Liz

We are going to Italy in March and were wanting travel to Rome as well as Florence. Any ideas on where to stay? How should we get around? Any helpful hints? Thanks!!!

elaine

Hi Liz <BR>if you do a search on this forum for <BR>Rome hotel or Florence hotel, you will find many recommendations. It's hard to make a new suggestion without knowing what you want to spend and what amenities you require (elevator, etc.) <BR>Also, if you consult a good guidebook for each place you will get the basic info you need. More specific suggestions (what to see, special places) depend a lot on what interests you--art museums, architecture, churches, shopping, etc. <BR>I have files on Florence and on Rome; if you'd like to see them, email me.

bob

My friend Catherina organizes travels in Italy.She worked in Florence and now has a travel agency in the Cinque Terre.I'm sure she knows the way the help you.Her e-mail is [email protected]

Karen

In Rome, stay in the Centro Storico, near Piazza Navona or the Pantheon (my personal favorite) or the Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps). That way, you're within easy walking distance of nearly everything you'll want to see and a short bus or taxi or Metro ride to everything else. These neighborhoods have many hotels in many price ranges, as well as most of the best shopping and restaurants and people watching in the city. Florence is much smaller than Rome, so you'll be able to walk everywhere if you are anywhere near the city center. I have always stayed in apartments in Rome, but as Elaine said, there are many hotel suggestions on this forum. In Florence, we loved Hotel Loggiato dei serviti in Piazza Ssa. Annunziata, near the Accademia. Have fun planning!

richardab

Sorry if I sound like a broken record, I have suggested this hotel a million time before, but the Hotel Due Torri in Rome is a great place and has a very friendly staff, clean rooms and modern bathrooms. Try doing a search to see what others say. Look at my websight, it has links to the hotel plus photos and a lot of other stuff about Rome such as sights, tips and restaurants. <BR> <BR>http://home.earthlink.net/~richardab/ <BR> <BR>Have Fun.

Linda

Richardab, you and everybody else say how great the Due Torre is and everybody talks about the clean rooms, wonderful location, etc. I'm almost convinced to stay there in 2002; however, in all the posts I've read recommending this hotel, I don't think I've ever heard anybody describe the rooms as "charming" or "nicely decorated". I'm beginning to think they are very spartan, with the exception of the wonderful bathrooms. Are they?

Bob

Hi, Liz! <BR> <BR>Yes, try to get a place near Piazza Navona. What a great area to be around. <BR> <BR>Wife and I stayed at Residenza San Pantaleo. Their website: www.residenzasanpantaleo.com <BR> <BR>It's a B/B, a block away from Navona. <BR> <BR>Have fun in your planning. <BR> <BR>Bob

E

<BR> <BR>Hi, Liz. <BR> <BR>We went to Italy last year in June and stayed a few days in Rome. We stayed in a lovely hotel in Campo di Fiori (gee, I hope I spelled that right) named Hotel Smeraldo. <BR> <BR>The rooms are modest, but comfortable. The staff is helpful and we were charmed by the area. A little cafe across the street with a lady who, if you smile enough at her, will smile back. <BR> <BR>There is a piazza just around the corner that hosts a fruit and vegetable market each morning and a flea market in the afternoon. Plenty of restaurants. Shopping abundant. We loved it.

Ruth

Last November, we stayed at the Hotel Pantheon in Rome and it was absolutely perfect. Located right by the Pantheon, ti was convenient to Forum, Coliseum, Campo de Fiori, Piazza Navona, Trastevere and more. The room was lovely - we stayed in the Suite Diamante - a 2-story room with an upstairs sitting room, a lovely downstairs bedroom, beautiful huge bath with tub. The hotel and rooms were lovely - filled with antiques in an old converted monastery with stone ceilings in the rooms - very charming. Very helpful staff - good breakfast. I can't recommend it highly enough. We paid about 350,000 IL. Money well spent!