Accomodations in Rome
 

we are a family of 4 looking for accomodations in Rome for 5 nights in early March. I have spent hours searching and it looks like this is considered High Season. Thought I would ask if anyone has any thoughts on the best area / accomodation suggestions / price etc. We would like to be centrally located and a patio or windows with a view would be nice. $200/night would be our max.

Thank-you

I'd start with VRBO.com and look for apartments in Trastevere.

Also check slowtrav.com for apartment recommendations.

We have had good luck with sleepinitaly.com.

For $200 or less, you will have to get a place somewhat out of the way, I would guess. Or be willing to climb up the Gianiculum Hill or several flights of stairs. A patio might be hard to come by at that price. Do note that each euro is worth about $1.50 right now so you have to add 50% to prices in euros.

navonagardensuites.com

Stella51, this is where we stay while in Rome. It is about 2 blocks from Piazza Navona & Campo Di Fiori - great location. I looked on their site & the Raffaello 1 is available for 200 euros per nite. Realize that is above $200, but thought just in case you don't find anything else. Also, I didn't know your exact nites. You could also call & try to bargain down the price; don't know if that works. There are a couple of units that have a serious exterior noise problem. Be sure to advise that you do not want them, if you decide to book.

There is an office person on duty from 11am-7pm M-F & I believe there is a substitute for her on the weekends. So, you have someone available for questions. Maid service daily.

Good luck & have a great trip, Julie

Are you looking for an apartment or hotel? My family of four stayed at Arco Del Lauro B&B in Trastevere two years ago - best place we stayed on our three-week trip. We had a quad room (one queen and two twins, large bathroom, FLUFFY towels!). Loved the location - walking distance to just about everything, great restuarants very close by, wonderful, helpful owner. Gets geat reviews on tripadvisor. I know we payed less than $200/night.

My family of 5 stayed here the between Christmas and New Years (Dec 29 - Jan 3):
http://www.romecapitalapartments.com...rajoli%20II-63

The best part was the location. Excellent for walking everywhere. Having two bathrooms was great. Note that there are very narrow steps up to the apartment (not many though) and even more narrow steps to get to one of the bedrooms/bathrooms, so if you have anyone with walking or stair problems this won't work. I also wouldn't plan to cook as the kitchen is very, very tiny with no dishwasher and very little counter space. We had cereal for breakfast, yogurt, etc and great carry-out chicken one night. The beds were comfortable, the price was good and, again, the location was the best.

Have a great trip!

See what you can find on realrome.com. Do a search here--many people have rented from this agency, including me. We were very satisfied although of course the accommodations are not luxe.

Have a great trip!

I agree with the realrome.com recommendation. They offer apartments at very reasonable prices and you may be able to find something in your price range that is in a central location. I very much doubt you will be able to get the patio you want.

Thank you all for your tips and advice. I so rely on this site. I have been looking and was just wondering about the areas. If you had to choose which one do you think is most central for walking, seeing the sites, lively etc. Campo de' Fiori, Piazza Navona (Navona?), Colosseum, Spanish Steps, Trevi fountain,Monti Colosseo or the Pantheon. This might help me narrow down my search. Ferraloji looked really great but it is booked already. Realrome.com looks good. I am browsing now.

Any of the neighborhoods you listed would be fine (for me; I think Rome is very walkable), but Piazza Navona, Campo dei Fiori and Pantheon are all about as central as you can get.

One side trip we are considering is Pompeii. Can this be visited as a day trip? If yes, how do we do it?

I don't like the travel time from Rome to Pompeii - miserable trip in my opinion. We do however, love Ostia Antica for many reasons:

easy 25 min train ride from Rome (same ticket used for buses & metro, so no extra cost)

no crowds; never more than 25 people every time we go

ruins are open & strickly hands-on; unlike Pompeii which has everything roped off. At O.A., your children (& you) can climb on, over, & under all of the ruins - would think your children will really enjoy that - doing their Indiana Jones thing!

has nice onsite cafeteria; also free onsite bathrooms.

But....if I had only 5 nites in Rome, I would not want to give up any time, let alone a whole day, for any side trip. I'd want to spend all of my time in Rome - there is so much to see, do, & enjoy.

Julie

Stella, how small/young are your children? Do they need their own room?

Anyway, I haven't stayed in this particular apartment, but I believe other Fodor's posters have, including Vttraveler. And Apres_Londee. You can search for their feedback on it on this board, but I recall they both liked it. It's certainly well located and reasonably priced. You might see if they have availability.

http://Realrome.com/propreginella1.html

Leely2 is right. OUr family rented the 2 BR apartment she has linked to and liked it and the agency (realrome.com) very much. The upstairs BR has 2 beds and is connected with a spiral staircase that would be nerve-wracking with young children. Also anyone sleeping there can hear noise from the lounge area.
Apres_Londee has pictures of the apartment and the neighborhood (in the ghetto, on Via della Reginella, just off Piazza Mattei) in a link in her trip report. It is a very central location and on a quiet pedestrian street.