Rudi booked our various side trips through the hotel concierge rather than a local tour operator. This made the concierge happy and especially solicitous during our stay. I must say that while the Caruso is a lovely place and the people there couldn't have been nicer, the bowing and scraping did get on my nerves. The first day or two, that is. By the end of the week, I could handle it. A few more days and I would have been a monster.

Before returning home, we spent a couple of nights in Rome at the Hotel de Russie, also a favorite of Rudi's. Only by the stratospheric standards we had grown used to at the Caruso could you even dream of being discontented with the De Russie. But even though our Picasso Suite was very nice, the hotel in general felt like, well, a busy urban hotel (long waits for the elevator, minor screwups with deliveries) and not a dream palace. Where was all that hovering we claimed not to like?

Unbeknownst to us, Rudi was on the phone to both the Caruso and the De Russie every day of our stay. Why so many phone calls? (Not that I'm complaining, you understand.) For any problems that might arise between his phone calls to them, he gave the Caruso his cell and home phone numbers so they could reach him. And he took his dossier on us home with him every night—just in case. In case of what, I'm not sure. But, with some embarrassment, I imagine the scene.

"Hello, Rudi, it's the Hotel Caruso in Ravello. Sorry to bother you. I know it's the middle of the night there in Dallas. But it's breakfast time here, and I felt I ought to tell you that your clients Mr. and Mrs. Kinsley chose the buffet this morning. Yes, I know, we informed them that it would be our great pleasure to serve them whatever they might wish without the necessity of their rising from the table, but they insisted. Mrs. Kinsley said she wanted to examine the various cheeses, so the chef dashed to the market in Amalfi to pick up a few extras. And now they're going off for a swim in the infinity pool. Yes, I have triple-checked that there are towels available. The towel boy got here two hours early to make sure. No, no, he didn't mind. Actually, it was his day off, but he was glad to do it. It's only ninety minutes or so by bus from his apartment in Naples."