Accomodations in Rome?
 

We have decided to take our 2 teens, age 16 & 18, to Rome over Christmas holiday. I have looked at previous posts recommending the Excelsior, the Nazionale, Albergo del Senato , & the Ponte Sisto hotel. Would any of these work for a family of 4? Do you know of less expensive options?
The boys are 16 & 18 and have never been to Europe so we hope to make this a fun trip.
We arrive Dec 25 and stay 8 nights- is it realistic to take a side trip to Florence OR
Naples in that time frame?

Of course, there are less expensive options... An apartment for one. Or a hotel with a lower rate than the four you've listed. I assume you're looking for two double rooms. What is your budget per night?

Yes, you could divide your time between Rome and another city. If possible, it would be more efficient to fly into the first city and out of the second city.

This place gets goods reviews--I enjoyed my stay there:

http://www.daphne-rome.com/

I though under 400 euro per night, is that realistic?
We would love to stay in an apartment but I want to be certain it is in a fairly good area and I don't know the city.

ellenem,
i'm waiting to hear from the Daphne!

I stayed at the Daphne Trevi with my niece, a college student on her first trip abroad, and she thought this place was great--nice room, goodish location, extremely helpful about tourist stuff, cellphone provided to use out and about, breakfast included. They even packed us a bag breakfast for our departure morning since we were leaving too early for a sit-down breakfast.

By the way, my stay was in 2006 so some features may be diffferent.

Thanks you so much . I am also looking at apartments through slowtravel while i wait to hear from the daphne.

I've stayed at Hotel Smeraldo for 8 nights, near Campo dei Fiori last year at Christmas, it is definitely a buget conscious hotel, so only basic amenities, but it was clean and in a good location. The continental breakfast was very mediocre, we had our morning coffees at the cafe/bar across the street.

I've also stayed at the Hotel Adler for a week a couple years ago at Christmas. A good, basic hotel, closer to the main train station (off Via Nazionale), so a bit more of a walk to the historic center, but a good location for using buses (that go up & down Via Nazionale) and a metro stop just around the corner. The continental breakfast was much better here then at the Smeralda, but that is something that can change year to year.

I also stayed at the Hosianum Palace this past May for 2 nights it is a bit more upscale than the Smeralda or Adler, but in a very good location, you can walk just about anywhere in the historic center of the city and it's just a block or so from Largo Argentina with lots of bus and tram connections.

I'll be going back to Rome in 3 weeks and this time will be renting an apartment from Rome Capital Apartments. They were easy to deal with and very responsive to my emails. If you look at apartments located in the Piazza Navona or Campo dei Fiori area you will be in the middle of "everything", if you what a bit quieter location you can look at the Trastevere area.

I don't have the website addresses at the moment, but if you google the names of the hotels and apartment company their websites should come up.

We've stayed at the Fontanella Borghese three times. It's offering special rates through Dec. 27th that are well under your target budget. I like its location about halfway between the Spanish Steps and Piazza Navona.

http://www.fontanellaborghese.com/home_ing.html

Both the Fontanella Borghese and its sister hotel, Due Torri, are offering not only the special rate through Dec. 27th but also a free night for stays longer than 3 nights. The Due Torri is slightly closer to the Piazza Navona.

http://www.hotelduetorriroma.com/home_ing.html

Thank you. What fabulous options!
Other advice.....I love Florence but since we have never been to Italy with the boys (16,18) , do you think it would be more realistic to take a day trip to Naples or fly "open jaw" through either Naples or Florence with only 8 days (we fly from the eastern US).
I'm not sure which city the boys would enjoy more, because, although Naples may be a bit warmer, one is studying the Renaissance and the other taking Archeology this semester. Very tough choice. I wish we had a month!!!!!

eye-- would you consider an apartment?

Viajero2,
Absoutely! I have started looking at those also but I have no idea regarding locations. DH and I are very early risers, not so the teens, so a place were we could go out for coffee in the early morning or they could stroll (relatively safely) at night would be terrific.

Check out Sleep in Italy, they now have their website where you can select the "neighborhoods". Choose Navona or Pantheon area. You can find a very nice apartment for far less than the cost of a hotel.

Once you find the apt., then use Trip Advisor and SlowTrav to check reviews on the place.

www.sleepinitaly.com

www.tripadvisor.com

www.slowtrav.com

Hi eyemom,
Our family of 4 stayed in this apartment in Rome. We loved it especially the terrace which we used even in late November. The location was perfect but the disadvantages were the 84 steps (no elevator) and very small shower (interior height just under 6ft).
Sleep in Italy were a pleasure to deal with.
http://www.sleepinitaly.com/info-ges...id_appartam=30

Eyemom - we just stayed in an apartment with three kids near Piazza Navona and it was fabulous. I checked and it is taken for your dates but there are lots of others. We find it so much better than a hotel.

PS we used Roman Reference.

eyemom-- I totally understand the overwhelming feeling when trying to downselect a place to stay in Rome. I tried an apartment stay after staying in hotels in Rome on earlier trips. I don't think I'll ever stay at a hotel in Rome again!

The area you want to stay in is called Centro Storico. Campo de Fiori is also lovely, followed by Piazza Spagna, and Colosseo/Roman Forum areas. Take this order as suggestions and "spring board" to start searching for apartments. Its sound that you would need minimum 2 bedrooms. Try now this as search criteria on the sites cited above. I hear great things about Perfectplaces.com. I used vrbo.com and holiday-rentals.com. No complaints on neither of these sites. The prior recommendation by dave about slowtrav.com is priceless.

The holidays fill out quickly so this is a task that you want to set aside some time soon as with patience and a notebook do research and annotate.

Best of luck. Sounds like an awesome trip already.

I agree with <b>daveesl's</b> post word for word.
Limiting your search to the two "neighborhoods" he suggested in SleepInItaly's pull-down menus on their website and also selecting "4" people will narrow down the number of apartments to a managable level.

SleepInItaly is very highly regarded on Fodors and Slowtrav (Though I have always ended up using other agencies).

Their 2BR 2BA "Paradiso Big" apartment right on Campo dei Fiori looks especially appropriate for a family with 2 teens.
The various "Giulia" units are also in a fantastic location.

I just rented an apartment for the Christmas period. I found the same apartment listed on multiple sites, all with different prices. I contacted the "owner" through VRBO (actually an agent), and he agreed to the lowest price, which was on another site. Just something to be aware of. We're staying for 2 weeks, and there was a 500 Euro difference in price.

It does take time; every now and then I thought "why don't I just book a darn hotel and get it over with?" But I think that it will be worth it.

Day trips -- I think that the important thing to remember is that you don't have to decide until you get there! As I'm sure that you know, there are a number of useful posts about day trips from Rome. I'm thinking about Orvieto, which hadn't occurred to me before, because of the enthusiastic posts. My in-laws will be going to Florence, but I don't plan to send my particular teens (18 and 15) with them, because the art and architecture in Rome will more than fill my kids' quota. But that's my teens, not yours!

I'm excited about Ostia Antica. I thought that Pompeii and Herculaneum would be a definite part of the trip; then I started to read a post that went on for pages about the train transfer in Naples and thought "This sounds way too much like work." Someone else suggested hiring a car and driver -- maybe so, or maybe Ostia Antica will be sufficient for one trip. So, we'll play that as it lays. Am working hard not to "overplan" the trip, as would be my natural tendency!

jeanm-- I agree with your rec wholeheartedly. VRBO is dealing directly with the owner, which is such advantage to the customer. That said, there is no doubt, terrific rental agencies in Rome.

EyeMomm- the following apt have excellent reviews:

http://www.romanreference.com/appart...php?refid=138b

eye-- out of curiosity I googled mapped the apt reference above and I did not like what I saw on Google Mapas as far as neighborhood. Funny, because reviews on ths apartment are many and gushing about the neighborhood...????

I am reading your wonderful posts as I surf & take notes on the recommended sites.
Thank you everyone!

bardo1- apparently neither of those properties are available 12/25-1/2 so i am continuing the hunt, but thank you!

Viajero2 - I agree. When you click on the map for #138b it shows it's the other side of Termini (via di Porta Labicana) by the tracks, but if you click on the other link for a property with the same owners for #138, it shows a different apartment just down the street from the Colosseum (via Labicana). Two different streets, one by Termini and one by the Colosseum. It's possible the person that did the web page linked to the wrong google map if they are both located on via Labicana, not via di Porta Labicana.

We (my mom, friend, her mom and I) stayed here the week of Christmas/New Year last year.

http://www.rentalinrome.com/bramante/bramante.htm

Great central location right behind Piazza Navona overlooking the Bramante chiostro. A classy but idiosyncratic apartment--not new, a bit tatty in spots, feels very old world, old Rome so you need to like that kind of ambience. It is BIG.

We used Rental in Rome and had no problems but dealt exclusively with the owners' representative, Charlotte Kirchgaesser, while there. She is very nice and I know she rents a few other apartments in town as well. This is her website:

http://www.lacasaroma.com/index.php

FYI, most apartments in Rome will have a 10-20% upcharge for that time period.

I have also rented from realrome.com and stayed in Albergo del Senato. Both very good experiences.

Enjoy your trip.

Ahhh- your dates! That is a very popular time, in fact most places bump prices a little just for THAT PARTICULAR WEEK.

Here are some more 2BR 2BA (available on your dates) worth a look:

http://www.sleepinitaly.com/info-vac...d_appartam=108 (has elevator!) Piazza Navona area (MBR plus one teen on the sofabed & one in the single BR)


http://www.sleepinitaly.com/info-fal...id_appartam=31 Jewish Quarter, close to Campo dei Fiori (MBR plus one teen on the sofabed & one in the single BR)

http://www.sleepinitaly.com/info-cop...d_appartam=366 Pantheon area (MBR plus one teen on the sofabed & one in the single BR)

Not a lot out there for your dates, but don't give up!

Leely,

What were the ceiling heights in the Bramante? I've actually considered it in the past. The photos make them look low?? (Our family are all over 6ft. tall). Love the location and spaciousness, but wouldn't want to bump our head!

bardo1,
The ceilings are not at all low but some of the doorways are wee if that makes sense.

It is one of those places where you step up and down to get in and out of the various wings, rooms, nooks, crannies, etc. The doors to the bathrooms are little and old, if I remember correctly. And I am 5'8" and think I bumped myself walking out onto the terrace because the upstairs has a slightly slanted ceiling and then you step up to get outside. I might have had a bit of wine when that happened, though.

Perhaps you can see what I mean in this photo:

http://www.pbase.com/leelygoes/image/107854164

Also, it is on one of those medieval vicolos that some people might consider a bit creepy. I am accustomed to Roman alleys so it didn't bother me but of course we all like different things. I would definitely stay there again--lots of space and plenty of room for people to get away from each other if desired.

eye-- RE: Bardo1's suggestion on the sleepinitaly Falegnami Apt in Campo de Fiori--
Last May a Fodor's poster (Marigross) stayed in that apartment and commented on a smell of sewage in the small bedroom. They were lucky in that there were only 3 travelers and the third person opted for the sofa bed on the living room. They had to keep the small bedroom closed the whole stay. I would had walked away. Othwerwise, the comments on apt rental, agency, and the apt location were very good. Something to think about. This info goes back to May (late-early June 2009).

We rented a 2 BR apartment in the ghetto neighborhood a few years ago through realrome.com. This is a wonderful part of the city, centrally located and quiet at night. We had a great experience with the agency. The owner, Tim Pearson, is very pleasant and helpful. The realrome listings tend to be less expensive than some of the others--we paid 115 euros/night for three people in February 2008.

My husband,then-16 year old son and I spent a week in Rome. We were very happy to have 2 BRs with no one on the sofa bed. My husband and I enjoy getting up early to go out and walk. Our son could sleep in and we didn't disturb him as we got our coffee and a quick breakfast and went out.

We had thought about taking several side trips but ended up going only to Ostia Antica because there is so much to do in Rome. (My husband and I had been there but our son never had, and had been lobbying us for several years to take the trip. His main interest was the ancient Roman ruins so we concentrated on those and skipped art museums other than the Vatican) Ostia Antica is a very easy day trip by train--really takes more like half to 3/4 of a day.

Vttraveler,
We have the same situation with our sons (we are early risers). At this point I think we are leaning toward staying in Rome the whole time since going to Florence on this short a trip would make us lose a full day to travel/packing.
Maybe I just want an excuse to go to Italy again!

eyemom.. Florence is just an hour away on the train. It's easily done as a day trip if you want a change of pace from the the big city.

Vttraveler... Wow, I was nonplussed by the idea that you didn't want to disturb your sleeping teenage son so avoided an apartment with a sofa bed! Our son could sleep on the floor and a bomb going off would not disturb him before noon. Must admit once upon a time we tip toed around his crib many years ago and the contrast is staggering.....how they change

Sassy cat--Well it wasn't just that we didn't want to disturb him. we also wanted to be able to use the kitchen and lounge area in the mornings w/o having someone sleeping in the middle of it.

eyemom--Florence is considered a doable day trip from Rome. it certainly is in terms of travel time and you could create a good itinerary that would hit some of the high points, then plan on that next excuse to go back for a longer visit there.

After much huffing and puffing, and looking through apartment rentals, DH and I decided that there were three reasons we should stay in a hotel this visit:

1. We manage a bit of Spanish and French between the 4 of us but do not speak Italian (yes, I am working on rudimentary phrases).
2. Our teens have never been to europe.
3. The last time we were in Rome, in 1985, it snowed – a foot.

I made reservations at the Albergo Cesari, Via Di Pietra 89 A. I think it is in the Pantheon area? My parents stayed there several years ago (so I thought it a safe bet) and we were able to stay within our budget.
Have any of you been there?

I have loved the hunt and looking at apartments made me even more excited about this trip. Thank you to everyone for your help.

Albergo Cesari is a great location and a good choice.

I just came back and I stayed at the Albergo Cesari. Excellent location, very good price, clean rooms. Only had one issue and this could be a major one for some people...the walls are paper thin and you could hear your neighbors carry on full conversations, using the bathroom, etc. I was just waiting for the elevator and I could hear someone whistling Bizet's Carmen while taking a shower.

bouradly,
hmmm, i guess we will need earplugs, a white noise machine, or......louder singing voices. thanks for the "heads up" !