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Real experiences, from real travellers
You have been asking us for customer feedback and now we have it!
83% of past customers were pleased to share their feedback, we thank them and we are pleased to present this small sample of their views.
We asked our valued customers to tell us their experiences and they have - a fantastic response rate. So if you are looking for reassurance in booking your monastery stays experience either looking to Italy or in our service, then we invite you to read on and review what just a sample of your fellow travellers have had to say....
The survey was made up of the following questions:
Monastery Stays Booking Service
When asked about how their monastery accommodation lived up to their expectations, this is how our customers responded:
90% of customer rated their monastery or convent stay experience as
equal to or exceeding their expectations!
| Greatly Exceeded | 15% | |
| Above Expectations | 42% | |
| Matched Expectations | 33% | |
| Below Expectations | 5% | |
| Disappointed | 2% | |
| No Response | 3% | |
Would you recommend the monastery you stayed at to family, friends, colleagues and to other travellers?
82% of your fellow travellers make a strong recommendation to you.
| Yes | 82% | |
| No | 7% | |
| Not Sure | 7% | |
| No Response | 4% | |
 | Already have...... |  |
| Lisa von Colln - VA, United States (September 2007) |
| Definitely! It is a unique experience which we enjoyed thoroughly. | |
| Connie Murphy - AZ, United States (June 2007) |
| Wonderful location. The staff were delightful and knowledgeable about local info. The evening meal was very good. Loved the quiet, comfortable room. | |
| Niall Wilton - Takapuna, New Zealand (October 2007) |
| I had heard really good things about staying at monastery's in Italy, and my experience lived up to those expectations. | |
| Shannon L Murphy - Alberta, Canada (July 2007) |
| considering the hotel price in Europe, it was nice to have this places to stay. They were nice facilities. | |
| Puyong Brelsford - UT, United States (July 2007) |
| The place was extraordinarily clean and the sisters tried their very best to be accomodating. They cleaned everything every day, (although daily cleaning didn't seem to be provided from info on the website.) The bathroom was as large and modern (although basic) as any we had in Italy & we stayed at 5 other hotels... | |
| Loretta - CA, United States (September 2007) |
| It was quiet and peaceful, and clean. So nice to come home to after the bustle of the city. The nuns were very accomodating. Actually everything about it was great!!! There also was a security gate in front. | |
| Nora Lozada - CA, United States (September 2007) |
| Although we were unable to communicate in English, the sisters were extremely friendly, and made the stay a really pleasant one. The rooms were modern and simple, and bathrooms generous in size. The rooms were also cleaned everyday, which we did not expect. | |
| Sherry-Ann Kwok - Singapore (October 2007) |
| The room was very clean and spacious. This is particularly true about the bathroom. The staff was very friendly and helpful. | |
| Frank Bologna - Texas, United States (October 2007) |
| Stayed at 2. The first was FANTASTIC location - my own piazza & one of the oldest restaurants a block away. The 2nd was wonderfully staffed. Safety, convenience (1st stay), flexibility (added a night at the 1st stay), nice staff, social breakfast. | |
| Lia Griffin ,United States (July 2007) |
| It was the cleanest and most hospitable of my stays in Europe! ... The sisters were incredibly nice, funny, and accomodating. Every day was greeted with big smiles, laughs, and interesting conversation. Rome is amazing but it can be a tough city. It was hot, crowded, and unfortunately many of the locals weren't exactly nice to me. Being able to come back to the monastery was like a sanctuary for me. I immediately felt much better. They made me feel so comfortable! Not to mention every square inch of that place was impeccably clean. Very impressive! | |
| Justin - IN, United States (June 2007) |
| Venice: Very comfortable room, Lorenzo a really helpful and charming man, great location, very quiet, loved it! Rome: Convent was excellent! Very comfortable room, great location, the sisters were really lovely to us, The convent has an elevator...yes! | |
| Maureen Johnson - Queensland, Australia (September 2007) |
| Polite and friendly staff, the rooms were incredibly clean and we appreciated the option of the evening meal! It was in a friendly neighbourhood that I would not have visited if I had not booked with the company. The staff was great and the rooms were light and airy. | |
| Miranda Hounsell - British Columbia, Canada (July 2007) |
| It was very clean and the nuns were friendly. The bathroom was very nice and the bed was very comfortable. It was very affordable. | |
| Tom Tschirhart - Ontario, Canada (September 2007) |
| Very friendly sisters, safe and very clean environment. | |
| Roger Thomas - Alberta, Canada (October 2007) |
| The location of the monastery in Rome was excellent, it was right next to the Vatican. It was very easy to get around. Clean and value for money. The one in Florence was beautiful, situated in the hills, very pictuesque. | |
| Claire Sexton - Victoria, Australia (April 2007) |
| Great locations, as we were to female travellers we felt very safe, most of the Nons were very friendly, they tried hard to speak english, but when they found our I could speak some italian we had great discussions. we felt very safe , specially my daughter. she just loved those places. well located most of them in the center of a city. | |
| Jan Douma - New Orleans, United States (July 2007) |
| It was cheap! Cheap, but lovely room with my own bathroom. I also appreciated being able to have my own key. As a young person I didn't want to have to be in by a certain time... | |
| Jennifer Marie Brown - Ohio, United States (March 2007) |
| Location, we were very near San Marco Piazza. The room was clean and the bathroom very well appointed. | |
| Barbara Boyer - UT, United States (September 2008) |
| Nice, clean, friendly place that was in a great, location within walking distance to all of interest. | |
| Richard Poulton - IL, United States (September 2008) |
| Extremely clean! The gardens were beautiful. They had two doggies on premises that were friendly as well as a talking/whistling bird. All made for an inviting first impression. A good cultural experience. | |
| Tami Eubank, TX, United States (October 2007) |
| A quiet place to rest and sleep in busy Rome. A room that was perfect for our needs. The courtyard, the quietness amidst the bustle of Rome. The sisters de Cluny were very courteous, we greatly appreciated joining them for their 7 am Mass a couple of times. When we first booked, de Cluny was not available. Then you routed us to it when our runner-up selection fell through. Yet, when we got there, there were PLENTY of empty rooms. Maybe the nuns want it that way but believe me, this is an EXCELLENT monastery--so quiet and big--so you should book more people there. | |
| Thomas Sofio - OH, United States (May 2007) |
| Nuns were welcoming, en suite accommodation was excellent, very quiet for Rome and conveniently close to the Vatican. Neverthless cheap. Also close to good public transport. | |
| Peter Jarman - North Yorkshire, United Kingdom (September 2007) |
| Nice people, staff and guests! Clean, good bathroom facilities. Well-priced and well-located. | |
| Candice Oen - NY, United States (October 2007) |
| Location, location, location - convenience to transportation, and wonderful selection of cafes and restaurants, if you preferred not to venture too far from "home". 'Facilities were more that adequate, and as stated above, the Sisters most accommodating. We even did not have difficulty with the lack of common language -- a little gesture, a smile and lot of patience goes a long way -- we've recommended this facility to several of our friends and someday hope to return | |
| Lisa von Colln - VA, United States (September 2007) |
| The monastery was located in beautiful peaceful surroundings providing a great place to rest and prepare for the remainder of our trip. The staff on premises were delightful as well as helpful. The meals we ate at the monastery were as delicious as the meals we had eaten in all of the fine restaurants during our trip. The monastery is located near a quaint village which had many restraunts and an olive oil festival which provided a glimpse at local life. | |
| Connie Murphy - AZ, United States (June 2007) |
| Some might say no breakfast, but so? All around, it was clean, well provided (linens, bath tissues, hot water, etc), safe and no curfew. A list of house rules or expectations would maybe help. I was nervous about where I could and could not go and turning on lights, etc. I just didn't want to bother anyone. | |
| Jennifer Marie Brown - Ohio, United States (March 2007) |
| ...Even with a good map it was slightly difficult to find. But I think that is just kind of how it is around that area of Rome. After a couple of ventures out I was able to get back without trouble. I had alot of difficulty navigating the public transportation, so I had to walk around to pretty much everywhere. Walking from the monastery to various sights and back was somewhat challenging. The quality of the monastery made the walk well worth it though. | |
| Justin - IN, United States (June 2007) |
| Only one person spoke English, but we got around it. | |
| Thomas Sofio - OH, United States (May 2007) |
| NOTHING absolutely NOTHING. . . even the "banio con dolce" (apologize for the spelling) was a hoot. Lots of smiles from all my traveling companions. | |
| Lisa von Colln - VA, United States (September 2007) |
| The breakfast was more basic than i expected but i understand why they have a very basic b'fast. The drain in our bathroom was blocked, so the bedroom floor flooded. We made the best of it but the difficulty in explaining it was evident, even though we asked other Italian speaking guests to help explain. It didnt get fixed, we managed and just laughed - all part of our experience. | |
| Ros Pearce - Victoria, Australia (October 2007) |
When asked about making a booking using the Internet website of Monastery Stays, this is how our customers responded:
For 86%, we met or exceeded their expectation - we are aiming for the top!
| Greatly Exceeded | 18% | |
| Above Expectations | 35% | |
| Matched Expectations | 32% | |
| Below Expectations | 9% | |
| Disappointed | 4% | |
| No Response | 2% | |
Would you recommend Monastery Stays services to your family, friends, colleagues and other travellers you know?
88% of our customers are spreading the word.
| Yes | 88% | |
| No | 3% | |
| Not Sure | 7% | |
| No Response | 2% | |
| Absolutely these accomodations are in great locations are much more economical that hotels in similar locations and are very clean and generally quiet. | |
| Barbara Boyer UT, United States (September 2008) |
| Easy to use and thorough. | |
| Tami Eubank, TX, United States (October 2007) |
| We think everyone should stay in a monastery at least once as it is a unique experience. | |
| Connie Murphy - AZ, United States (June 2007) |
| Your website is very user-friendly. You do a good job of displaying the location and the qualities of each monastery. | |
| Frank Bologna - Texas, United States(October 2007) |
| Very easy to do, to research amenities and not having to manage in Italian to make the arrangements. Convenient to do on-line rather than trying to do via phone etc. | |
| Theresa Cornish - British Columbia, Canada (May 2007) |
| Extremely convenient, reliable, inexpensive, great locations. | |
| Marilyn Kennedy - Ontario, Canada (July 2007) |
| The price was excellent, as was the service. As I say, they went out of their way to find a monastery opening only 3 months prior to travel, and were able to do so. | |
| James Ingratta - FL, United States (May 2007) |
| Lots of options listed on your site and you have good info about where convents/monasteries are located and their prices. When I had questions, you took the time to respond in detail. When I had trouble receiving your emails, you tried in many ways to reach me. I really appreciated the extra effort you went to to make sure my questions were answered and my reservations were in good order. | |
| Loretta - CA, United States (September 2007) |
| Instant availability; rapid response. | |
| Roger Thomas - Alberta, Canada (October 2007) |
| I love the internet, good and quickly informations. What would we do without it. I cannot imagine to have contacted all those monastaries on my own. | |
| Jan Douma - New Orleans, United States (July 2007) |
| The site was great for someone like me who had never traveled in Europe. | |
| Jennifer Marie Brown - Ohio, United States (March 2007) |
| I liked the descriptions and the way the site worked. | |
| Thomas Sofio - OH, United States (May 2007) |
| You have been more than helpful - we especially appreciated the directions helping us find the monastery when we arrived in Venice which can be a maze. Finding the right accomodations for a fabulous price. | |
| Barbara Boyer UT, United States (September 2008) |
| Simple to book and payment was easy. | |
| Richard Poulton, IL, United States (September 2008) |
| I was having a lot of trouble finding something affordable in Rome on short notice. Monastery Stays was a lifesaver. Especially considering how nice the place was when compared to how affordable it was. Incredible value and service! | |
| Justin - IN, United States (June 2007) |
| The process was thorough and provided the opportunity to list choices in order of preference so if one was sold out, they could book another one of your preferences. Everything went smoothly. | |
| Tami Eubank, TX, United States (October 2007) |
| Response was prompt and detailed with several pages of introduction in Italian. | |
| Peter Jarman - North Yorkshire, United Kingdom (September 2007) |
| Clear directions, prompt responses, thorough descriptions. Communications were all around excellent. | |
| Candice Oen - NY, United States (October 2007) |
| Very responsive, provided assistance and clarity of explanations promptly. We can't say enough positive about Monastery Stays. Thanks. Ease of use, readiy access to photos and staff most responsive. | |
| Lisa von Colln - VA, United States (September 2007) |
| It was easy once i had decided to do it. Convenience, answers were prompt and paperwork was organised easily. | |
| Ros Pearce - Victoria, Australia (October 2007) |
| It was a simple process with an unknown entity, but proved to be reputable! We didn't know what to expect, but were completely satisfied. | |
| Connie Murphy - AZ, United States (June 2007) |
| The best part was having someone do all the communication in Italian all via the ease of the web. The service was great. | |
| Name & Address With-held (October 2007) |
| Had good information about making the right choice; was clear, readable and friendly in tone; it made the whole thing easy. | |
| Ian Watson - Oxfordshire, United Kingdom (October 2007) |
| Easy. Secure. The pictures were a great help. Appreciate the receipt in the language of the country that I was staying in. | |
| Peggi Mace - Ontario, Canada (September 2007) |
| Well, I don't like paying for anything online with my credit card, so I was a little reluctant to secure funds when I didn't know if I would even get a room or not. However, when I got a prompt refund after my first search came up empty, I knew I could trust Monastery Stays. | |
| Justin - IN, United States (June 2007) |
| Well, our first five days in Rome were booked properly and confirmed by Monasterystays.com but the day before we were to leave it turned out that the monastery near Vatican City didn't have a reservation for us. Blessedly you got us into a much better place--so all worked out and I appreciated how quickly you did that. | |
| Thomas Sofio - OH, United States (May 2007) |
| Using it for the first time I felt rather uncertain about an organisation that I have never heard of, and which is not mentioned in the Rough Guide to Rome. Easy to use and prompt in response. | |
| Peter Jarman - North Yorkshire, United Kingdom (September 2007) |
| The fax number provided was incomplete, and the convent does not always answer their telephone, so contacting them was hard for me. I appreciated that Monastery Stays contacted the place for me when I encountered difficulties doing so myself. | |
| Candice Oen - NY, United States (October 2007) |
| My fax machine did not seem to be able to make connections but that's not a problem as your staff intervened and confirmed that we were okay. | |
| Lisa von Colln - VA, United States (September 2007) |
| There was some confusion regarding the amount we were charged and eventually paid but this was handled rapidly and honestly. | |
| Connie Murphy - AZ, United States (June 2007) |
| You all seem to know what you are doing..... | |
| Barbara Boyer - UT, United States (September 2008) |
| No. You need to keep the monasterys confidential otherwise people wouldn't use you, so that was okay. You still give a good idea of the general location and anemities. | |
| Thomas Sofio - OH, United States (May 2007) |
| Could you indicate how satisfied clients like me are with the service that you provide? | |
| Peter Jarman - North Yorkshire, United Kingdom (September 2007) |
| It's a good system. Of course, all systems need updates, etc., but yours seems fine. | |
| Candice Oen - NY, United States (October 2007) |
| None -- paypal works very well -- and I was most confident that we were going to be taken care of right from the start. Thanks. | |
| Lisa von Colln - VA, United States (September 2007) |
| I was too busy to look for them! | |
| Candice Oen - NY, United States (October 2007) |
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| Monastery Stays Pty Ltd ABN 48 075 875 133 |
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