Apartment rentals in Italy
 

Can anyone suggest a good site to find apartments in Italy? Rome, Florence, Tuscany. There are so many, I don't know where to start. Any suggestions on where to stay in Rome?

A few years ago we stayed in Rome for two weeks in an apartment called Palazzo-olivia. It was near Piazza Navona and Campo di Fiore. Great location. Very helpful receptionist as well. www.palazzo-olivia.it

Hi; There are many apartment rentals companies, but www.slowtrav.com/ and www.vbro.com/ would be a start. Richard

The recos you have are excellent.

But do be aware that apartments will not be similar to those in the US. (On another travel board a couple that rented an apartment in Rome were astonished that there were stairs - no elevator - that the apartment didn;t have AC, that the buildings was "old", and kitchen appliances weren;t identical to those at home.)

As long as you research carefully and have appropriate expectations (and understand the heat/AC issue) you should be fine.

nytraveler is right. For us, AC in the summer months is esential. Location is also important. Richard

We rented a place in Venice via www.vbro.com for nine weeks last Christmas. The owner was American, and it worked well.
We'll rent the same place next time.

nytraveller is correct with regard to the facilities that you can expect - but then, you are going to Italy to experience Italy, not to have a transplanted American experience.

Since you stated on another thread that this is your first trip to Italy, you may find a hotel a better option. The front desk or concierge can be very helpful on a first trip to a new city or area.You will have questions about using public transit and finding good neighborhood restaurants. We always rent apartments now but have found hotels a better choice for a first time trip.

The original poster has stated in another post that she has traveled to Madrid, Barcelona, Paris and London, and rented apartments there. She hardly needs the condescension -- nor does Rome. If she wants an apartment with an elevator, and AC, with modern fixtures and furniture and a better kitchen than most New York City apartments, they can be found in Rome, no problem. Two weeks ago I rented an apartment in Liguria, for heaven's sake, with an elevator, and two gorgeous bathrooms, a dishwasher and beautiful gas stove, full refrigerator, espresso maker -- and a panoramic view of the sea. It was 110e a night.

These stereotypes about old Europe should have gone out with Donald Rumsfeld.

Zeppole, the fact that you rented a place with two bathrooms, coffee maker , elevator and whatever does not mean that such facilities will be found all over Italy in rental apartments. The advice from nytraveller was that one should not EXPECT the same facilities as a matter of course.

And if an elevator is important then NYT’s advice to enquire is very sound.

Nytraveler and Peter are correct. How do I know? From having lots of friends and family members by marriage all over Italy. It is not unusual to not have an elevator or an American type A/C etc.

Nancy, you will receive lots of information I am sure. You do not say when you will be in Italy but if it will be during the warm/hot months and if A/C is important to you do when you find apartments that appeals to you check on the A/C situation if that is important to you. Sometimes advertised A/C is just in the living room for example which means that the bedroom(s) will be hot and miserable. And it is not unusual to not have a clothes dryer. Best regards.

We had a clothes dryer in Venice. It was a clothes line outside the window!

Less than totally effective at temperatures below 2 degrees C.

I live on the third floor in Boston and don't have an elevator. I actually found that when I rented an apartment in Rome, I recognized most the stuff as being from Ikea. Things really are not that different in Europe!

Peter and Love,

Have either of you tried to book a rental apartment in NYC or another major US city recently? Do you "expect" air conditioning, elevators, a washing machine or -- or even a full kitchen? What are these "same" facilities you automatically expect to find in vacation rentals is New York or other American cities that are lacking in Rome?

Have you checked out prices of NYC holiday apartment rentals if you are looking for AC. elevator, dishwasher, etc? They are much more expensive than their European counterparts.

Lastly, have you ever seen posts in the US forum where first timers to NYC ask about renting apartments and are they legit? The responses are non-stop warnings and rightly so. And what about "wandering around at night" like one does in Rome, Paris, Barcelona or Madrid? Two am in NYC or Rome -- take your pick.

These posts make it sound like Rome is not as advanced a place as America when it comes to vacation rental apartments. In my experience, its Europeans who have to lower their expectations of quality of accommodations, dollar for dollar, euro for euro, when renting apartments, not the other way around.

Peter,

Only once in my entire life in America (which was decades) was I able to rent an apartment with a washing machine in my apartment, let alone a dryer. And I must have rented more than 20 different apartments.

PS: I presently rent a completely modern apartment in Italy, but do line dry my clothes. But I have air conditioning, new stove, fridge, fireplace, coffeemaker, wi-fi, satellite, and absolutely modern limestone-and-glass shower with a high-end shower head, marble bowl sink, bidet, video controlled gate-- and it came completely furnished with beds, sofas, lamps, tables, chairs and a breakfront-- right down to the dishes (yes, from IKEA) on a four-year lease.

I wouldn't "expect" the same renting an apartment ANYWHERE in America, and I pay less than what I would in America.

Here is one from our personal experience this past June. It is VRBO# 188213. I'm the last person to add a review.

It had an elevator, a washing machine but only a clothes line which was fine and 2 a/c units. It was very reasonable priced and we were very happy which our choice.

If I am reading correctly, the rental price of VRBO# 188213 in Rome is about 700 euros per week. It's a penthouse apartment.

A similar penthouse in NYC presently advertised in NY Habitats (AC, an elevator and a washer but also a dryer) is $2800 per week.

God, what on earth have NYtraveller and I started.

Simple advice – apartments in Europe are/may be different to apartments in the OP’s home town – has become a conversation about housing standards in Europe vs Other Places.

The thing is this: people become used to a level of comfort and amenity in their own homes. This is our case. Our home has things like a microwave oven, a clothes dryer, dishwasher, top end music system, very little Ikea furniture, nice art works on the walls, fine glassware, wide screen TV, wireless internet, cast iron cookware. Nothing fancy, but good enough. We don’t have A/C because we don’t need it.

Our apartment in Venice was IKEA’d to the hilt, no microwave, small TV, small stove, small fridge, tight spiral staircase to the second (American third) floor, even tighter spiral to the bedroom upstairs. Bamboo pattern wallpaper, hung upside down, kitchen sink that drained OK once I cleaned out the trap, shower and basin ditto, shared washing machine, and we did spend some time cleaning when we moved in. The heating system worked better once I bled the air out of it, and we did not need the A/C at Christmas. No high thread count Egyptian cotton sheets. It was perfect, and we had the happiest time there – we were there for nine weeks – but the amenity was nowhere near what we have in our own home.

All I’m are saying is that one ought not to automatically expect the same amenities that one finds in one’s own home. Or if that same level of amenity is needed, then it’s a good idea to ask.

Peter - It's not you. Have you heard the term right-fighter?
"when a person always thinks they are right and wants to battle everyone around him in order to convert them to their way of thinking."

Right -- make correcting misleading posts some kind of weird thing to do.

Great advice: Don't expect a microwave in your Rome apartment.

Peter, did you notice you have changed the subject? Nytraveler and others didn't warn against not expecting it to be just like "one's own home" with your favorite artworks and fine glassware. You have been warning people against expecting modern amenities like supposedly people get when they rent vacation apartments in the USA.

This isn't a conversation about "housing standards." It's a conversation about what you get for your euro in Rome in a vacation rental.

I defy you find a NYC apartment rental in the price range of VRBO posted -- or what you paid for your Venice rental -- that is as nice as what you get in Europe for the same money.

You can find rental houses and apartments here: http://www.rentalia.com/

Nancy - How many people do you need to accommodate, how long are you staying (many have minimums) and what's your budget?

Rome: http://www.dolceroma.it/
http://www.b-b.rm.it/
http://www.domusintl.com/easyStore/i...goriaID=100001

Tuscany:
In Montepulciano (weekly rental) http://www.appartamentialpoggiolo.it/poggiolo_ing_home.
http://www.lemanzinaie.it/
Will rent less than a week: http://www.politian.com/

Venice:
http://www.palazzettodaschio.it/mainuk.html
http://www.rosadivenezia.com/

Have fun planning.

In Rome we stayed in an apartment of Domus International, check them out here: www.domusintl.com. We found them through Slow Travel where you can find very interesting and trustworthy suggestions.
Domus also manages some properties outside of Rome,in Florence and other less typical locations, you just have to ask them.
Our apartment was the Pantheon one, Pozzo del Cornacchie. I highly recommend contacting Stefano or Mirela who are kind, helpful and very professional. This is the one point I would like to make Nancy: make sure the agency or owner you deal with is straightforward and professional (in the way we understand these terms in the English-speaking world)! Otherwise you may risk having a problematic trip, with nobody to assist when you need it the most. Been there, done that. However this last Rome trip was wonderful and smooth and the flat played an important part.

We stayed in this (ground floor) Rome apartment with a patio during a birthday trip: http://www.arcosbedandbreakfast.it/

It's good value as you can rent half or the whole apartment (from 50-150 €) and there's a nice patio. Also it is just down the street from the metro stop. San Giovanni is a nice low-key area not brimming with tour groups.

Family run and there's breakfast, cereals etc in the fridge. I would use it again.

Zeppole, where is that apartment in Liguria? Can you post a link?

Last October we used www.romecapitalapartments.com and had a great experience. An English-speaking rep met us at the apartment and explained how everything works (it was modern and lovely, btw). We rented a one bedroom along the Tiber (with two terraces) and an elevator (we were on the 4th). I don't recall the price, but I know it was very reasonable because that's the only way I'd go :). It was called the Miguel something. Only downside: incredible bird problem in that area, but I've been told it isn't usually that bad.

We're renting from them again in December.

We used Venice Apt.org, http://veniceapartments.org/ for a rental in Venice. They were easy to deal with in spite of our our many date changes. The apt was as pictured. U did go to their office to pick up and drop off the key. Its right near the train station and where the bus from the airport drops u off, so it wasnt a problem. They provided great direction to the office and then to the apt.

Wow! Fodor's is incredible. Ask a question and receive 26 answers. Incredible. Thanks to all of you. We are used to European apartments and have simple expectatons. Especially with the ability of European washer/dryers. Always buy clothes lines. We travel in Sept and Oct so we don't worry about A/C. You have been so helpful. I'm ready to start planning. I can't wait to ask about Germany in a couple years.

I like the looks of the aparment that Tedgale stayed in for Rome. I think it's listed on Romecapitalapartments website. The name is Miguel. Here's a link to his pictures.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...5&l=840faa5003

And a link to his trip report.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rip-report.cfm

I also like the one that kristina stayed in, but it's really for four people. If the price is right, you might want to consider it.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rip-report.cfm

She has some pics of it on her website.
http://www.wired2theworld.com/

Last June my family and I stayed at http://www.domuscolosseo.com : beautiful apartment and great location. The owner was also very helpful. Although it's true, it's impossible to find a clothes dryer in European apartments!

Marianna,

http://www.casaferretto.it/lacasa.asp

... and for those who think it is impossible rent an apartment with a clothes dryer in Europe, these are in Rome:

http://www.villarenters.com/villas/e...-26745-sum.asp

http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/rome/33233

http://www.italyrents.com/default.as...&id_resort=412

http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p151295

Just do google searches, folks, before you jump to conclusions on the basis of your own experience.

For Rome, I have used www.sleepinitaly.com six times for an apartment and have always been pleased. Their website clearly states whether or not there is an elevator or AC, and I have found their descriptions very accurate. I do always double check the location if I'm not sure of it, since their idea of a "few steps" from somewhere is sometimes different from mine!

I wouldn't assume you don't need AC in September. I was in Venice, Tuscany & Rome in September and it was definitely hot enough for air conditioning.

I agree with Susan, Sleep in Italy has always done fine for me, just as I am again sure they will be doing with our trip this Christmas.

A couple of things to be aware of...

1) "First Floor" in Europe is called the second floor in the U.S..

2) If the building does not have an elevator and the apartment is say on the 3rd floor or higher, don't be surprised as to the number of steps between floors. While a standard ceiling height in the U.S. is NOW about 8 feet, in the past it was anywhere from 10-14 feet. Same is true in Europe. So, an apartment on say the 4th floor in a 17th century converted palazzo could be the equivalent of walking up maybe 7-8 flights of stairs in the U.S.

dave