IMDonehere

And people immediately assume that a poster has no sense of humor, simply because they do not.

WWK

Thin,

I love your posts! Keep them coming!

tuscanlifeedit

LouisaH: alas, it wasn't me. I've never stayed at the Torre Argentina Relais. I have stayed at the Due Torri, which is OK, but the Portoghesi is nicer, IMO.

Let us know how the Torre Argentina is. Maybe the real guest will speak up!

UNCalum

Another vote for the Portoghesi! I was there in May, and the staff and accomodations could not have been nicer. I really like the area as well!

zenfoodist

Thank you all so much for your responses, snarky and all. I am sticking with the Abruzzi. Had a few moments of doubt and went back to reconsider the Senato, but it was completely booked. My dad asked me to look into hotels with pools (we are able to cancel the Abruzzi within 72 hours of arrival etc) because our friends just returned this weekend from visiting family and a few in their group had suffered heat stroke. We've been to Italy before in August and it was hot, but our Italian friends said it was PARTICULARLY hot this summer. Hate summer but it's the only time we can go for two weeks so we will make the best of it. The hotels that seems to feature pools are bigger and much more expensive like the Excelsior or the Parco Principe or in areas I don't like. So I think I am just going to do my best to not second guess at this point.

sandralist

July is often hotter than August in Italy, so you might luck out. If you do get a heat wave, stay out of the sun and drink lots of water.

I know you want to get this behind you, and I am really not against the Abruzzi (it appears to have been renovated since I was there, and possibly a change of management) but -- it is worthwhile to keep peeking at reviews of any hotel you booked because this week, many tourists who suffered last week's heat wave in Italy are writing reviews of their stays. Sometimes on Tripadvisor those reviews will appear very quickly, and if the air con didn't work as promised, people will scream about it in reviews.

zenfoodist

Thanks, Sandralist. I have been doing just that. My dad found some lovely hotel with a pool, the Giancolo ? , a bit away from the action etc I was willing to look into it. The first TA review I read talked about how awful the air-conditioning was. Something about it being controlled from behind the front desk. No thanks. There's no way I can bring my son to Italy and not visit Rome. I was thinking if it were really bad when we were there, we could just stay in the Amalfi area longer or go up north to the lake region. But I LOVE Rome and considering my son read so much about ancient Rome in his history classes this year, it's essential. Trust me, I hate Manhattan in the summer, but at least here I can go into a 68° space each night and get tons of ice in my drinks! We will do our best.

Peter_S_Aus

May I offer my most sincere congratulations on finding a hotel in the Eternal City ...

Drumroll is totally not adequate. How about the first 40 bars from Zadok the Priest.

tuscanlifeedit

zenfoodist, I can understand your hatred for Manhattan in the summer. I did see on your other thread that you have a pool at your house, so that ought to mitigate some of the heat. Hope Rome cools off for you.

latedaytraveler

THIN,

"Some of you are as much fun as an afternoon reading Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead."

Love that ripost - I hate THE FOUNTAINHEAD!

IMDonehere

I too am tough I native NY'er. Once I put the same effort into finding a hotel and forgot where I was going.

tuscanlifeedit

My wedding anniversary is Friday. Married at Duck Pond in Central Park. It was 102 degrees that afternoon.

IMDonehere

Unlike the rest of the world where the weather is perfect twelve months a year, I would advise people to avoid NY, if at all possible, during Jan, Feb, July and Aug.

hudsonguz

I just got back from a 4 night's stay at Albergo del Senato last week. All of the staff, including reception, was absolutely warm, friendly and so helpful. I loved that hotel. No one was the least bit snotty to me.