We are a family of four traveling to Italy in August. Can anyone suggest best value deals for hotels/vacation rentals in Rome, Venice, and Milan? Or, should miles be used for car rental/rail deals? American properties require a minimum of 25K for a single night stay! Now that the airfare has been addressed, we are trying to hold down other major costs.

Also, what's the quickest way to AmEx Reward points? Thanks!!!

Why don't you try Bancotel.com. Wonderfull concept;. We have utilized them many many times..

You can book hotels thru Venere.com It lists hotels and reviews by those who stayed at the hotels. Travel by train is the best option even with a family of four. You don't have the stress of a car rental and the associated headaches (directions, parking, and etc) It's convenient to get around Italy by train and fast too if you get Eurostar trains.

Just make sure that air conditioning is functional and included. I recently spent 6 days in Venice. The heat was brutal. The air conditioning at The Hotel Ai Mori was fantastic. Air conditioning in Italy during the summer is essential. About the only place you won't need it is inside of some of the great old churches.

I go to Italy twice a year and have found venere to be expensive. I use fodors and book directly with the hotel. Fodors choices are pretty reliable. I would use venere to source hotels possibly but not book theough them.
Driving is not the hassle some people think; highways are good and city streets are reasonably well marked. Parking can be problematic but Italians alays mange so you shoud also plus hotels will help with cheap parking options in most cases.
Trains are great depending on how much luggage you have and where you want to get off and on....some areas are not served by Trenitalia.

Yes I would agree that the Italian Summer Heat can be unbarable thus an a/c is essential. But the relief is that it's mostly dry heat, little or no humidity. If you're accustomed to the dry summer heat in southern california, the heat in Italy will make you feel just at home.

The heat in VCE a couple of weeks ago was about 100 degrees. The humidity was around 80 percent. This, most definitely, was not Southern California dry heat. Indeed, I felt as if I were in a swamp (which, technically, I guess I was). Please do not take this wrong. I love VCE and go every November. Summer was a serious shock!!

seems like a good idea, but how well does it work?

Make sure you get a hotel near transportation or pack very very light. I just came back from Venice and you would not believe the number of tourist families going up and down all the stairs for the canal bridges stragling with huge suitcases!

* Humidity can be quite bad in Milan, not really in Rome or Venice.
* Big hotel chains are not really present (the only exception could be Best Western) so do not plan to stay at normal 6C, Hilton, Marriott and so on properties ... you could be very near to an airport and very far from everything else in the very best case.
Luggage... as less as possible is good but avoid purchasing something you forgot home ( X 4 ) is better and save your money
* In Italy, follow Italian examples... drink mineral water (sparkling). The tap one is OK, but the mineral one is very good and not expensive at all.
* Train are OK, you can purchase a ticket (valid for 2 months) or the same ticket with the same validity plus a booking for that route for a specific day and time. Second class (Seconda classe) is usually quite good.
* If you have a GSM triband (900/1800/1900) handy or mobil phone, it could work in Europe. Any other standard simply does not work. And to call home with it could be even the cheapest way. All other call, like the one to your hotel could cost you like 2 transcontinental calls.
* Taxi or cabs are expensive, so use them if really obliged.
* Car rental can be a surprise, I do not dislike it but it can be more expensive compared to the US, but have a go and try at least for a day to drive a non US imported European car. Go for the ones with 'supercharged diesel engines'.
Incredible torque. A few rental car have 'airport' tariff something like 4 hours only and 200 KM.... but you need where to go. Ideal if you land, grab all your bags and family, drop them to the hotel and bring back the car to the rental company
* Italian men and women use a lot the body language, it can scaring to see someone moving so much but it's quite normal
* Avoid purchases of fake products, it's a crime.
* Duty free (FCO, VCE and MXP at least) are not really a good place where to shop. I was told the shops apply the full price without any discount, so it happens quite a lot (alcohol and tobacco excluded) the items are more expensive than anywhere else.

For some reason hotels in Italy are more expensive than comparable properties in comparable locations (e.g. France, Spain). Unless I definitely want a non-chain property, the first place I check for hotels (at least within Europe) is the Accor website. There is an Ibis in Rome and a Mercure in the centre of Milan both of which are around �100 per room per night.
But if this is your first visit to Italy, I personally don't think it's worth going to Milan. Firenze, Sienna and even Modena are IMHO nicer, and the South is even better. As far as heat is concerned, I wouldn't say Italy is a very hot place...Airconditioning is recommended but not compulsory as would be in places like Dubai and Morocco.

As I said in my previous post, Accor does have a significant presence in Italy (albeit not a massive one like in france).

And a Novotel near the highway ... it can be difficult to recognize what to avoid...

I agree, it's sort of hidden city... not an hidden gem but a place where you need to know where to go in order to dig out the remarkable places. Not for a first visit, but if your plane is directly landing there it could be worth to spend one day.

I've never heard that one before "
In Italy, follow Italian examples... drink mineral water (sparkling). " Actually, in Rome with it's numerous aqueducts and fountains, the water from the fountains are just as good as the bottled water you buy from the store. I know you might think drinking from the fountain. Actually, it's the norm. You don't actually drink from the fountain. There are water spouts that are made for drinking and retrieving water. The "tap" water tastes great and no you won't get sick from it.

* Big hotel chains are not really present (the only exception could be Best Western) so do not plan to stay at normal 6C, Hilton, Marriott and so on properties ... you could be very near to an airport and very far from everything else in the very best case.
Luggage... as less as possible is good but avoid purchasing something you forgot home ( X 4 ) is better and save your money