jennifer49

Hello,

We are 10 of us traveling to Rome in May 2009 and finding the hotels in Rome very expensive. We need 5 rooms for 10 of us and trying to keep it under $150.00 a night. We don't need to be near main sights as we think we are going to do sightseeing with a tour guide and driver. What I would like though, is to be near great family/local restaurants and quiet.

Any ideas?

Thank you very,

Jennifer

zeppole

You might contact these people and see if you can cut a deal:

http://www.aventinohotels.com/sa/inglese/hotel.htm

In general, I would try bargaining with all hotels. Given the size of your group -- and I assume you are staying a few nights -- and your long advance time, you might work out something.

Other areas you might look are around the Vatican or in Trastevere. Use the websites Romeby.com and Venere.com for pictures and neighborhood locations. Then bargain with the proprietors, after you've determined the area is sufficently quiet and and has a variety of restaurants.

annhig

Hi jennifer,

have you thought about the apartment route?

although you might not get one big enough for 10, you might get two in the same block.

as you are starting early, this shouldn't be impossible. there are lots of agencies recommended on slow travel.

regards, ann

zeppole

The link I posted connects to several hotels, some much cheaper than others so click through the various options, and check against reviews on TripAdvisor.

zeppole

Are you five couples? If so, I wouldn't go for apartments.

zeppole

PS: Rome B&Bs tend to be smaller than five rooms, but you should look through the rome B&B association, and perhaps you can find some that are reasonably close to each other.

zeppole

You might save yourself a lot of time by just calling or faxing or e-mailing these people:

http://www.b-b.rm.it/

zeppole

jennifer49,

while I stick with my advice you should bargain with proprietors, I think the link I gave you to the aventino hotels is not likely to work out with your budget and not having personally stayed at the hotels, I don't want to push you to try.

I think you have so much advance time, you should be able to find something good for your group with enough digging. How long are you staying in Roma?

jennifer49

We origanlly were going for 4 nights but now it is 3 nights. The group is all friends split into 4 in one group and 6 in another. The apartments I looked at want 1 week.

Thanks and I will check the suggestions out.

Jennifer

zeppole

If you can split into two groups, two BBs might do the trick.

Good luck!

jennifer49

Thanks - I think that is what we will do unless I can find a hotel for 150USD a night???

kybourbon

How do you feel about staying in a convent or monastery? Many of them are right in the center and would fit your budget. Look at www.monasterystays.com but keep in mind they mark-up the prices by about 15€ per night (their fee) and you can book directly with the convents to save money. Some have curfews as early as 10, most are 11, but others are 12. Furnishings are usually sparse, but very clean. To book some of them directly here is contact info: http://www.santasusanna.org/comingToRome/convents.html

Check the locations on mappy.com (Fraterna Domus is within a block or two of Piazza Navona).

I'm not so sure you will want a driver for Rome. Many areas are pedestrian only. If you stay very central, you can walk to everything.

annhig

hi again, jennifer,

I'm really surprised that the agencies you contacted wanted a one week minimum.

the people we used certainly didn't.

www.italy-accom.com.

i don't think that this very regularly recommended agency does either - they quote per night:

www.sleepinitaly.com

why not e-mail them and see what they can do for you -you've nothing to lose!

regards, ann

they are quoting apartments for within your budget.

Vttraveler

Another good rental agency to try with very affordable apartments, no one week minimum stay, is realrome.com

I recommend trying to find somewhere fairly central to stay and walking/using public transit rather than trying to find a driver and tour guide.

zeppole

Just as an aside, I cannot imagine staying in an accommodation in Roma with midnight or earlier curfew. I don't finish dinner until 11pm in Roma!

jennifer49

Hi all -

We got a response back from b-b.rm.it for a B&B that will accomodate us - the problem is I can not find any reviews on this property and could use some help if anyone has stayed here.

Cod. 062 Prati - Castel Sant'Angelo

http://www.b-b.rm.it/accommodations/desc.php?id=453

Thanks,
Jennifer

kfusto

Try a separate post here and on TA with the name of the B$B in the header.

Also, have you looked at venere.com and romeby.com for reviews?

nytraveler

Frankly I would spend money on a, better centrally located hotel and not waste it on a private guide and vehicle - when you can do it yourself with a guide book and public transit/feet.

(Really, exploring the city on foot is one of the joys of visiting Rome - both during the day and after dinner walks through beautiful piazzas with floodlit fountains.)

suze

ditto the post above from nytraveler. find a centrally located hotel so you can walk to many things, skip the private driver.

zeppole

I'm puzzled people think this is not a nicely located hotel given the budget and especially given the extremely nice appearance of the rooms from the pictures. Jennifer also asked for a quite neighborhood with family restaurants, and I would imagine this works very well for that, better than lodgings smack in the tourist belt.

The lodgings appear to be about a 3-minute walk from the Sistine Chapel, a 15-min walk tops to Castel St Angelo, so from there another 15 mins to Piazza Navona.

By crossing another bridge, the Spanish Steps, the Borghese, the Trevi Fountain and Piazza del Popolo are all walkable.

What's the problem?