Hey Budget Travel Gurus!

My husband and I are going to spend Sept. 1-17 in Venice, Sienna, Florence and Rome and we want to save as much money as possible (so we can spend more on museums and souvenirs!)

Our needs are simple (bug-free, reasonably clean lodging for two. Breakfast is a plus, but is not necessary.) We just want a good location for a day or two at a time where we can ditch our packs during the day and rest our weary bones at night.

An occasional "splurge" is ok ($150-200/night U.S.)- we love a nice B&B- but for the most part, we'd like to spend under $125 U.S. if possible (I'm sure this won't be possible in Venice, but perhaps in some of the other cities?) Hostiles are fine, as long as they are clean, safe and comfy.

What are your budget favorites?

In Sienna, there was a motel on the ring road about a km from the southern gate. It was 52 Euro on venere.com in May 2007.

In Florence, pretty expensive unless you stay a couple of km from center. But I did find a great 2-course dinner at one of the restaurants near San Lorenzo for 9 Euro.

Venice, probably most expensive of the cities. I rented an apt. near the Rialto for 110 Euro.

For search purposes, it's spelled Siena. Convent/hotel a couple of minutes walk from everything.
http://www.hotelalmadomus.it/

Venice (there are others cheaper if you want more suggestions).
http://www.foresteriavenezia.it/uk/index.html

Rome:

FRATERNA DOMUS
Via del Monte Brianza 62
00186 Rome.
Tel. 06.6880.2727; Fax: 06.683.2691; E-mail [email protected]
It is centrally located between the Tiber and Piazza Navona. Recommended by the Vatican Tourist Information Bureau. The rates are: 48 Euro per person for room with breakfast and 78 Euro for a double room. All rooms have private baths. Other meals are available on request. Curfew is at 11:00 PM.

CASA IL ROSARIO
Via S. Agata dei Goti,10 00184 Rome.
Tel. 06.679.2346; Fax: 06.6994.1106; E-mail: [email protected]
Located near the Quirinale Palace and Piazza Venezia. The rates are 50 Euro for a single room with bath; 40 Euro without bath; and 86 Euro for a double room; and 117 Euro for a room with three beds. Breakfast is included. They also have a single Handicapable room with access! No other meals are served and curfew is at 11:00 PM.

CASA DI PROCURA SUORE CATECHISTE DI SANT'ANNA (Cas per ferie SANTA SOFIA)
Piazza Madonna dei Monti, 3
00184 Rome
Tel. 06.485.778; Fax: 06.487.1064; E-mail: [email protected]
Webstie: http://sites.google.com/site/suoredisantanna/Home
Located near the Colosseum. The rates are: 50 Euro for a single room; 80 Euro for a double room and 115.00 Euro for a room with three beds. The prices include breakfast; other meals are available on request. Curfew is at 12:00 AM during the summer and 11.30 PM in winter.

Fraterna Domus and Il Rosario have AC. Santa Sofia does not. There is a cheaper convent (55€ double) behind the Vatican, but many wouldn't consider the location convenient.

Friends have stayed in the Ai do Mori, and loved it. It is so near San Marco, but reasonable in price. There is a review on this site, and there are other reasonably priced hotels to check out, on the same site.

http://www.eurocheapo.com/venice/hot...i-do-mori.html

<i>.....Hostiles are fine, as long as they are clean, safe and comfy </i>
2Aquilas: honestly don't know of any <u>hostiles</u>who can meet these requirements...hostels, yes, hostiles, no.

You might try The Hotel Residenza on upscale Tornabuoni Street in Florence. EKSCRUNCHY gave us this recommendation and it turned out very well...caged elevator, ample sized rooms, nice bathrooms, breakfast buffet...we were very satisfied and would return. Excellent location, walk everywhere to major sites. Rate around €120=$145

http://www.laresidenzahotel.com/en/

stu

dei mori B&B is a fabulously located small B&B in the center of florence....much cheaper than hotels...

Florence:
http://www.allorobb.it/Eng/index.html

We stayed at the Hotel Centrale in Florence. It was not expensive and if you ask for the Rick Steve's rate you get a discount. Our room was very nice, had a computer and flat screen TV and the breakfast was fabulous. They will also make reservations to the Uffizi and Accademia for you at no cost. We paid 103 euros for the room with the discount rate. It is very central as the name implies and quite easy to find.

In Venice we stayed at the Corte Campana B&B. Rate was 95 euros a night but it was nice and quite near St. Mark's Square. Riccrdo tries very hard to take care of his guests. He rents 3 room of his former family home out to tourists. His breakfasts are a little sparse, croissant, yogurt, coffee,juice, but he is very welcoming and will make dinner reservations for you or give you recommendations.

Sorry about the typo, Tower- this is why I shouldn't stay online after 10pm!

2Aquilas...sorry if I sounded too critical, I was just having some fun with it. Hope you find something. I can also second Bob's (rhkkmk)Dei Mori recommendation in Florence. My daughter and family stayed their a few years ago and they loved it.

stu

We stayed her in Florence last year:

http://www.hotelcastriflorence.com/

and here in Rome this year:

http://www.hotelalius.com/

Both were under 70 euros for triples ( in shoulder season) when you book ahead via the websites. They are both fairly centrally located and I thought were good values.

Rick

I stayed twice in Venice at the Bernardi Semenzato (www.hotelbernardi.com). Although not the best location it is still great for the price. Another alternative is the La Residenza, closer to San Marco (www.venicelaresidenza.com). I like them both. The guy at the La Residenza sometimes seems rude but he is really a great guy if you don't make requests that will be only fulfilled at the Cipriani.

Book marking as I am also looking for accommodation in this range, some great suggestions here, thanks.

In Florence, we stayed at the b&b Ninna Nanna. Very comfortable b&b in a nicet part of the city.
In Venice, we stayed at the Galleria - a tiny hotel in a great location.
In Rome, check out the Rezidence San Panteleo. Small hotel in the best location in the city.

I stayed at the Hotel Italia in Siena in 2007--under $100 Canadian for a single. It's about 15 min. walk outside the walls of the old city. Last summer I stayed at the Locanda al Leon in Venice--San Marco area--for about the same price. Both were clean & AC, small rooms but comfortable, and the al Leon had breakfast included.

Hi 2Aquilas ,
Just a little tip from my experience. If you know your dates for Rome and decide to stay at the convents, make your reservations asap. Nine months ahead we contacted 6 convents before we found an available one. Seems they are a popular alternative to hotels. Budget hotels are how we travel also. More money for fun stuff. Hope you have a great trip.
Michele

Hi 2A,

In Florence, I can highly recommend www.bedinflorence.it.

See my trip report for details:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34451044

Another budget hotel a friend stayed in with his teen-age daughter and liked in Rome was Hotel des Artistes. They have several levels of accommodation. I also understand The Beehive is a good place.

If you are staying 3 or 4 nights you can rent an apartment, too. Try sleepinitaly.com for one agency that has aa lot of rentals.

If you are going this September, you had better get busy!! The best deals get snapped up very early.

topping

In Rome look at the smaller studio or 1 BR apartments offered by realrome.com. This is a very good agency with reasonable rates, and apartments are better value than hotels.