Beds in Rome
 

OK, call me a spoiled American, but what is it with the beds in Rome? I have looked at hundreds of apartments on the Interent during the last few weeks, and with very little exception I see beds that look like nothing more than a comforter or very thin mattress on a wooden platform. Many appear to be directly on the floor. Is there a reason behind this, a cultural tradition, or what? I have guessed that maybe it's because it is difficult to get a box spring and/regular-type mattress into the narrow hallways and around the curves of narrow and steep stairwells. But is there another explanation that I can't perceive?

Whatever the reason--I am 63-years-old and recovering from knee surgery, and I desperately need to get a comfortable night's sleep. I don't think I can even get up from a mattress on the floor without some help! Is there anything I can do to guarantee that I get an apartment with a comfortable bed? Anyone else out there who has had the same thoughts or personal exprience to report from? Any advice or insight appreciated.

I have rented many apartments and have never slept on the floor. Which ones are you looking at?

no advice, but I feel your pain. I don't know about Roman customs, but I noticed the same thing for vacation rental apts. in France. I think it's because that is cheaper and a lot of those owners don't live in the places and want to buy what is cheapest. I've also found that in Mexico (beds only on platforms and hard) and on Guadeloupe in the Caribbean, but that's another continent.

Just got back from Italy and France, and slept in regular, comfortable beds in Rome, Florence, Venice, and Paris. Some of the second bedroom beds, in the apartments we rented, were less than ideal -- a small sofa bed in one case, instead of the "French bed" advertized, but none of them were on the floor -- all of reasonable height.

You may need to up the price category of the places you search for, a bit.

I'm a bit creaky myself, being a bunch of years older than yourself, so I appreciate your need for comfort. Keep looking, and I'm sure you will have a wonderful trip, in spite of the fact that the entire city of Rome is built uphill -- connected by endless @#%$$@@ flights of marble stairs.

:-)

We stayed at this apartment right in the thick of things in Rome (it was near Campo de Fiori, easy walk to Trastevere) and while it is large for one person the bed was great! A regular, queen size bed.

It is on the European "first" floor - which means it is up one flight of stairs (no elevator) and looks out to the street as if it is on the second floor.

http://www.rome-apartments-for-rent....pellegrino.asp

http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/vr/review.asp?n=1530
(In the photo it is the three windows with the cracked shutters.)

Don't know how can you get a guarantee about a comfortable bed when the quest for finding the perfect bed/mattress still continues for us and our geezer aches and endlessly creative pains. Trying it out in the store is no guarantee, only time tells and then what? No returns and little resale value and back to the search.
The beds we slept on in Italy were nothing like you mentioned but high, substantial and firm and we slept well. At home, the aches returned and I suppose we now look for something firmer rather than the luxury techy toppings that we thought would fit the bill.
I think that it is personal, not cultural.

It's not quaint and it's a free shuttle ride away from the center of Rome...but Sheraton Roma was oh so very comfortable.

Thought that those of you who had a similar concern from looking at photos of beds in apartments might be interested in this article I ran across on Slow Trav favorites. Looks like I may not be the only one to have a question about those unusual looking beds. Check this out, maybe more than you want to know.

www.vbella.com/essays/bed

I think I messed up on the website about the beds, oops! Just try Vacanze Bella main site and then go to resources, essays. vbella.com
Sorry. Other good essays there also.