kleeblatt

We are a family of 4 (possibly 5 if Mom comes along) and I need to choose between two apartments and can't decide, which is why I need your help.

I want to stay in the Trastevere area.

The first apartment is near the Santa Maria church and is a 4 storey house with rooms on each floor and a rooftop terrace on the 4th.
http://www.romehome.de/portal/romeho...tailsID=436553

The second apartment is located a bit farther away from the Santa Maria church but is a stylish ground floor flat with a garden patio.
http://www.rentalinrome.com/paterasgarden/pateras.htm

My teenage kids are a little bit apprehensive about having a groud floor flat but I'm worried about all those stairs in the house.

Which would you pick? Thanks!

anothertravelinsong

I like the 2nd one and it's cheaper. I found that most of my choices from Rental in Rome weren't available for my dates in October, so you might send a request to see if it's even available.

kleeblatt

Thanks! Both are available. I need to decide today.

kleeblatt

The second one is further from Trastevere while the first one is nice and close. It's a hard decision. Thanks for your thoughts.

uhoh_busted

Romantically speaking, I like the first...BUT practically speaking, the second looks like it would be easier to "live" in. Will you be there one week or two? If longer than one wee, then the first place would give parents and kids more opportunity to not be in each others' hair.

kleeblatt

uhoh: my feelings too.

bardo1

This is ALWAYS the case. The apartment with the good location (#1) is usually smaller, older, etc. The apartment with the good layout, furnishings, amenities, etc. (#2) is always much further out and not in as charming an area. Aaargh!

That said, when you say <i>"I need to choose between two apartments..."</i>, do you mean those two and only these two?

Here are two others, one from each of the agencies you listed, that seem to have some of the best attributes of #1 & #2:

http://www.rentalinrome.com/branca_hitech/branca.htm

http://www.romehome.de/portal/romeho...tailsID=436617

kleeblatt

Thanks Bardo. The two I have chosen are
1. available
2. have a terrace

Your choices are lovely but sadly no terrace. Love the first one.

Thanks for your advice. Will take it to heart. Is via del Cedro noisy at night? It looks like it's at a dead end with steps walking up a hill.

NanBug

I'm far from an expert, but we stayed in Trastevere for 10 days a few months ago. (But in a small studio apartment for 2 folks.)

The Santa Maria apartment is in the heart of things, but that may have its drawbacks with noise -- people walking and dining on the streets and sidewalks, plus the Santa Maria church bells. I'm really not sure how noisy that exact street is, but I wouldn't want to stay on the nearby streets in the summertime. It was pretty busy in January, I can't imagine what it's like now.

What time of year will you be there?

The Pateras apartment is a bit further "out", however, it's very close to a good grocery store off of Viale de Trastevere, a drugstore and a laundromat. You're also closer to tram #8.

I liked this side of the neighborhood quite a bit, it felt a bit more "real" with regular shops, markets, etc. But the drawback is an extra 5 minute walk to the main Rome sites across the river. But you can always take the tram.

NanBug

Another thing to add to help confuse you more -- if the Santa Maria apartment is on the top floor of the building, you won't hear noise from other tenants above your head. That could be a problem with the ground floor apartment. I'm very sensitive to noise and people walking above me drive me batty, but you may not care. You can always ask the landlord/agent.

Leely2

I am at the point where I prefer to be further out when visiting Rome. And the second apartment seems more functional/livable. However, while the interior of the second apartment itself is very nice, the terrace is on the ground floor. If you're going for a terrace, don't you want one with a view? I'd choose the first apartment primarily for that reason.

kleeblatt

Thanks all! Every opinion was thought through and had a ring of truth to it.

The first one is on the delle Cedro street, which is very close to the hub of Trastevere. Is it far enough away that we won't be bothered by night noise? I wish I knew....

NanBug

I just looked at Google Street view to see what was on that street (I couldn't remember)... it looks pretty residential, however, it's probably got a lot of foot traffic from folks walking to/from the square.

I did find this on booking.com -- reviews for apartments on that street -- one reviewer mentions noise around midnight after the bars close, but no one else mentions noise as a problem:

http://www.booking.com/hotel/it/case...tml?aid=307415

I would also ask the broker -- I've asked that question many times and have gotten honest answers, in fact, sometimes they've suggested other apartments for us. Can't hurt, anyway. Good luck!