grace

Is this a decent practical area to stay in? Friend is booking a hotel in this area for us and it appears a bit out of the way from all the sights to me. <BR>Any suggestions? <BR> <BR>Thanks

Patti

Hi Grace-my husband and I stayed at the Hotel Planet in Rome near the Termini Station this past June. It was convenient for all types of transportation but I would not recommend it. The area was dirty and just sort of depressing. I would not recommend the Hotel Planet either. The room did not look like what they showed on the internet and we almost missed it because it is actually just a floor on another hotel! The breakfast was given to us in a little box. It was clean enough but I would recommend away from the Termini even though many people stay there. It was very easy to get the trains and buses and taxi's there though. I believe we paid around $100 (US) for the room. You are not in the room very long but if one of my friends wanted a recommendation this is what I would tell them. Probably someone else can recommend a place for you that would be nice. <BR>Good Luck! <BR>Patti <BR> <BR>

Mike Miller

Grace, we stayed at the Hotel Pensione Italia which is a couple of blocks from the Termini and right off of Via Natzionale. It is a very good hotel recommended by Rick Steves and the price last year was 160,000 lire but I know they were raising the rates for 2000. You must take a cab from the Termini to the hotel - it's not a good walk with luggage. Be very careful about going to the official cab stand at the front of the station and do take a taxi from anyone who comes up to you in the station offering a taxi - it's normally a rip off tactic. Enjoy.

karen

Do yourself a big favor, and pick another neighborhood if you can. There are so many nicer ones.

judy

Hello Grace, I agree that you should look elsewhere. Just got back from Rome, and Termini area is not that great. You could do much better! Go to venere.it. It has a great visual display of Rome! Piazza Navona, Campo dei Fiori, Pantheon, you may pay a bit more but it is worth it in the long run.

howard

We had a very positive experience staying near the termini. The hotel was the Rex on Via Torino, just off Via Natzionale. The staff was outstanding, our room was excellent and the breakfast could not have been better. We found the location to be most convenient--near two Metro stops as well as close to several buses. We walked to the Colosseum, Spanish Steps and most other destinations. <BR>And, oh yes, we found the neighborhood very safe, with a choice of several restaurants nearby.

Curt

I agree with Howard about the Hotel Rex, although I would have to say it is not really in the immediate area of the train station, but it is close by. However, those few blocks make all the difference in the world. I did not like the immediate area around the station, sort of seedy and lots of hustlers trying to sell you rooms, cab rides, etc. The Rex is just across from the Rome Opera house, it is a 4 star hotel and lives up to the rating. Very, very nice rooms, great breakfast, and good access. If you tire or Italian food there is also an excellent Irish Pub nearby that has excellent Guinness, Harp, and food. Try the Rex if budget permits. They do have a web site, but I don't have the URL handy. Search Rome, hotels, then Rex and it should pop up.

Walter

Grace: The area is by no means romantic but IMO very practical for getting around. The Metro will drop you right across the street from the Colosseum & Forum, Spanish Steps, and a 5min walk from St. Peters amoung other places. Termini is also a major bus hub and of course the trains which make arriving/departing easier if you can handle your luggage to the hotel. Also convenient for train daytrips. Don't let the maps throw you off it's only 2.7mi directly from Termini to St. Peter's. On 3 different trips I've started my day either from the Colosseo, Cavour, or Circo Massimo Metro stop and walked visiting different sites and ended at St. Peter's and then walked to the Metro then back to Termini. The only area you should avoid around Termini which the guidebooks call "seedy" is the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, I'd say from Via C. Cattaneo & Via Giovanni Giolitti to the Piazza. HTH Regards, Walter <BR>

Cindy

Grace, I can't recommend Termini either. It seemed we were taking cabs, metro and walking for simple little things, and the walking near Termini isn't nice. A trip to Rome is special, so I'd work hard to find a nice area with some charm instead of the aforementioned characteristics of Termini.

Rose

The two streets to the south of the Termini station are questionable. But there are some nice hotels to the North, and farther south or east of the station. <BR> <BR>Not romantic, but definitely practical, cost efficient, and there are some good hotels in the area. The Termini station now has a permanent police station which may have helped clean up the Termini in the last few years. <BR> <BR>I stayed at the Hotel Canada, wonderful place with great breakfasts, incredible chocolate croissants..yum.

Scott

Grace: <BR> <BR>We stayed near the Termini at a hotel called Hotel des Artistes which was very nice....right next door to the Hotel Canada(see above posting)...about four blocks from Termini. I liked being able to get the buses and metro at Termini, which is the center of all travel in Rome. The Rome subway system forms an "X', and Termini is at the center of it, so you can go off in any direction from there...as well as on most bus routes. Granted, the area is like the areas around most major train stations in Europe...sort of "seedy", but I never once felt in danger. You'll save money staying here, but if you want upscale, you might want to consider some of the other neighborhoods suggested above. <BR> <BR>Good luck. <BR> <BR>Scott

jaypdee

My friends and I stayed at the Aphrodite Hotel on Marsela Street which is in back of the termini. We found the place so convenient because we walked across the street to the termini for the bus or metro. There are very good restaurants around the area. Ask for a private room with private bath. Nobody harassed us while we were there.

Adam

In March of 2000 I stayed at the Hotel Diana which was about 2 blocks from the Termini Station. I liked where I stayed it did not seem to far from any of the sites and you could get to the subway if you would have liked to. I walked everywhere in Rome. From there it was great because no matter which way you went you would walk by something neat to get to something that you would like. Plenty of places to eat near by. If you plan on taking the train out of Rome at all it would be great too because you can get to the Termini in 5-10 minute walk. <BR>Only Problem I had with the Hotel Diana is that the rooms were small. Feel free to email me with any questions. <BR>Have Fun! <BR>ADAM

hamlet

This Termini debate has come up several times on the board - and I doubt this will be the last time. I personally find the Termini areas that I have been to and stayed at completely safe and convenient. I guess it all depends on specifically which streets or hotels near Termini that one is referring too. If you're planning on train travel in and out of Rome, and you can manage your luggage a few blocks, then Termini area is something I would consider looking into since you would save yourself money on taxis. If you don't mind walking around the city, you are only 10 minutes on foot farther than other recommended areas. If you don't plan on doing a lot of walking to and from the sights then you might also want to consider the Termini area because of accessibility to bus and subway. I have stayed at 2 hotels about 2 blocks away from Termini that I would recommend they are: Quirinale which is on Via Nazionale and back to back with the opera house and Universo which is on Via Principe Amedeo, off of via Cavour.

Daniel

I just got back from Rome this past week. We stayed in the termini area for two nights, and saved about 100,000 Lire by staying there. We spent about that much taking taxis to and from the sites while staying near termini. It's not much of a bargain when you look at it that way. We found Rome's public transportation to be quite inconvenient. Plus, you will miss out on some of the nightlife, which happens on the piazzas of central rome, such as Piazza Navona, Spanish Steps, etc. I agree that the area is generally safe during the day, but it is questionable enough at night that we were not comfortable walking around the area. Plus, it's not pretty. <BR> <BR>For most of our trip, we stayed near Piazza Navona, and this was unquestionably worth the extra money, because we walked everywhere, day and night. The most beautiful streets and piazzas were just blocks away. Rome is absolutely beautiful and clean. I've been all over Europe, and there is nowhere like Rome. It's a special place, but I suggest you stay in the right area to fully enjoy it. You will love it.

Grace

Hello everyone: <BR> <BR>Thank you all so much for your advice. I myself think I would be able to deal w/ the Termini area from your descriptions, but would definitely prefer something more special. My friends on the other hand aren't quite so "open-minded", and insisted on a change. So we went with your general consensus and changed to the Anglo Americano -in the center of Rome; our tour didn't allow us many choices. I think we made a good choice with the move. I'll let you know how it went, and will share my experience w/ anyone who wants know. <BR> <BR>Thanks again. <BR> <BR>Grace