Hotels and Lodging

At the start of a solo trip to Europe, May 12-24, 2017, I arrived in late morning at Amsterdam’s Schiphol International Airport. For private-car transfer service between Schiphol and Amsterdam’s Centraal Station, my travel agent had made arrangements with Lindbergh Tour & Travel and Marcus Executive Car Services.

Depending on how you count, there are 13 countries on the Balkan Peninsula. My wife, Patti, and I had visited several of these but not some of the newest ones since the breakup of the former Yugoslavia.

We contacted Bestway Tours & Safaris (206-8678 Greenall Ave., Burnaby, V5J 3M6, B.C., Canada; 800/663-0844, www.bestway.com) after seeing their ad in ITN for a 14-day “Balkan Mosaic” tour.

Once, while traveling in the '70s, the youth hostel where I had planned to stay was full, and the staff directed me to a nearby convent instead. As I walked there, I wondered if I was signing myself up for draconian curfews, spartan accommodations, and Mass at dawn.

Located between Sicily and North Africa, Malta is an archipelago in the Mediterranean that has been influenced by the cultures of a variety of peoples, including the Romans, Moors, French and British.

While visiting Malta in October 2016, my husband, John, and I stayed at the luxurious Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa (de Paule Avenue, San Anton, Malta; phone +356 21 440301, www.corinthia.com/en/hotels/palace-hotel-and-spa), where we paid $133 per night, including taxes.

7 days, 6 nights in ITALY, April 19-25 & Sept. 20-26, 2018. Led by historic-garden specialist. Highlights: Drive from Milan to Bellagio at Lake Como to visit 16th- to 18th-century villas/in Bisuschio, Villa Cicogna Mozzoni/Isola Bella island garden in Lake Maggiore/in Pallanza, Villa Taranto botanical gardens. £3,090 (near $4,145) ppdo; land only, £2,960 ($4,005). Single supp., £400 ($541). Martin Randall Travel (Washington, DC; 800/988-6168, www.martinrandall.com).

Miyako Storch of Santa Barbara, California, described her concerns about hotel-room safes in the September 2017 issue (page 50). ITN then asked other subscribers to share their experiences, suggestions and comments regarding hotel-room safes and their general levels of security. Here are responses received.