Saturday, November 9, 2013

Did you know you can pay for a stay in Rome with a teakettle...?

This article from BBC Travel highlights one of the quirks of the B&B scene in Rome: a week in which you can achieve a stay for the cost of... well, anything from roller skates to fresh pastries. It's called Barter Week, and it sounds awesome. 

The website for the promotion describes it as "the original initiative launched by the Italian group of www.bed-and-breakfast.it. It will go from 18 to 24 November 2013 and will involve a vast number of Italian B&Bs which have enthusiastically welcomed the idea." 

On those dates, interested patrons may check the website to propose barters or check out a list of items the innkeepers request in the hopes of achieving a suitable trade. Some B&B's, the website claims, accept barters year-round. Once you've determined your offer, you may view participating B&Bs and contact the owner to propose your trade.

According to the website, "You can trade anything within reasonable limits [...]  The scope of what can be shared and exchanged can be endless, the important thing is not to sell yourself short or be embarrassed, but offer your barter seriously, politely, with curiosity and empathy, affability and originality."

What do you think? It could be a good way to save on the cost of a trip to Italy. I just wish I'd found out about it sooner!

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