NC

OK, I have explored each of these great hotels in Rome. They all have a room available -- Santa Chiara a tripla, Due Torri a family room, Teatro di Pompeo a double. Hard decision. They all look great and cost is similar. Again, we are taking our 10 year old daughter. It is our second visit to Rome. Any thoughts? <BR>Nancy

Paige

Go for the biggest room so you're not crawling all over each other! Just a guess, but maybe that's the 'family room.' I've heard of some triples that sound like doubles with an extra bed squeezed in.

Nancy

The family room is actually 2 rooms separated by a bathroom. It does have the most room. You are right. <BR> <BR>Anybody else out there? Nancy, Paulo???

nancy

hey Nancy, <BR>The due Torri might be nicer because you will have separate rooms , but as you are only going to be there one night, the triple could also work for you. <BR>Then the choice would be between a larger hotel(Santa Chiara) or smaller hotel (Due Torri) <BR> <BR>On a more personal note, we will be needing a hotel room for the nights: 22 June, and 7-9th of July. <BR>Since only one family room at Due Torri has a balcony (which I would love to try and get ) I was wondering if our dates might coincide?? <BR>Let me know what your decision is, I am most curious now. <BR>nancy <BR>

Paulo

If only the two of you were going I wouldn't have any doubt: the Teatro di Pompeo. Three beds in any of its rooms though (all doubles), would be a bit cramped. Therefore, if you're staying for, say, 4/5 nights I wouldn't recommend it. I like the location of the Santa Chiara (compared to the Due Torri) a shade better. From what I heard around it also appears to be a shade better property. There's a chance that rooms overlooking the street may be somewaht noisy, though. I've heard that the Due Torri doesn't have, say, a room standard. One may get a very big and nice double or a much smaller and simple one. This would be irrelevant in your case. Everything considered, in your shoes I would probably choose the Due Torri. The extra flexibility that the two rooms will give you (depending on what/how much I drink before sleeping, I sometimes snore ... travelling with my wife and daughters I would certainly be dumped in a room and the three of them would accomodate themselves in the other certainly outweights the better location of the Santa Chiara (the triple of which is not assured to be a quiet room). <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR> <BR>PS. How many nights are we talking about? Do you intend to go out dining in Trastevere? Visiting la Bocca della Verità? If I were staying just a very short period (since at least one dinner in Trastevere and a stroll through the Bocca della Verità is a must for me) I'd prefer a cramped Teatro di Pompeo ... just to confuse you a little bit further <BR>

nancy

Poor Paulo! <BR>But practical wife and daughters!! <BR <BR>nancy

Paulo

I see I must have missed something ... I see that Nancy is better informed. Are you staying a single night, Nancy C (too many of you in the block)? I would make good use of the luck you had in finding a room available and take the opportunity to experiment the Teatro di Pompeo ... Unless you'de definitively agains small properties, you may not want anything else in the future <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR>

Ed

You couldn't really go wrong with any of the three. No other factors considered I'd prefer the Santa Chiara. However with three I would much prefer the family room. Take it and you'll be happy with both the hotel and your family life. <BR> <BR>Rome.Switzerland.Bavaria <BR>www.twenj.com

Nancy

Nancy, <BR>Thanks for your response. No our dates do not coincide. Are you going with the Due Torri, then? <BR> <BR>Paulo, <BR>Yes I am more confused. But we will only be there one night. So basically, we will just be sleeping there and eating breakfast - enjoying Rome for a short time. How do the breakfasts compare? Just something else to think about. <BR>Many thanks! <BR>Nancy C

Paulo

We haven't been to the Teatro a very long time (last time in Rome we got a quadruple with the children and next to last time it was booked up). If nothing has changed since, the breakfast (and breakfast room setting) was superb. As Ed says, you can't go wrong. Think of what you'll be doing in your short time in Rome and get the hotel that is most convenient (location wise) to that effect. Your daughter will possibly want to visit Trevi's fountain at night (either before or after dinner). This will put you in that area some time in the evening ... and the Santa Chiara would have a slight edge over the Due Torri! If you're concentrating your short daylight time visit to Saint Peter's, the Teatro would be slightly closer. Or simply go with the cheaper of the three ... or, yet, find a three-sided coin to toss <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR>

Nancy

Paulo, <BR>If only I could find that 3 headed coin! <BR>Nancy

nancy

Nancy, <BR>Not sure yet , <BR>Due Torri seems to be way up there on our list, but also thinking of <BR>Del Senato <BR>Torre Argentina <BR>Regno <BR>These are all in the same area as Due Torri (more or less) <BR>And they all have family rooms or suites. <BR>Hope this info doesn't confuse things even more for yopu! <BR>Paulo, <BR>May I borrow that 3 sided coin of yours for some of my decision making? <BR>Nancy

Nancy

Thanks to all--I think Teatro is winning out. It is too wonderful to miss, I think -- and it is just for one night. A little cramped is OK the last night in Italy I think. <BR> <BR>Paulo, <BR>You reminded me of the Bocca della Verita', which we did not get to see the last time in Rome. Where is it in relation to Teatro? Also if you could embelish on Trastevere. <BR>Thanks!!! <BR>Nancy

Lou Jerome

NC-- My family of four stayed at the Teatro di Pompeo for four nights in July of '98 (the kids were 11 and 8). The hotel is perfectly located for touring and for dining: it is around the corner from the Campo dei Fiore, and within walking distance of Piazza Navona and the Pantheon. Signor Luigi was very helpful with restaurant advice and reservations. Nice breakfast room. Our room (one decent-sized room with a little anteroom that led to the bathroom) was clean if plain, and, as it overlooked the inner courtyard it was nice and quiet. You control the A/C. I would stay there again...

beth

Nancy <BR>When are you going? I called the Teatro for 2 rooms (1 double) and 1 triple (for 2 adults + 1 child) about 2 months ago for June 2001.They told me that they do not take reservations that far in advance to call in Jan 2001. <BR>Beth

Madeline

A friend and I stayed at the Santa Chiara for 5 nights in June and highly recommend it. You can't beat the location - right behind the Pantheon and close to other sights. The hotel was clean, the staff was helpful and the breakfasts were terrific. <BR>Whatever you chose, have a great time.

Paulo

From the Teatro di Pompeo hotel to the Teatro di Marcello it's about 500 mts. From there to the Bocca della Verità it's about 200 mts more. <BR> <BR>You may stroll to the Teatro di Marcello and from there to the San Nicola in Carcere church. Following on Via Petroselli, you'll see the Casa dei Crescenzi and the two small old Roman temples, Fortuna Virile and Vestia (circular shape). Next to Sta. Maria in Cosmedin church and back to Piazza Bocca della Verità. Follwoing on Via del Velabro you'll see the Arco di Giano and Arco degli Argentari, next to San Giorgio in Velabro church. Retracing a few steps back, a right on Via di S. Giovanni Decollato will get you to the Oratory with the same name. Following the street one reaches the Sta. Maria in Consolazione church. Retracing your steps back on Vico Jugario will take you to the starting point in San Nicola in Carcere. <BR> <BR>From there you may cross Ponte Fabricio to the Isola Tiburtina, visit the San Bartolomeo church and over Ponte Cestio into Trastevere. <BR> <BR>In Trastevere you could stroll the following route: Piazza Belli, Torre degli Anguillara, San Crisogono, San Benedeto, Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, San Francesco a Ripa, Santa Maria in Trastevere Basilica and Museo del Folclore. Back to piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere for an evening stroll and dinner. <BR> <BR>This mixes the best of Medieval Rome with some ancient sites and covers the most lively and fun districts in Rome. These districts, specially Trastevere, breathe a much more genuine Roman atmosphere and are not overun by tourists. Of course, none of the sites one finds on one's way may be considered major (though the Sta. Maria in Cosmedin and Sta. Maria in Trastevere churches come close. Strolling and dining in Trastevere at night is an experience that IMO is more rewarding than just about anywahere else in Rome (including Piazza Navona and the likes). <BR> <BR>When we did this last time, we did it very slowly, stopping for drinks and shops, and spent the whole day. One may do it in one afternoon, starting around 2 1/2pm in San Nicola in Carcere. Of course, one may also cut it short, visiting only a few sites in the neighborhood of the Bocca della Verità (like Sta. Maria Cosmedin and San Giorgio in Velabro) and then crossing to Trastevere over Ponte Palatino. In Trastevere, the stroll may also be cut short, going directly to the Sta. Maria in Trastevere square and basilica. <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR> <BR>

Paulo

Oops ... from Teatro di Marcello to the Bocca della Verità it's about 500 mts. It would be 200 mts to the start of the suggested strolling route, at San Nicola in Carcere. <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR>

Liz

We stayed at the Santa Chiara last summer and it was great. Well located, nothing too posh, but very clean. As far as the room goes it was perfect, my 2 daughters shared the front room while we had our own room at the back. We also had a great private roof deck. I would most definatley return there.

Nancy

Well, thought I was set at the Teatro, but rec'd another email today saying the same thing Beth heard. So we are back to square one - Santa Chiara or Due Torri. <BR> <BR>Thanks for the info, Paulo. I haven't been to that area of Rome yet. We will definitely make time this visit. <BR> <BR>Thanks again everyone for feedback.