Will be doing a driving tour of Italy to a number of locations including Rome with family of five. Would be grateful for any advice as to a decent place, with safe parking, that could accommodate 5 people (2 adults, 3 children).

Drinving in Rome is horrible and parking even worse. Unless you are staying somewhere in the outskirts, you'd have to leave the car in a paid parking lot or garage.

As far as a place to stay, you should consider apartment rentals. If you do a seach here on Apartment and Rome, you'll probably find some threads offering info.

I know there is one large, apartment-type suite at the Santa Chiara that can accommodate a family of 5, but ther eis defniitely no parking at that hotel. The nearest garage that I know of is a few of blocks away, near Trevi Fountain (the hotel is behind the pantheon, a greay location).

Having a car is a HUGE libility in Rome. You don't give us enough details - so these two suggestions may or may not work for you:

1) do Rome at the beginning or end of your itinerary so you can pick up your car as you leave the city (or drop it as you enter)

or 2) Drop the car while in Rome and rent a different one for the rest of your tour.

Ditto to JanisJ's suggestion. You do not want or need a car in Rome.

And a family of five would do best in an apartment. More space, everyone's together, less cost.

I was thinking of locating a hotel or apartment with safe parking. Perhaps staying somewhere within a short train ride of Rome would make more sense?

But Rome is the last stop, so perhaps I drop off the car first thing when we get to Rome.

As to apartment versus hotel, this is our first trip to Rome so thought it might be better to have a hotel with a concierge desk to assist with arrangments, getting taxis, etc. But we've purchase a few guide books and perhaps with the advice on forum, we'll have enough to get by. Any thoughts as to hotel versus apt?

Also, with regard to possible apartments, anyone ever work with www.romesweethome.it ? They seem to have numerous reasonably priced apartments, but I have some reluctance working with this company without knowing anything about them. Are there other good alternatives for a 3 night stay?

I would agree that having a car in Rome is a bad idea, and you won't need it. Definitely drop it off on the way into Rome.

On hotels vs. apartments, there can be advantages to apartments. For us, however, travelling either two adults or with our son (just 3 of us), we don't usually stay long enough to have an apartment make sense cost-wise or space-wise. (With just 3, there are quite a few hotels that have triple rooms or can fit an extra bed or cot in a regular room.) I do like the advantage of having the hotel staff there to help, even if I end up not needing much help. I guess the knowledge that they're there is what I like. But in your situation, with 5 people, it will be not so easy to find 1 or 2 rooms to accomodate all of you in a hotel. Look for both!

The Rome Cavaliere Hilton has its own secure car park, but it is extremely expensive.

Since ROme is the last stop, ditch the car. You don't need and won't want it. In ROme, stay in the historic center (Pantheon/Navina/Fiori area). You can walk almost everywhere from there.

For lots of information about renting apartments or villas in Italy, go to www.slowtrav.com. Also travel info and reviews of rentals and rental agencies.

If you go to a hotel, you'll need 2 rooms minimum, a double and a triple. Lacking a concierge, agencies can give you some travel help as well the tourist office. But you will have to do a little more research ahead of time.

I'd definitely drop the rental car in or, better, outside Rome and stay in the historic center.

As it is, you'll need a fairly large car to hold 5 people and all their luggage. Don't plan on driving inside any medieval hilltop village. The streets are too narrow. Just park outside and walk in.

Hi C,

You want to drive IN ROME????

Simply drop the car as soon as you get to Rome. It is useless there - since there is no place to park (residents routinely park halk on the sidewalks at night since many streets are so narrow). And driving in Rome is not fun - the center is NOT car friendly, there are few traffic lights and intersections work on the "chicken" system.

It's much easier to walk everywhere (distances are short) or cab if you're really tired.

Why pay to keep a car sitting in a garage? Just dump it as soon as you get there.

This budget hotel, Hotel Delle Muse, in the Parioli district of Rome (north of center by Borghese Gardens) is recommended by Frommer's. Parking is "available". The website shows it has a quad room, and gets good reviews on Tripadvisor:
http://www.hoteldellemuse.com/

Searching through my guidebooks, I also find another hotel in Parioli with parking, Hotel Buenos Aires recommended in DK Eyewitness Travel Italy (2006):

"A small new hotel in the heart of residential Parioli, Buneos Aires is a little farther north of the Villa Borghese, but only a ten-minute walk away. Rooms are very smart and have every conveneience. Transportation links are good and there is parking available."

The reviews on Venere are pretty positive, those on Tripadvisor not so. You can see gated parking in the front on the picture in the website. Also, the reviewers on Tripadvisor all indicate they stayed there on a Cosmos tour. I suspect the rate listed on the website is really inflated, and they would offer a room for a fraction of that price:
www.hotelbuenosaires.it

One last guidebook recommendation this one for Hotel Albani, also in Parioli, built 1978; website says it has family rooms and there is no additional fee for on site parking garage. Quote below from www.viamichelin.com:

"Facing the park of the ancient Villa Albani, not far from Via Veneto, a modern concept hotel; comfortable public areas, like the bright and large hall."

website:
http://www.hotelalbani.it/roma/eng/h...lbani-roma.php

The traffic and the roads in Rome are pretty challenging; I wouldn't risk it. Even riding in cabs, you'll want to say a prayer or close your eyes or both! You can walk or take the Metro or buses when necessary. Plus if you have to have a parking place for the car, that rules out almost all the hotels/flats in the most convenient areas and probably forces you into a large international style hotel. I'm not an expert on accommodations in Rome, but this summer we stayed at the Daphne Veneto which has a 2 bedroom /2 bath suite that might suit your family. It is a B&B, and the staff are extremely helpful in terms of advice and assisting with reservations, etc. They are just up from a Metro stop on a side street and you can walk to many restaurants and sights. Also with children, you'll appreciate the empty frig in each room that you can fill with your own snacks and beverages. Check it out:

http://www.daphne-rome.com/script/veneto.php#

Thanks for all the help thus far.
Still trying to finalize accommodations for family of 5 including a secure location to park. Tried the areas mentioned, some of which look great, but with 5 people, prices end up in the 500 euro range per night, which is a little higher than we'd hoped to spend. Best option may be an apartment for our 3 days in Rome. Most of the websites that list arpartments don't say much about parking. Leaning towards locating an apartment or B&B outside of Rome which has secure parking and which is located near train or bus to Rome. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!!!

You have already received a lot of suggestions. You do NOT want/need a car in Rome.

And finding an apartment w/ parking -- good luck!

Another place you might consider staying is Frascati, a resort in wine country 20 km from the center of Rome, 10 km from the border of the city. Frascati is supposed to be quite nice in its own right. From Frascati I understand you can take a COTRAL bus to the end of the "A" metro line, Anagnina, into Rome. These hotels have parking:

The Hotel Colonna is recommended in the Michelin guide and looks nice and the prices reasonable:

http://www.hotelcolonna.it/indexuk.html

Another recommended one, Hotel Flora:

http://www.hotel-flora.it/

Also, doing further research, you can also take a train directly from Frascati to Roma Termini. There are reviews of the two above hotels at Tripadvisor, and www.venere.com also has reviews of these and other hotels.

I'm just looking upon this as a research project. Anyhow, Hotel ARS has parking and family rooms. It has several reviews on Tripadvisor, some very positive, some very negative:
http://www.arshotel.com/