Irit

I have been through countless websites looking and looking for a hotel in Rome. I think the fact that there are sooooo many choices has only served to confuse me. I'm looking for your recommendations. My husband and I don't know the area, (1st timers) so I guess what I'm trying to ask for is any hotel that would suit you as well, (obviously). Clean, comfortable, charming and close to either the Trevi Fountain or a wonderful piazza. Noise is not a problem. When in Rome...

pam

Irit, <BR>We found the Hotel delle Regioni in May, and highly recommend it. The address is Via del Tritone, 94 (actually around the corner on Via Zuchelli). It is just down the hill from the Barberini metro stop, a short walk to the Trevi fountain and Spanish steps in the other direction. It was very clean and quiet, nice breakfast, and we had a private bath. They put a roll-away bed into the room for my young son. The rate was 270000. Telephone 06.483675 or 06.4745858; fax 06.4883300. They do not speak much English. Have a wonderful trip!

Irit

Pam, do you know if Hotel della Regioni has a web site? As well, given that my Italian is no where near what it should be, any idea if I'll be able to communicate? I get by but linguini, spaghettini, vino roso...won't get me a room.

marie

Hi Irit, <BR> <BR>I have been to Rome twice and have stayed at two wonderful hotels. La Scalinata D'Spagna is at the top of the Spanish Steps - a very central location. The hotel has been recently re-decorated and is lovely. The other was the Raphael, right at the Piazza Navona. I believe that English is spoken extensively at both hotels (I speak Italian so I really don't remember...). Neither of these hotels are inexpensive but I highly recommend both...

AJ

Irit, I will second the opinion on Scalinata di Spagna - very central, nice, small, homey. But not that cheap. In March, we stayed at the Hotel Plaza in via del corso. It is a larger, old, Roman hotel, somewhat tired, but still lovely. We loved it with all of its faded faults. There is a website, I believe www.hotelplaza.com, where we found a great rate for a 4 star for March. Good luck.

AJ

Oops! That is the wrong website. Try www.grandhotelplaza.com <BR> <BR>They are offering rooms with breakfast and tax at 345,000 lire summer to fall, then 365,000 lire fall through spring of next year.

Pam

Irit, <BR>My Italian is limited to a scant year studying a phrase book & listening to tapes, so I'm definitely not fluent by any stretch. I would suggest faxing them, if you are not comfortable telephoning. I think a fax in English with basic hotel reservation questions would be understood. I used, "Avete un camera calma?" (Do you have a quiet room? per la notte 26 Giugno (for the night of June 26) (for example). I might not have been absolutely correct, but I was understood. (per due adulti (for 2 adults) e un bambino (and one young boy)) I think you can manage. <BR> <BR>I forgot to mention earlier that delle Regioni has air conditioning, which adds to the quiet. I am of the mindset, 'when in Rome' also, but I'm much more pleasant to be with and eager to explore when I'm well rested!

Walter

Hi Irit, Have you checked the <BR>"Search" at the top of the page? I found 51 posts which will give you soooo many more choices). <BR>Type-in rome hotels click-on <BR>"match exact phrase" click-on <BR>"Italy" and click-on "Find". <BR>IMO I've found that the best search engine to find hotel web sites and everything else is www.dogpile.com/ Example: smith+hotel "rome" Good-Luck HTH Regards, Walter <BR>

Irit

First of all thank you to: <BR>Pam, Marie, AJ and Walter, <BR> <BR>My search is almost over, at least I think I have a better idea. <BR> <BR>Pam, do Scalinata di Spagna and Raphael have a web site or at least a photo somewhere? I've been listening to Italian tapes for a week. Thank goodness I'm bilingual in French. It's a huge advantage. <BR> <BR>AJ, yes you're right the Grand Hotel Plaza is lovely but the rooms are not 365,000 lire. They're quoting 500,000 lire, (give or take). The other nuisance for me is that I'm Canadian and my dollar just isn't pretty. Lire are much friendlier to us but 500,000 lire, nope, I don't think so. I've looked into Hotel Fontana, have you heard of that one? I like its romanticism and I was told that being near the Trevi fountain is a good location as well but to avoid being near the Colosseum. <BR> <BR>I have heard that the Spanish Steps can be "interesting" from a pick-pocketers point of view...is that true? I come from a very cosmopolitain, fast moving city. I think thieves (and the like) are international. <BR> <BR>Walter, thank you very much. I'm new to the forum so I hadn't quite yet figured out the search. This should help a great deal. <BR> <BR>Thanks to all!!!!!!

Beth

Irit, <BR>the Raphael has pictures and can be booked at the Summit website, www.summithotels.com. I think I've seen Scalinata Di Spagna at the www.venere.it site. Not sure that either will be any less expensive than you were quoted for the Grand. I've heard excellent recommendations for both the Hotel Regno and the Hotel Cesari which I think may be a little less.

graziella

Hello, a few days ago we stayed at the Grand Hotel Flora at Via Veneto where it meets the Villa Borghese gardens it is totally very recently remodeled a rrom for two facing the gardens with the best breakfast you can think of, was 307.000 including taxes. <BR>Only plus or minus depending on how you look at it , it is now a Marriott. <BR>But it has the allure of an old Italian hotel and very nice service,great location etc and a reasonable rate.Via Venetto 191 fax 39 06 4820359.Bon voyage.

AJ

Irit, if 350,000 lire is in your range, and if your visit is at least three days during the time limits mentioned in their website, I would try emailing the Grand Hotel Plaza. They certainly honored the website rates for us by email. Just to let you know, we got a quote from the Scalinata for our trip last March - it was just as expensive as the Grand Hotel Plaza. And, in fact, several of the three star hotels we queried quoted rates of 300,000 or more. Wherever you decide to go, I would strongly recommend that you stay in the "historical area" (section 5 of ROMA - www.venere.it) <BR> <BR>Good luck, you will love Rome.

DAN

We have stayed at the Scalinata di Spagna and also would recommend it. It is at the top of the Spanish Steps, across from the much more expensive Hassler, within walking distance of Trevi Fountain, the Quirinale, Via Condotti,etc. But we also stayed at the Albergo Sole al Pantheon, right on the Piazza della Rotonda, and the location is far superior to the Scalinata for first-time visitors, because it's in the historic center, right across from the Pantheon - easy walk to Campo di Fiori, Piazza Navona, not so far to Coliseum/Forum area, closer to the Vatican than the Spanish Steps. The hotel is not inexpensive but is very charming, clean, friendly - and as I said, the location can't be beat. You should be able to find more information about it in Fodor's as well as other guidebooks.

nilly

Hi Irit. Two years ago we stayed at the Hotel White in Rome .It is a few minutes from the trevi fountain, a small boutique hotel which was in the mid range pricewise. Unfortunately I don't have an address,but we have reccomended it to friends quite a few times and all were very happy. It is very charming and I would love to go back one day.

Diane Cull

Hello <BR>First time to Rome!! How much fun!! <BR>We have stayed twice at the Fontana Hotel-located directly across fromt he Trevi Fountain. We had rooms that overlook the fountain--oh so lovely!!Breakfast is served on the rooftop. Staff was quite friendly and helpful. From this square--Rome is within walking distance. Enjoy!!

pam

Irit, <BR>I stand behind my suggestion of the Hotel delle REgioni. The area around the Trevi Fountain is probably loud (most of Rome is), and I was truly shocked at the hoardes of people at the fountain, no matter what time of day we passed it. Talk about pickpocket heaven.... It was far from romantic, in my opinion. Maybe this will help--we kept remarking how far away everything seemed, to look at a map of the city, but how really compact it seemed to us when we were on foot. I had been there before, and still was struck by that. So I wouldn't worry about not being right at some site or another. Rome is an easy city to get around, and I think you'll definitely save money if you're not at the 'hotel big tourist site.' The Piazza di Spagna is probably no worse than anywhere else in Rome re: pickpockets. hope this helps.