NeoOfTheCRS, sounds like we were both there about the same time:
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1.) If possible avoid the first floor of the hotel. Especially if it is anywhere near via veneto or side streets. We had six dumpsters outside of our room and were awakened every morning at 6:00am (approx) by a dump truck loading and slamming the dumpsters down on the pavement. The windows were rather porous to any loud sounds.
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We too were on the 1st floor on the Via Veneto side, but maybe we were deep sleepers, as the morning vehicles seemed but a muffle to us.
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2.) Free breakfast--seems like it depends on who is checking you in and what mood they are in. I did not get it, but did not argue.
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If you're GLD or PLT, you should have already been comp'ed the healthy-start breakfast, perfectly adequate for our needs: rolls, salmon, cold meats, cereal. If you didn't get comp'ed, then at least bring it to their attention before settling your check-out bill.
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3.) Hotel telephones were horrible (could not use a phonecard inside the hotel without operator assistance or use an italian toll free dial-up number with my laptop. Did anyone else have any problems with this?? High-speed internet access would be a huge plus, with an upgraded phone system--even better.
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Also had a little problem with the antiquated phone system; the voice prompts I worked with didn't seeem to like the "0" very well.