Continued thanks to all of you for the wonderful advice! I'm currently booked at the Del Senato for 5 days at the end of June, but I just found a similar rate for the Grande Hotel de la Minerve. I've read good things about both in this forum - has anyone seen both? Any thoughts or preferences? Many thanks!

If this is the Minerva on Piazza Minerva near the Pantheon, then that is certainly a great price for the five star hotel. The Minerva is well appointed, as a five star hotel should be, but to me, is rather business oriented and not as charming as the Del Senato. The views are better at the Del Senato where many rooms have views of the Pantheon and Piazza della Rotonda and some have terraces. I don't believe the rooms at the Minerva have terraces and only some will face the Piazza della Minerva and a portion of the Pantheon.

WOW! That's an unbelievable rate for the Minerve. However, I would only caution you that "charming" or not (whatever the word charming really means) I would definitely suggest that whatever hotel you're in, in Rome, in June that it be air conditioned. We were just there three weeks ago and the temps were already into the 80's....open windows just don't cut it and charm and comfort are not necessarily coincidental.

Del Senato is air-conditioned. The rooms are small but the views from the top floor rooms are unbelievable. Most of the rooms face the front of the Pantheon, whereas the Minerva would face the rather unattractive back of the pantheon.

I have family who stayed at the Minerva earlier this year and loved it. The locatio of either hotel is excellent.
The Minerva is a "grand" hotel, the price comparison with the del Senato seems amazing. As long as they're not giving you the last unrenovated room, or a room on the first floor over a kitchen or laundry vent, it sounds like a great deal.