I used this book on a trip to Venice and Florence last year and it was invaluable. As the daughter of travel agents, I think I'm pretty travel savvy. But this book helped find some of the most charming hotels I've stayed in. And true to its title they were cheap. My only complaint: Gustafson has only published a handful of books. I'm planning a trip to Barcelona this spring and without her advice I feel like I'm traveling blindly.
From Amazon.com
Great guide for the 1st time traveler to Italy
I loved everything about this book. It gave such great detail. Knowing which rooms had great views, closets for storage, and shower curtains were awesome for me and my travel partner to know. The book even goes as far as to say which room you could possibly get fresh flowers from the hotel gardens. We stayed at several of the hotels that were recommed and fell in love with each one. We loved it, and it certainly came in handy during our travels throughtout Italy. I recommend it highly to all that are planning a trip to Italy. And we are looking forward to using the book for our trip coming up in September.