Chocolat

I have read alot of the threads on budget hotels... but when I go onto the websiet of La Calcina, Accademia, etc... they are all priced at 140Euros and up--my idea of a budget is up to a maximum 100 Euros (coming from Canada our dollar is weak against the Euro!) - am I carzy that we will find decentm, even quaint accomodations for that price in August and September??

N

Betsy

Chocolat (love the screen name). Have you considered staying in convents? They're not for everyone, but it is a budget option. Type the name of your city and convents, for example <Rome convents> (without the little arrow thingies) into the search box and press find. Many threads from the archives will appear on the left hand side of your page. Book early.

sandi_travelnut

For one person or two? Have you looked on www.venere.com for a 2-star hotel that would be in that price range?

Eloise

If you will settle for clean and nicely appointed rather than quaint, I would suggest Al Campaniel.

It's in San Polo, almost at the border to Dorsoduro, where many points of interest are: the Accademia, the Frari Church, the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, the Peggy Guggenheim and one of my favorites, the Ca Rezzonico, a museum of 18th-century Venice.

Al Campaniel is a few steps from the San Toma vaporetto station, and there is also a traghetto stop there (A traghetto is a gondola that plies back and forth across the Grand Canal all day for a fare of 0.40 Euro; from the other side, you can get to San Marco and the other points of interest without going through the clogged "main drag" between the Rialto and San Marco.

The Web site is:

http://alcampaniel.tripod.com/

If you are interested, deal directly with Marco, rather than through one of the agencies; he's very nice and speaks excellent English.

Two caveats: The rooms are not large (very few rooms in Venice are...) and breakfast is a do-it-yourself affair with an electric kettle and wrapped Italian breakfast pastries.

eedwards

In Rome my sister and I stayed at the Hotel Gabriella. While it was only a couple blocks from the train station we found it to be a great location and NEVER felt uncomfortable coming home late in the evening. Breakfast was great, room and bathroom were clean. In Venice I stayed alone at the Hotel Orion. Under 100.00 euro, great location, quiet, nice room. I used venere.com to find both. They are a great web site for low cost rooms. In Florence I stayed at the Peterson B&B, on Ira's suggestion and while it is a little off the beaten path it was a great room, clean, with a bath and a good value for the money, again well under 100.00 euro for 1. Good luck.

suze

The Venice hotels you mentioned are 3-stars. I'm a fan of La Calcina, but I wouldn't consider it "budget" either.

I'm guessing you need to be looking at 1- or 2- star places, especially in the summer (high) season.

ira

Hi Chocolat,

We stayed 11 nights at the B&B Peterson in Florence and can recommend it highly.

See www.bedinflorence.it

Also my trip report for further info.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34451044

CarlosSandoval

In Venice, I can recommend www.hotelaidomori.com. The room we paid was 100E per night and it was 10 steps away from Piazza San Marco.

ucsbalum

I just retured from a budget whirlwind tour of Italy. We had a budget of 100E for triples, which we managed...

I definately recommend the following:

Rome --Fawlty Towers -- http://www.fawltytowers.org/

Florence -- Soggiorno Pezzati -- http://www.soggiornopezzati.it/default_EN.asp

Venice -- Hotel Arcadia (a bit of slurge, but nice and so close to the train station in a great, easy to find neighborhood -- http://www.arcadia.hotelinvenice.com...ource=vehotels

isabel

In Florence I can recommend the Hotel Desiree (http://www.florence.ala.it/desiree/).

In Venice I can recommend the Hotel Violino D'Oro (http://www.violinodoro.com/)

I stayed at both of these in July and was very happy with them. I paid 45€ at the Desiree and 60€ at the Violino. Those were for single rooms.

When you go will make a difference. Those rates were "special" rates because summer is NOT the highest priced season in either of those cities. Both hotels were considerably more in September. People keep insisting that summer is HIGH season in Europe and it is often NOT the case. True, airfare from the US is usually more, but hotel rates are very often less in July and August than in May-June and Sept-Oct. I have found this to be true in many places that I have traveled to in Europe for each of the last five summers.

Also, you can often get better rates by using, or at least checking with, one of the many discount hotel sites. For example, the Desiree had a price of about 59€ on their own site but I found the rate of 45€ on another site. I then e-mailed the Desiree and asked for that rate and got it. So I did actually book with them, but found the better rate on another site. For the Violino I actually booked it on another site.

My advice is to google the name of the hotel. This will bring up not only the hotel's own web site, but several booking sites which list the hotel. After checking several sites (you also get to see different photos of the place that way) you'll have a better idea of the prices. I use this technique alot and have been quite happy with almost all of my hotel choices in the last several years.

Chocolat

Thank you so much for all your messages.

Can anyone give me some more information about staying in convents (what specific rules are there??). My husband and I are both catholics so we wouldn't at all feel uncomfortable but I just have never heard from anyone who stayed at one.

I will be travelling with my husband to Italy and while I would love to stay in beautiful places, we have both acknowledged that the only way we can do this trip is on a low-budget - and he is fine with staying in a 2-star.

Thanks to everyone for providing me some sites and invaluable advice.

N

WillTravel

I'm not Catholic, but I found this convent in Florence seems quite good and interesting. I've booked to stay there. The drawback is that while you can have a private shower or bath in your room, there aren't any private toilets.
http://www.fmmfirenze.it
However, there are other convents in Florence that do have private bathrooms.

I've posted several other links on convents so click on my name and maybe you can find those posts.

Casa Il Rosario in Rome is very reasonably priced and well-located and has ensuite bathrooms. It has good reviews but I haven't stayed there.

massagediva

I have two great budget hotels for you. In Florence,we have stayed at Hotel Casci,a very comfortable family -friendly hotel with a terrific breakfast. In Rome,I like Residenza San Pantaleo near Piazza Navona. Each hotel is in a great location and about 100 euro for a double room.I have been to both in the last year.

Daneille

Hi - I too am into budget travel.

Check out the following: -

Rome - Hotel Clarin (via Palermo which runs parallel to Via Nazionale the main thoroughfare through Rome - walking distance to alot of attractions.

Florence - Hotel Piccolo (via San Gallo and only minutes from the Duomo and markets)

Venice - Hotel Orion (San Marco - , easy walk to vaporettos and Rialto Bridge, Accademia etc)

Fodorite018

I have to agree about the Casci in Florance...wonderful place! The hotel is in a great location...walking distance to everything, yet quiet. The owners/staff though are what makes it so special. Everyone does so much to make the stays perfect. We recommended it to friends after we went, and their trip was just as great.

kybourbon

Convents usually have curfews so if you are out past curfew you can't get back in until the next morning.

kfusto

B&B Filomena and Francesca in Rome or the Daphe Inn if you are able to get a room there.

In Florence, try A Rayan Place B&B or the Cimatori or Casa di Dante.

Leely

The convent-curfew issue can be a problem. Even though I don't consider myself a nightlife person, we dine so late in Italy and the dinners last so long. I have some friends who have been locked out.

Duggan

The beehive in Rome is a good call and they have a B&B network that has some very good cheap choices for Florence and Venice. I stayed in one in Florence and an apartment from them in Rome.

jend

Try Hotel San Carlo in Rome!
http://www.hotelsancarloroma.com/
My husband and I stayed there in April and loved it. I think we payed around $160 a night, but the room we stayed in was recently renovated and had a huge bathroom! Not to mention that it is centered and close to everthing, just steps from the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain and right in the middle of the fine shopping district.
Ask for the rooms on the top floors that are renovated - I think we stayed in room #71