FTP

I will be in Italy the first week of December and looking for a nice hotel in an interesting town not too far from Rome. We will probably have a car, so access isn't a problem. Maybe a hotel with a nice restaurant or b & b with comfy surroundings, maybe a "resort" , maybe an interesting medieval town. Looking more for ambience than specific sights or history. We've been to Orvieto and have gone to Frascati but never stayed there. Any special towns east of Rome you recommend? Thanks.

tcreath

Have you considered one of the towns on Lake Bracciano? We haven't been there, unfortunately. My husband discovered it online and we fully intended on taking a daytrip from Rome when we were there in December, but had too much to do and just couldn't find the time. The towns look really interesting and I don't think they are very touristy.

http://www.lakebracciano.com/lakebra.../paesi_en.html

Just an option!

Tracy

tcreath

Another option, though quite expensive I believe, is La Posta Vecchia. Again, I've never been, but I watched Rudy Maxa on tv a few weeks ago and it was a segment on "daytrips from Rome" or something along those lines. Anyways, he stayed at this Villa and it looked absolutely gorgeous. Here is the link:

http://www.relaischateaux.com/en/sea...taurant/posta/

Tracy

sandi_travelnut

I too saw that villa in Rudy Maxa's show and thought it was so beautiful. I had no idea it was so expensive. Oh well...I can dream about it at least.

lincasanova

will have some direct input about www.villatuscolana.com as soon as some travellers get back from their one night there in frascati.

it was 100 euros incl. breakfast plus tax tonight.

otherwise i know nothing about that area, but atleast it is very well connected by train.

FTP

Thank you so much for the responses. I am looking into Lake Bracciano and villa Tuscolana. I hadn't seen the Rudy MAx show, but from the website La Posta Vecchio looks VERY nice-though expensive (it closes in November for a few months). I would love to hear back about Tuscolana and if anyone has specific hotel ideas, I would apprecite them.

FTP

Anything else?

worldinabag

Hi

How about stay at a castle for 120E a night - http://www.rentalcastles.com

Ciao

lincasanova

I have spoken to my friend who spent one night at Villa tuscolana, 30 min. from ciampino airport.
She enjoyed it. would go back. It is a lovely, charming palatial building on a hill with lovely gardens. The rooms, are basic, though, nothing luxurious, but nice bathroom and breakfast was fine. The area was charming, and she recommends it and would go back unless she had a very early morning flight out of ciampino.

She also enjoyed the town of frascati for dinner.

The rate was 100 euros for double with breakfast, tax separate. www.bancotel.com

so.. hope this helps.

betsys

I have not stayed there, but I remember reading about the Borgo Paraelios, called a "haven of elegance in the Roman countryside." It was written up in the NYTimes Travel section by a young couple who had stayed there a couple of years ago, and it is in Fodor's Hotels and Country Inns of Character and Charm in Italy, 02040 Poggio Mirteto Scalo (Rieti), Valle Collicchio, telephone: 765 26 267, about 40 miles north of Rome. By now they prob. have a web site, so check it out. Please report on where you stay, as it would be interesting.

betsys

PS: They do have a web site, and I just discovered they are a Relais & Chateaux, so prob. expensive, but looks good!

5alive

I am considering Bracciano for a day trip, as there is an interesting looking castle there.

On Trip Advisor I came across these lodgings, someone recommended
a hotel/equestrian center at Bracciano; here is the link. I haven't been, decided to get an apartment in the city.

http://www.iduelaghi.it/

And here is venere's link:
http://en.venere.com/hotels_anguilla...html?ref=34989

I also thought Sermoneta looked like a great town.

Cicerone

I am a huge fan of La Posta Vecchia and have posted on it numerous times, its sister hotel futher up the coast, Il Pelicano is also quite lovely. Not sure either is so great in December as it may be a bit chilly, I think I would pick La Posta Vecchia over Il Pelicano as it is not so much a beach hotel as Il Pelicano, and is closer to the wonderful Etruscian town of Tarquina, and you could also get to Ostia Antica quite easily. In December you may find good rates as that is out of season, it is worth checking, although as noted above, they may be closed for a few weeks during that time.

www.lapostavecchia.com
www.pellicanohotel.com

You might also try the Karen Brown website, she usually lists very interesting hotels, form a quick look myself the area north of Rome called the Sabina looks interesting. Go to karenbrown.com

FTP

Thank you everyone for the feedback. The villa tuscolana is a possiblity for a night. The Relais & Chateaux property Borgo Paraelios looks lovely, but too expensive. I will look again at the Karen Brown website-we enjoyed the places recommended in her book for Castelrotto, Taormina and Erice.

tcreath

5alive, if you do go to Bracciano please report about it when you return. There is very little about it on these boards. My husband "discovered" the castle online last year, right before our second trip to Rome, and we fully intended to go. Unfortunately we were in Rome only a short time and decided to visit Ostia Antica as a daytrip instead. We are planning on visiting Bracciano on our next trip to Rome but I would love to read a first-hand account of how it was.

Tracy

5alive

Definitely I will, Tracy. It amazes me the amount of things to see in Italy. From the looks of it, the castle would be a Tier 1 attraction many places in the world.