Rome hotel tax

This item appears on page 75 of the March 2011 issue.

As of Jan. 1, Rome, Italy, is collecting a new city tax on hotel rooms. The tax is per person per night and applies to all guests over the age of 10: €1 at B&Bs and campsites, €2 at one- to three-star hotels and €3 at four- and five-star hotels. (Two adults at a four-star for seven nights would pay €42 [$58] in tax.)

The tax cannot be prepaid when booking and is added on the bill at checkout. Be aware that even if you prepay your room through a travel agency, you still will have to pay the extra tax when checking out.