Accommodation
 

Hi,

My husband and I are planning to visit Rome during the first week of May. We are wondering which neighborhood is the best to stay. Currently, we are trying to decide between Tridente (Mario De Fiori 37 or Babuino 181 Boutique Hotel) or Monti (Nerva Hotel). Can you provide your thoughts and expertise?

Even though this my second trip to Rome, my first trip was so long ago. It is my husband's first trip.

We appreciate all the help we can get so that we can really enjoy our trip. Thank you!

R

What do you want in a neighborhood?

You might find it helpful to take a tourist map of Rome and put an X on all the sights you know you want to see, and then pick whichever hotel is convenient to the majority of your sights. This is not a complete tourist map, but you could print it out as a start.

http://www.mappery.com/maps/Rome-City-Tourist-Map.jpg

Another way I often choose hotels in a city I've never been to is pick one where I know (through research!) that there are a couple of very good restaurants within easy walking distance. After a long day of sightseeing, I don't like to go far to eat dinner, but I want to eat well.

I would like to stay somewhere that I can easily get to all the main attractions such as the Vatican, Roman Forum, Colosseum, Pantheon, Palantine Hills, Trevi Fountain, Spanish step, Borghese Musesum and several beautiful basilica. Also, an area where there are several (many) good restaurants and cafes. Somewhere safe and not too noisy at night so that we can get a good rest. Am I asking too much...ha ha ha...

Thank you so much for your help!

Rumi

This map is so helpful. Thank you!

R

A little trick I learnt almost 35 years ago -

Place your map on a cork (or similar) board and hang it on the wall. Get an O-ring and tie on this ring the same number of strings as you wish to visit. At the end of each ring add a weight (obviously the same weight for each string). For each location hammer in a nail leaving an inch or so still sticking out. Hook a single string over each location. The O-ring will then signal the most convenient location to start looking for your hotel.

Of the three, the Babuino street would be the busiest. The first two are within a couple of blocks of each other, but the Babuino is on a busy taxi run. The taxis pick up at the Spanish Steps (there are lines of taxis there trying to get fares) and head down Babuino towards Piazza Popolo. If the windows are soundproofed, traffic might not matter.

The third is near the Forum (actually overlooks a forum area). It's not really a through street and any traffic there would be going to something specific on that street.

According to the customer reviews, one of the hotels (Nerva) is located at the edge of Monti. I heard that it is a new and upcoming area where the locals like to hang out. But is it safe?

Would the area near Babuino Street be safer and a better area to stay?

Nerva is definitely closer to the historical sites. However, Babuino is closer to other interesting attractions such as the Borghese Galleria and Museum so I am not sure which one would be best for us.

Which area would you say have better cafes and restaurants? As Sandra has mentioned, at the end of the day, we prefer to enjoy a restaurant closeby - I would think.

Thank you very much for taking the time to help us.

R

Monti sounds like it would be the better fit for you, with a better choice of restaurants. It is funny, though, to hear it described as "a new and upcoming area where the locals like to hang out" -- because Monti is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Europe, where locals have been hanging out forever on their way to and from the Forum. It is "new and upcoming" for tourists, although given all the attention it has gotten in the past 5 years, it is definitely on the tourist radar. The other reason it acquired that "new and upcoming" reputation is that it was a bit forgotten and grungy in terms of the Rome real estate market, so young families moved into take advantage of the lower costs and sort of "gentrified" it in a quirkier way than famous-label stores and fancy restaurants around the long-established residential/shopping areas near the Spanish Steps. In this sense, Rome is like a lot of other cities where young energetic people move into an unfashionable neighborhood for cheap prices, and end up making the place fairly unaffordable, so then some other neighborhood needs to get "discovered" and becomes "up and coming." First it was Trastevere that was hip and not touristy, then Monti, but now it neighborhoods like Pigneto or Garbatella and Monteverdi -- but they are all a longer walk to tourist sights.

Hi,

Thank you for sharing your expertise. It was extremely helpful. Yes, I read somewhere that Monti (AKA Rione) is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Europe, and for that result, I was a bit worried that it might be dreary and rundown? I also read that there are druggies and juveniles. However, from what you described above, it doesn't seem to be so. I think that I will stay there.

The area (Babuino) around the Spanish Steps looks very nice and there are many famous and expensive stores and restaurants. But I am not too sure that I want to spend too much time shopping in Italy - perhaps few hours but not more than that. It might be too noisy and busy as well.

Thank you again for taking the time to help me. It is greatly appreciated.

With warmest aloha,
R

Drugs? The Spanish Steps????