Any ideas for side trips and or great hotels for "cheap" meaning $150EU or less?

We always stay at Hotel Oceania. It is about 7 minutes on foot from the train station... 15 minutes on foot to the Colosseum. We're in our 20s so we walk pretty fast though - factor that into the time estimate.

We pay 138€ cash for a double bedroom (queen size bed) with bathroom en suite, television, A/C, mini fridge, phone in room, and breakfast served the next day.

Thank you! If you pay cash up front does that bring down the cost...we have never been to Europe and you know you can't really barter here. We too are in our 20s so the walking should be great.

I have always made our reservation via email and stated that we will be paying cash and using the Rick Steves discount (I believe it is something like 5 or 10€ per night). For the last 3 years the price has been 138€. It could go up a little bit by 2007 but probably not by much. It isn't a luxury hotel (you can't find that for 138€ in Rome!), but it is clean and safe and friendly. They put a bottle of good champagne in our room on the first night of our honeymoon.


http://hoteloceania.it/

http://rome-hotels.tripadvisor.com/H...ome_Lazio.html

I'm returning from 8 days in Rome: Hotel Genio, Via G. Zanardelli, 28. Breakfast buffet. I pay 805 € for 7 nigths. While I was walking by the city, I've found other hotels I've been temptated in the Net, and all I can say is that I had the better location. It is near from the Piazza Navona, a place full of people and caffes, and surrounded by many small streets with plenty of restaurants and pizzerias for all budgets. Ambience in that part of the city is not like near Termini station (brrrrr!) or Trastevere (hic!...Hey,do you have an euro or two?...). And it is not "empty", as the areas in the Colosseo side.
But be aware that H. genio has rooms of various sizes (and a lovely double terrace at the roof!). I could e-mail you some pictures, if you want, next monday.

Thank you, I would love some pictures! I am also wondering, from either you or Aggie, is 10 days too much to spend in Rome? Are there relatively easy side trips that can be taken?

For stays of longer than 4-5 nights I usually prefer apartments. They are generally cheaper, especially in the more central locations, and a little "homier" for longer stays. There are tons of apartment websites listed on slowtrav.com. I used sleepinitaly.com to reserve the apartment that we will be staying at in Rome in a few weeks.

I generally prefer to stay in the Piazza Navona/Campo di Fiore area in Rome, as its fairly central and there are lots of great restaurants and cafes close by.

Good luck!
Tracy

honeymooner07, I just saw your recent question. I love Rome; its my favorite city in Europe and I think 10 days would be wonderful. There is so much to do and see, and you could really take the time to savor and explore the city to its fullest. There are numerous daytrips you could take. Ostia Antica is a wonderful ruined town, and Orvieto is a great town in Umbria, both about an hour from Rome.

Tracy

Pompeii is worth a day trip. I also agree that Oriveto is a nice town to visit.

Excellent advice from Tracy. I'd definitely look into an apartment for a 10 night stay.
Rome itself can keep you busy for a good 5-7 days if you want to see ALL the highlights. Good day trips - Orvieto, Naples (Pompei), Ostica Antica (Roman ruins just outside the city), a visit to the Catacombs and Appian Way.

We have also used the Hotel Des Artistes which has been a very hotel for us. Their rates are on the web.

I recommend Hotel Teatro di Pompeo, which is within a one minute walk of the Campo dei Fiori. You can walk to all the great sights from the hotel very easily. Our room cost 150 euros a night(in August)and breakfast was included. Our room included a good sized bathroom and had AC, a fridge and hairdryer. (www.hotelteatrodipompeo.it)

Where would you recommend staying in Pompeii and or Oriveto? Do we need to rent a car to get there or is there another way?

1 or even 2 nights in Orvieto can be quite pleasant. It's a nice change of pace from the hustle and bustle of Rome. It'a a charming hilltop town.

The train to Orvieto takes an hour; no need to rent a car. The hotel I stayed in in Orvieto was a little away from the center, so I wouldn't recommend it.

Do not stay in a hotel in Pompeii. There are almost none, and the ones there are, are badly located or not very good. Stay in Sorrento. Again, in Sorrento I stayed in a 4-star hotel that I would not recommend even if it were cheaper (I was on a group tour - never again!).

To get to Pompeii, you take a train to Naples, go down one floor in the station, then take the Circumvesuviana commuter train. It takes you to both Pompeii and Sorrento.

Exercise caution in Naples train station, do not let anyone - particularly not the guys that look "official" and wear blue jackets - help carry your luggage or direct you. They will demand a "ransom" - about 5 Euro - from you for doing more or less nothing. Just keep hold of your luggage, take your time figuring out the directions, and you'll be fine.

I would not worry at all about the length of your trip. Even if you don't take any day trips, you'll be thinking of all the places you wish you had time to visit but missed when it's time to go home.

Good advice on possible day trips above. also look into Ostia Antiqua (a 30 minute train ride from Rome).

Here are some other well located budget hotels to consider:
http://www.eurocheapo.com/rome/listings/navona.asp

Also, here is one, well located apt. (I think an apt. mightbe nice for a 10 day stay also):
http://web.tiscali.it/bellelli/

Search "Rome apartment" on this board for many others. And best of all, look at Slowtrav for even more apartment options.

This website is a great resource for agencies with apt.s in the Historic Center (i.e. Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Campo dei Fiori areas).

http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/listings/rome.asp

http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/listings/rome.asp

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Hi!

Orvieto is one of my favorites places! We stayed there for 3 nights doing daytrips to nearby towns. If you go as a day trip, make it a full day so you can see everything. Duomo, underground tour, museum,tombs, shops and galleries, then stay for the evening and have dinner.

I also really enjoyed a trip to Tivoli from Rome. About an hour via public transporation. Hadrian's Villa has better preserved ruins and is uncrowded and park-like. Villa d'Este and it's fountains are a true pleasure!

Buon viaggio!