasonable at all! I've stayed in some dire hotels in Rome (when I was younger and poorer) and though I am typically a calm and optimistic traveller, Rome was one of the few cities where I felt actively unsafe sometimes.

I know some people don’t speak to family but

How bloody rude are you? Do you always tell other people what they should and should not do based upon your wants?!

There are some very odd people on here today op. Ignore the weirdos who feel.you must never talk to family 😆

You could get a cheap tablet for travel. to watch netflix on .

Now you're just making stuff up, literally no one has said the OP shouldnt speak to her family

What she actually said was "everyone I speak to ..." Ignoring the change of tense it wasnt an unreasonable thought to wonder who all those people were in the space of a few hours overnight and why they care if she chooses a hotel to suit her needs