Anybody have any suggestions of one vs. the other; Downtown Accomodation or Casa Kolbe? They are both located where I want to be -near the Forum and Circus Maximus, and my niece who's near there in school for half a year. And the price for both is right; 80 or 84 euros.
Thanks for any input,
Kathy

They are two different things: Downtown Accommodation is one of several bed-and-breakfasts that seem to be owned by one owner (the e-mail address for each is the same) and to be located in individual flats in various apartment buildings in Rome. Casa Kolbe is a house of hospitality run by a religious order. My feeling is that you would feel safer in the Casa Kolbe and that it would probably be better managed. My guide "Bed and Blessings Italy" also says that the Casa Kolbe can recommend "a marvelous restaurant around the corner," which would be an additional inducement for me.

Thanks for your reply, Eloise. I went ahead and confirmed with Casa Kolbe.

Kathy

I would also like to book a stay in Casa Kolbe, but haven't been able to find anywhere to do it online. Where did you go? How did you receive information about the hotel itself?

As far as I know -- and I've just searched on Google and Virgilio -- Casa Kolbe does not have a Web site.

I know it from a book called "Bed and Blessings" about convent and monastery lodgings in Italy that was published in 1999 for Jubilee Year 2000.

You could try to telephone or fax Casa Kolbe:
Tel: 39-06-679-4974
Fax: 39-06-6994-1550

And there is one on-line agency, called the Cooperativa Il Sogno, which says it will reserve at Casa Kolbe and other religious institutes. Its Web site is at:
www.romeguide.it