macca

My wife and I are taking our two children, their spouses and four grandchildren [aged 7-15] to europe for three weeks during September / October 2010.
We are looking at spending 5 nights / 6 days in Rome in early October.
Having spent hours perusing the web I now turn to our knowledgeable readers to suggest suitable self catering accommodation for six adults and four grandchildren.
We are happy to look at accommodation either close to the centre or outside of central Rome that is close to public transport to the centre. Help Please!!

LoveItaly

Hello macca, as a start what is your budget for these five nights in Rome? And how many bedrooms and bathrooms are you requiring?

Zerlina

Have a look at Residenza Giubbonari. It's a very central building with several apartments for 4 to 6 people each. The only caveat is that the street is busy with pedestrian traffic
until late at night and can be noisy. Several of the apartments, however, have quiet bedrooms to the back.

Whatever you decide, I'd suggest you stay central. What you might save by choosing something on the outskirts would not make up for the hassle of moving 10 people back and forth to the center.

macca

Thanks for the responses
The budget (we think) would need to be up to E300 per night
I have looked at Residenza Giubbonari and have it shortlisted as a possibility as it appears that several apartments will be the way to go
Your comments re the noisy pedestrians is appreciated. I agree with the central V the hassles. We dont need hassles!!

cathies

Once you get out of central Rome the transport system is not so good. We made that mistake a few years ago and sometimes it could take up to an hour each way to get into/out of the centre. Really not worth it - I especially missed not being able to go back to our accommodation to freshen up and have a little rest during the day. I see you have posted the same question for Paris, which is quite different the transport there is better.

tarquin

I stayed with my family in an apartment on the other side of the via Giubbonari a few years ago and noise was not a problem at all. While there can be a pedestrian hubbub at times, the disturbance is nothing compared to vehicular traffic. There is a good bakery, a supermarket hidden up the Monte della Farina, a super little leather workshop, and some good places to eat nearby, Diterambo for instance on the P. della Cancelleria. Also an excellent deli on the corner of Campo dei Fiori.

J62

See my comments from yesterday on Residenza Giubbonari.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...giubbonari.cfm

If you shut the double pane windows the pedestrian noise isn't a problem.

JulieAgain

We think Navona Garden Suites is very nice; we've stayed there twice. All of the apartments have entrances off of the same private courtyard, so you can even run back & forth to each other's apartments. Some of them are more like hotel rooms with some kitchen items (which should be ok if you have kitchen in other units & for your short stay); one has 2 rooms with a shared kitchen (very nice), & one is a larger family unit with 2 full baths & a large fully equiped kitchen.

There are a couple of the newer units that have a serious noise problem - discussed on tripadvisor. Be sure when you reserve that you stress that you do not want those. We did so (nicely & with concern) & our request was fulfilled.

Also on tripadvisor I saw some negative comments about the woman who staffs the office from 11-7 (nice to have someone to go to for info/help). We found her (was just there in November) to be a sweet young woman from Sweden - we really cononected with her. But then we are friendly folks. She even let us use her computer to checkin for our flight & print our boarding passes & email the folks at home - nice!

The location cannot be beat. On a quiet & quaint street one block from Piazza Navona, couple blocks to Campo dei Fiori, walk to the Vatican & most other sites. Bus stop 1 block away. Large grocery about 1 block. This is our favorite lodging in Rome.

Good luck, Julie

JulieAgain

oops, forgot the web address - http://www.navonagardensuites.com/.

Also we've stayed at Residence Barberini, http://www.residencebarberini.com/. Totally different kind of place. Located at the bottom of Via Veneto & in the busy piazza of Barberini. However, a metro is just across the street - soooo convenient for hopping around quickly & not losing any time - use money belts only on public transport - nothing in pockets!

Not the Roman ambience that Navona Suites has, but still functional with kitchen units; some have 2 bedrooms. All units are in the same building like a hotel, but more apartment size than hotel size. There is a 24hour staffed front desk, which is nice for info/help. A free pc in the lobby. Front entrance is kept locked at all times, so you get a key. Good location also.

Only noteworthy issue is that the place must consider itself rather bohemian (sp?) or something. There are a couple of wall murals by the photographer who goes around the world photographing lots of naked people in famous settings. Didn't bother us, kind of interesting, but since you have children, don't know how sheltered they are.

Good luck again, Julie

lavender

Look at http://www.italy-accom.com/ I notice they have a couple of apartments in the centre of Rome that would accommodate your family.

I booked an apartment with them a couple of years ago and found them to be very helpful and apartments were as described on their website. They also have an office in Rome which I found a comfort if I was to encounter any problems ( which I didn't)

annhig

hi macca,

we too have used italy-accom.com and found them very helpful, though we did have to be a bit firm with them when the owner of the first apartment withdrew it, and they wanted to put us a different apartment on the first night, then move us to another after that.

the navona garden suites look very nice. it's in the area you definitely want to be in - bordered by the river to the west, and an imaginery line drawn north or south from the spanish steps to the pantheon to the east.

I strongly suggest that once you find a place that you like, you book it - I ahve spent hours looking for the "perfect aparptment" only to end up with the one i first thoguht of!

have a great trip,

regards, ann

JulieAgain

macca, if you don't select any of the ones suggested here, the following website, if you haven't already found it, should give you all of the info you would ever need to rent an apartment in Rome!

http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/vr/list.asp?r=Rome

Happy New Year everyone, Julie

macca

Thanks to all. The comments are most helpful and I will be following through on them.
Tarquin, thanks, and whatb was the name of the apartment that you used and how was it?
Lavender what was the apartment that you stayed in?
thanks JulieAgain for the useful comments. They all help to make my decisions
I agree with annhig that I need to make decisions and get on with it. My wife and I had one bad experience in Rome some years ago when "what we saw on the internet was definitely NOT what we got!!And with kids and grandkids )and a not inexhaustable budget) we want to try to get it right

lavender

I stayed in Via Coronari Loft apartment for 8 nights- really only suitable for a couple or maybe couple + ( small) kids, because kids would have to share double sofa bed. Quite compact but okay if out sightseeing every day. Fantastic location- in pedestrian street with lots of antique shops- could walk everywhere easily. Loved the rooftops view ( but a LONG walk upstairs,no lift) and listening to the church bells. Light and airy aspect.

macca

Hi cathies. I have found three apartments in Paris with Vacation in Paris #29 #79 and #179. Do you know them?
Back to Italy however. I will keep looking and try to find something similar to the three apartments in Paris. Having looked at this option it would appear to be a really sensible idea to allow each family some "privacy" as we will be together for three weeks and the week before Rome will be on a self drive canal boat in the south of France!

Zerlina

Two things:

1. You'll have to up your budget. 300 Euro for 10 people or 30 Euro per person will maybe get you a dorm room in Rome in high season (and September/October is high season); it won`t get you central apartments with all the amenities.

2. The larger the apartments, the cheaper it will be. Two apartments for 6 and 4 people will cost less than three apartments for 4 and 4 and 2 people. Also, there will be relatively few places that will have space for 10 people in the same building. Giulia A and B, offered by Sleep in Italy, is one possibility.

cathsomm

We stayed in the Villa Silj in July 2008 which is about a half hour train ride outside of Rome. We had 11 in our group - two families with 7 teenagers aged 14 - 20. It is a beautiful property with a swimming pool and at least two separate cottages. It was wonderful to come back to after a long day of sightseeing in the city. You can find information about it at www.holiday-rentals.co.uk
Property # 9547. The metro train connections were effortless and then you took a 5-10 minute bus that dropped you off at their driveway. We loved it there - very good for kids.

cathies

Hi macca, I don't know those particular Paris apartments, but the area is fine and the apartments look clean and well maintained. Did you realise that two of them are studio apartments with sofa beds in the living room for sleeping? That would put me off straight away as mum, dad and the children would all be sleeping in the lounge room. But, that's not to say that it wouldn't suit your family. The studios are tiny - no bigger than a small hotel room. Just make sure you consult with the family before committing them to a booking.

The place that cathsomm recommends for Rome might suit you, but do keep in mind that there is no popping back for a freshen up if you are tired during the day. Is there somewhere near there where you can feed the family?

tarquin

Sorry, macca, the apartment we rented was an independent one and I haven't been able to find it on the web subsequently.

I was just commenting on the area, the via Giubbonari, which we found very convenient and liveable.