Matera, Italy: Great Little B&B - Central, Close To Sassi, Hospitable And Reasonably Priced

B&B Pignatelli
Bed & Breakfast
Vico 1st Passarelli 10
75100 Matera
Italy
Phone number: +39 334 3656186
Website: bebpignatellimatera.com
Prices:€€€€
In Matera, Italy, there is a great little B&B that is central, close to the world famous Sassi di Matera (where Passion of the Christ and other films were made) and UNESCO World Heritage Site with owners who are extremely hospitable and is very reasonably priced.

We found this little gem on an international Booking website after a reservation at another Matera hotel fell through and are we glad we did! Not only did we save over €70, we had parking next to the building, breakfast included, and were even invited to lunch with the owners.

In a large nondescript building in central Matera above a coffee bar is a small B&B with three lovely, modern guest rooms with en suite bathrooms with a rate of just €70 per night, including breakfast. The building is very safe (as is Matera in general) with a locked exterior gate and door to the building before climbing one flight of stairs to the large apartment (Not handicapped accessible - no elevator is building). There is a medium size kitchen/living room as you walk in with a sofa, table and chairs for 6-8, and a TV with (Italian) cable. The three rooms are just off of the main living area.

Our room was tastefully decorated with a iron canopy bed, a sleeper sofa, decent size wardrobe, nightstands, a TV, and a chair (no desk). Not big by American standards, there was plenty of room to move around and the queen size bed was very comfortable. The European rolling exterior shutters are electronically controlled for easy use and provide complete darkness for those, like me, who are sensitive to light when they sleep. The room was on the back of the building and extremely quiet. The attached bathroom was of decent size with a large shower, toilet, bidet and sink - everything you need for a comfortable stay. Wi-Fi was free and fast.

Breakfast was traditionally Italian with coffee as you like it (espresso, cappuccino, caffe latte) or tea, cornetti (Italian croissants filled with cream and dusted with sugar or other sweet toppings), water, juice and fruit. The owners are very flexible so you can sleep-in if you like and still eat breakfast when you awake. They are extremely kind people, inviting us for lunch (at no extra charge) every day we were there, even driving us several miles across town to buy tire chains after the worst snowstorm in 60 years hit the city, even though they had to drive their son an hour away to catch a train for Milan to return to college for a critical test.

The neighborhood is strictly residential, but central and a short 5-10 minute walk to the Sassi, restaurants, shopping, and transportation. An excellent value, the owners went above and beyond in making us feel welcome and comfortable during our stay. The building's maintenance man even put my chains on the car for me when we were leaving!

CombatCritic Gives B&B Pignatelli 10 Bombs Out Of 10 And A Spot On My "WALL OF FAME" ... More Bombs Are Better!

Ten Bombs Equates To:

"Phonetic spelling of the acronym HUA, which stands for 'Heard Understood Acknowledged.' Originally used by the British in the late 1800's in Afghanistan. More recently adopted by the United States Army to indicate an affirmative or a pleased response." - Urban Dictionary

"The Department of Military Science and Leadership, University of Tennessee claim HOOAH 'refers to or means anything except no' ... Regardless of its meaning ... the term is an expression of high morale, confidence, motivation and spirit." - WarChronicle.com

"The U.S. Air Force stole 'HOOAH' from the Army because we were part of the Army until 1947 and rather than waste a bunch of time coming up with something new and unique, we said 'fuck it, let's go with HOOAH' ... thanks Army ... HOOAH! - CombatCritic

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

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Zomato - #1 Ranked "Verified" Foodie





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Read Chris S.'s review of B&B Pignatelli on Yelp

Title: Matera, Italy: Great Little B&B - Central, Close To Sassi, Hospitable And Reasonably Priced

Key Words: B&B, bed, breakfast, Italy, Matera, Sassi, Sassi di Matera, cave, UNESCO, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, hotel, guest, house, Yelp, Booking.com, Basilicata

Naples, Italy: Simplicity And Value On The Outskirts, Yet Well Connected

Hotel Camaldoli

Via Gabriele Jannelli 586
80131 Naples
Italy
Phone number +39 081 5466836
Website: hotelcamaldoli.it
Prices: €€€€

A nice, simple, reasonably priced, clean hotel just north of Vomero in the hospital zone (Zona Ospedale - hospitals Monaldi and Cardarelli) and close to two Metro stops (Policlinico and Rione Alto) as well as shops, markets, restaurants and pizzerias galore.

You can walk to both Metro stations (Linea 1 - Line 1 - Yellow Line), taking you to Vomero, downtown (Centro Storico - the historical district), shopping areas on Via Toledo and Via Roma, and the port as well as the main train station (Napoli Centrale) and Piazza Garibaldi. At Napoli Centrale, you can take trains pretty much anywhere in Italy and Europe, either slowly (Regionale) or very quickly (Freccia Rosa and Italo), getting you to Rome in an hour, Florence in two, and Venice in five. You can also travel locally on the Metro from Piazza Garibaldi (adjacent to Napoli Centrale), taking Linea 2 (Line 2) to Mergelina and Pozzuoli. Linea 4 (Line 4 - Circumvesuviana) to Herculaneum (Ercolano), Pompeii, and Sorrento is actually in the basement of Napoli Centrale, so follow the signs or inquire at an Information Booth if needed. It is also quite easy to get to the islands of Capri, Ischia, and Procida by ferry in addition to Sorrento or even Sicily if you have the time.

CLICK HERE FOR A NAPLES METRO MAP

Breakfast is included at the hotel and is served from 7:30 AM to 9:30 AM daily. It is a typical, light Italian breakfast, serving cornetti (a fresh, flaky croissant filled with sweet cream and sprinkled with powdered sugar - indigenous to Southern Italy, Naples in particular) and coffee as you like it (cappuccino, espresso, caffe latte, etc). They also have juices, water, cereal, croissants, tarts, toast and an assortment of jellies as well as Nutella and butter.

Most rooms have balconies although the view is limited to surrounding buildings and the neighborhood's high rise apartment buildings and shops. Our balcony was spacious with a table and chairs to relax and get some fresh air. Our room was large with an entry vestibule to hang coats and umbrellas and store luggage. We also had a medium size wardrobe with four drawers, a small desk, two chairs, and a TV (only useful if you understand Italian because there are no English language channels - e.g. CNN, BBC, or Sky). The bed was an "Italian king size" (two twins pushed together on a king size frame

There is Wi-Fi, but it is a bit slow. You can stream videos, but they sometime pause as the video is buffering. Wi-Fi on the ground floor is spotty at best as it seems the wireless routers are on the upper floors. The staff are very friendly and helpful, attending to our every need. There is almost always someone at the front desk or in the breakfast area/bar where they have a limited selection of spirits.

There is no elevator, so handicapped access is a problem because even the lowest floor of rooms is 8-10 steps up from the front desk. Large bags can also pose a challenge, particularly if you are located on any of the upper floors. Our room was on the 1st floor (2nd floor in the U.S.), a trek of over 30 steps up the staircases from the lobby and even I was a touch winded after dragging two large bags up to our room.

A simple, pleasant hotel on the outskirts of Naples, yet well connected through the Metro system, Hotel Camaldoli is a good option if you do not have the need or desire to stay in the main tourist areas and want to get acquainted with the true Neapolitan way of life.

CombatCritic Gives Hotel Camaldoli 7 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Seven Bombs Equates To:

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Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16

Tabelog - Official Judge (Silver)

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Read Chris S.'s review of Hotel Camaldoli on Yelp

Title: Naples, Italy: Simplicity And Value On The Outskirts, Yet Well Connected 

Key Words: Hotel Camaldoli, hotel, Camaldoli, Naples, Napoli, Pompeii, Sorrento, Roma, Amalfi, Italy, Italia, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, review, Yelp, bed, breakfast

Translation for Civilians: S&G = "Shits & Grins"

Portland, OR: (Airbnb) Heather's Cozy NE Portland Apartment

Heather's Cozy NE Portland Apartment (Airbnb)

NE 79th Avenue
Portland, Oregon
Montavilla, Glisan and I-205
Website
Prices:$$$$

Let me start by saying that I have a very popular travel blog and have received numerous accolades on several of the top travel and restaurant websites/apps. Unlike many reviewers who are either afraid to tell the truth or have a personal relationship with the business, I reserve 5-stars (10 Bombs on my blog) for only the most flawless restaurants, accommodations, businesses, attractions and destinations, those where you absolutely and without a doubt get the most “bang-for-the-buck”. I try to remain as objective in all of my reviews as possible, providing the pros and cons as I see them and providing a rating based on the overall “value” as compared to similar entities in similar locations. Otherwise, if I hate a place, they get 1-2 Bombs (1-star); if so-so with numerous”issues", they get 3-4 Bombs (2-stars); if average (the vast majority of businesses fall into this category if you look at the distribution of my ratings), they get 5-6 Bombs (3-stars); if above average, they get 7-8 Bombs (4-stars); and if they are one of the very rare “best of the best” values in my experience, they get 9-10 Bombs (5-stars – I always round up from bombs to stars because I use a 10 point Likert-type scale in order to be more discernible). Now, on to my review …

The size of the apartment, privacy, photos and amenities were all spot-on and the apartment was extremely clean, organized and well stocked. Heather even left us a very thoughtful welcome note, a bottle of Oregon wine, and a few local cans of beer in the fridge upon arrival.

The Airbnb description notes, in two places, that the area has "quiet time after 10pm” and that the “hosts live upstairs”, but well after 10pm on our first two nights there was quite a bit of sound emanating from people walking and talking in the rooms upstairs. Heather left on an extended holiday trip a couple days after arrival, so things were extremely quiet and peaceful thereafter.

Otherwise, we were not mislead in the least and the apartment was for the most part “as advertised” except as noted above and in the “Location” section below. The apartment was quite large and modern with one big room where there is a sitting/TV area and kitchenette (small fridge, microwave, toaster, kettle, and utensils) with a large table, a decent size bedroom with a comfy queen size bed, and a huge bathroom with shower and all of the amenities you might need while using the “loo”.

There was little communication after making our reservation on 9/3/2016 and 11/17/2016, four days before our scheduled stay from 11/21/2017 to 11/27/2-16. I finally sent an Airbnb message to Heather four days before check-in, asking about arrival details and telling her what time we would arrive. Heather quickly replied with a detailed message outlining most of the things we needed to know when we got there.

We had no idea how to enter the apartment as listed in the description or messaging, not knowing if we were in the right place because the side door had no exterior light and we had no idea that you actually had to touch the lock before the key pad would light-up. However, I called Heather and she quickly came outside to show us how to get in and give us a quick orientation.

Observation: An exterior light near the entry door and a reference regarding how to operate the electronic keypad, informing guests that you need to touch it to activate the backlight would have been very helpful. We had to use the LED lights on our cell phones while hauling four bags in the drizzle to see where we were going and, even then, we were still unsure if it was the correct door.

I also tried to call Heather the first night to find out how to access the TV channels, but she failed to answer even though I could hear (quite well I might add as noted in "Accuracy") her and her companion moving around upstairs until quite late. She called me back the next morning, apologizing and giving me the required information as well as telling me which phone number would be best used to contact her in the future.

Observations: 1) Clearer instructions or an orientation describing how to use the Apple TV (we had never used Apple TV before) and exactly which channels (there are over 30 options available) are accessible by guests would be helpful; 2) Even though it was noted that "Cable TV” was excluded (looking again at the description after we returned), it would be nice if cable was included in order for guests to be able to access local channels (news, sporting events, etc) during their stay; and 3) Information regarding which phone number to use (work or cell and which was which) for contact purposes would have been very helpful in advance, particularly because of our difficulty finding out how to enter the apartment.

Heather left for the duration of our stay a couple days after we arrived and she gave us clear instructions about how to contact her boyfriend (who was staying in the area) in the event of an emergency. That was fine with us because the noise from upstairs (people walking around and talking) was quite distracting. She did check in with us by phone a few days before departure to make sure things were going well, but we had no interaction with her during our stay other than by phone/text and the five minutes she physically spent with us upon arrival. There was no place to wash the limited number of plates, cups, silverware and glasses other than the bathroom sink and we ran out of coffee shortly after she left, but they were minor inconveniences as there was a Fred Meyer (Kroger’s Oregon version of Walmart) less than a mile west on Glisan.

Observation: We stumbled upon the Fred Meyer by chance while driving back from dinner, so it would be nice if Heather listed such details (nearby markets, pharmacies, hospitals, etc.) in the listing description or, otherwise comprehensive, orientation booklet.

The apartment was extremely clean and comfortable upon arrival with almost all of the amenities you might need during a short stay. 

However, we had no idea how to enter the apartment as listed in the description or messaging, not knowing if we were in the right place because the side door had no exterior light and we had no idea that you actually had to touch the lock before the key pad would light-up. When I called Heather, she quickly came outside to show us how to get in and give us a quick orientation.

Observation: An exterior light near the entry door and a reference regarding how to operate the electronic keypad, informing guests that you need to touch it to activate the backlight would have been very helpful. We had to use the LED lights on our cell phones while hauling four bags in the drizzle to see where we were going and, even then, we were still unsure if it was the correct door.

The apartment is centrally located as advertised and it is extremely easy to reach most areas of Portland, which is made-up of a “downtown” and several unique and charming neighborhoods, within a 10-30 minutes car ride depending on traffic.

The neighborhood sounds wonderful in the description, but is not what I would consider an “upscale” area and the restaurants and bars within walking distance (over 1/4 of a mile) looked a bit seedy. The closest main streets (NE 81st and NE Glisan) did not look like appealing or extremely safe places to walk at night, so we ate at the many wonderful restaurants around Portland.

For the price, I would say that the locations is very central if you have a vehicle, but expect a fair amount of walking and a somewhat complex transit system if without transportation. 

At $90.17 per night, including taxes and fees (we did not receive the 15% discount because our stay was one night short of the 7 day requirement), the apartment is a very good value for the Portland area where things are a bit pricier than in the Midwest and many other places we have visited (41 countries so far). A quick search located several well known chain hotels/motels in the area ranging from $56 to $87 per night, so considering the size, cleanliness, and amenities included in the apartment, we were very pleased with the accommodations although a price in the $80 range would seem more appropriate.

CombatCritic Gives Heather’s Cozy Apartment In NE Portland 8 Bombs Out Of 10 … More Bombs Are Better!

Eight Bombs Equates To:

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16

Tabelog - Official Judge (Silver)

Zomato - #1 Ranked "Verified" Foodie





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Title: Portland, OR: (Airbnb) Heather's Cozy NE Portland Apartment

Key Words: Portland, Airbnb, Heather, Cozy, NE, Apartment, Oregon, Montavilla, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, accommodation, hotel, motel, guest, bed, breakfast, review, Yelp

Translation for Civilians: WTFO! = "What-The-Fuck ... Over!"

Jaipur, India: Not Centrally Located, But Highly Recommended B&B If Visiting The Pink City

Rampura Kothi

A-59, Vashisth Marg, 
Hanuman Nagar, Vaishali Nagar, 
Jaipur, Rajasthan 302021, India
Phone: +91 82909 00937
Prices: $$$$

The hosts, a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the Indian Army and his son, are extremely kind, accommodating, and gracious, helping to make travel and sightseeing plans or anything else you may need assistance with.

An excellent value for the very reasonable price (1,050 Rupees or $15/night), the rooms are very clean with nice furnishings, modern fixtures, and all of the luxuries (comfortable bed, cable, flat screen TV, AC, coffee/tea maker) you would find at home. Breakfast is included with the price and eggs, toast, cereal, and coffee/tea as well as traditional savory Indian breakfast choices are available.

The best restaurant I ate at in India, Jammie's Kitchen was recommended by our hosts and is a short walk away. Jammie was executive chef at a 5-star restaurant before opening his own place, so the food is great and the prices extremely fair.

The location is on the outskirts of Jaipur, so if you want to stay near the Pink (Old) City, this location is not within walking distance. However, it is a quiet, upscale neighborhood and a 120 rupee ($2) tuk-tuk ride will get you anywhere in town.

CombatCritic Gives Rampura Kothi 9 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs ARe Better!

Nine Bombs Equates To:

"U.S. Marine Response To A Verbal Greeting Or As An Expression Of Enthusiasm"

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16

Tabelog - Official Judge (Silver)

Zomato - #1 Ranked "Verified" Foodie





... And Don't Forget To Subscribe To TravelValue TV on YouTube

Title: Jaipur, India: Not Centrally Located, But Highly Recommended If Visiting The Pink City

Key Words: Rampura Kothi, rampura, kothi, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, hotel, guest house, guest, house, bed, breakfast, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, review, Yelp, Zomato

Manhattan, KS: Lovely 1920's House With Untraditionally Modern Decor And Quirky Host Left Me Puzzled

Anderson Bed & Breakfast

1719 Fairchild Ave
Manhattan, KS 66502
Phone number: (785) 539-4994
Website: andersonbnb.com
Prices: $$$$$

First impressions are everything. The large house with three guest rooms, two smaller queen size en suite ($129) and a much larger king size with a separate vestibule and sofa ($149), is well kept inside and out. A lovely 1920's stone and wood structure, the Andersons have unfortunately modernized the house extensively inside, losing most of the early 20th Century charm expected of a B&B. The furnishings are also predominantly modern and tastefully done, but they seem out of place in a B&B.

Dawn, the lady of the house, seemed very nice, but had to leave on errands when we arrived, so her husband Phil briefed us on the details of the house and showed us to our room, the smallest of the three rooms, a.k.a. the "Peters" room. He briefly showed us the other two rooms only because the doors happened to be open and I had enquired about seeing them, but that was the end of it.

Peters Room

Peters Room

Peters Room

Peters Room

Peters Room

Peters Room

I tried to make small talk with Phil about the house, our 1860s home in Lawrence, and about the obvious Dutch influence in their house, but soon had the perception that Phil is the kind of person who seems to know everything and fails to listen to what others have to say. For example:

I mentioned our 1860s home in Lawrence and that we were unsure as to when it was built and whether or not it had survived Quantrill's raid, being a wood structure and unsure of the exact history of the house (Quantrill and his men killed hundreds of Kansan's in the raid and burnt down most of the wooden structures in Lawrence). Most of the wood structures in Lawrence had not survived the raid except for a few, one being the house next door to ours, the home of a local bootlegger.

Well, Phil seems to know much more about Lawrence history than I do, me being a Lawrence resident and all, quickly correcting me and stating "Quantrill's raid was before the Civil War, so your house couldn't possibly have existed prior to the raid if it was built in the 1860s". Knowing better, but not wanting to argue with him, I said "OK Phil" and went about my business.

In-fact, the Civil War lasted from April 12, 1861 to May 9, 1865 and Quantrill's raid occurred on August 21, 1863, clearly during the war and in the 1860s as I had stated. I do not like correcting people, even if they are wrong, especially with people who seem to think they know everything but do not.

Fair enough, I quickly ended the one-sided conversation and returned to settling-in.

We were also told that there would be only two other guests arriving that night, staying in the other small (Parsons) room and leaving the larger Van Maanen Suite free. As we were unpacking, the other couple arrived and I overheard the conversation as they were just outside our door in the hallway. Dawn had returned by then and was showing them to their room, stating "I had you in the Parsons Room, but I'd like to upgrade you to the Van Maanen Suite at no extra charge if that's OK with you". Strange, I thought, because we had arrived much earlier and it was obvious that these were, like us, not return guests, but we were made no such offer to stay in the empty room even though I had told them it was my wife's birthday. What are we, chopped liver?

Parsons Room

Parsons Room

Van Maanen Suite

When I came down to get our luggage from the car, Phil was cooking dinner. I asked him about the obvious Dutch influence in the house's decor and he referenced Dawn's Dutch heritage, telling me about their trips to the Netherlands, but cutting me off and not wanting to hear anything about my visits there. He then told me, "We're having family over for dinner 'in the dining room' (which takes up most of the main living area) at 6:30", sounding like a rather big hint that we were probably not welcome in the main area of the house even though we were paying $130 per night to stay in their B&B. I told him, "Don't worry Phil, we will make ourselves scarce", to which there was no reply. When we came back from dinner around 7:30pm, the house was full of family and children, making it uncomfortable and impossible to enjoy the main area of the house, including the large adjacent enclosed porch, so we sequestered ourselves to our room. 

Anyway, as I said, first impressions are everything, but I tried to be as objective as possible during the remainder of our stay, not letting early perceptions slant my bias as I will, and as always, attempt to do here.

Even though I do not agree with the modernization of a historic home, the house is nice and the rooms comfortable and clean. There was a TV with cable in the room, although FS1 and the NLDS was not available, and the Wi-Fi was fast and dependable. Although we had restricted access to the main living area, there were several books available to read as well as a large screened-in porch which we were unfortunately not able to enjoy.

I was hoping to get some ice water before bed, but the open kitchen is "off limits", clearly listed as "PRIVATE", so I had to make do with tap water during the night.

The bed was comfortable although rather small for a "queen", but we had no way to control the temperature in the room and it was very hot, uncomfortable for sleeping as I like sub-70 degree temperatures to sleep and it was closer to 75 degrees in the room overnight. I also prefer darkness in the morning, but the curtains were thin with no blinds, allowing the morning sun to wake me up at 7:30 whether I liked it or not.

We were asked to designate the exact time we wanted breakfast the night before and it was ready at 8:30am at the appointed time when we went downstairs in the morning. The "upgraded" couple from Texas were at the table when we arrived as were coffee and juices. Breakfast consisted of what was described as an "apple pancake" made with eggs from the chicken coop out back, as well as tomato, grapes, melon slices, and three small kielbasa. The egg was somewhat dominant in the pancake and not to my taste, but I finished it nonetheless as not to insult the host. The coffee, juice, and kielbasa were all good.

In all, the house was nice, as was Dawn, and centrally located. The limited access to the living area due to the impromptu dinner party and the kitchen being "PRIVATE", Phil's somewhat controlling, know-it-all demeanor, and the excessive heat and light in the room made for a less than perfect stay. At $130+ including tax, comparatively speaking, Anderson B&B was at least $30 overpriced as we have stayed in much nicer, more historically accurate B&Bs in comparable mid-size Midwestern cities (St Joseph and Hannibal, Missouri for example) for well under $100 per night.

CombatCritic Gives Anderson Bed And Breakfast A Very Generous 5 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Five Bombs Equates To:

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16

Tabelog - Official Judge (Silver)

Zomato - #1 Ranked "Verified" Foodie





... And Don't Forget To Subscribe To TravelValue TV on YouTube

Read Chris S.'s review of Anderson Bed & Breakfast on Yelp

Title: Manhattan, KS: Lovely 1920's House With Untraditionally Modern Decor And Quirky Host Left Me Puzzled

Key Words: Anderson Bed & Breakfast, Anderson, bed, breakfast, B&B, Fairchild Avenue, Manhattan, KS, Kansas, 66502, hotel, accommodation, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, review, Yelp, state, Kansas State University

Translation for Civilians: Charlie-Mike = "Continue Mission"