Hi, i'm going to Paris and Rome for first time and wondered if anybody had any suggestions on hotels there. I don't want to spend over 100$. I read Richard's post and got really excited but i want little more information, thank for any help. Munawar

I recommend a hotel in the "Old Rome" around Piazza Navona, the Pantheon or Spanish Steps. From what I understand the Marcus has good rates and you may find a cheap room there. I havent stayed there but a friend has and he says it is ok. Simple but OK. It is in a great area and is very central. Look on the http://www.venere.it/roma/roma.html websight. I am not sure if it has air conditioning so if u are going in the summer this is a requirement. Also try the Hotel Julia, again I havent stayed there but it is near the Trevi Fountain and seemed decent and inexpensive. As a second option you may look in the area around the Vatican. This area is not really central and a bit to the west of central Rome, but it is decent and safe and a better alternative to the area near the Temini. The neighborhood around the Collesum/Piazza Venezia also has some inexpensive hotels you may want to chek out. Try the Hotel Duca d'Alba , Albergo del Sole, Torre Argentina or the Hotel Colosseum. They all seem to have good rates. If you need more help, let me know.

Hi Munawar, I would also look for hotels/pensioni around Termini, esp. in peak-season(?) for under $100. The only area (seedy although not dangerous IMO) I would avoid is south of Termini and starting a couple blocks east of Via Cavour heading east. Termini is a transportation hub (trains, buses, and the Metro intersects there) so it makes getting around *alot* easier. I have stayed in 3-4* hotels 100-200m of Termini with no problems just like many other posters have said, on this and other forums. Of course I would be on-guard inside/outside of Termini for pickpockets and luggage thieves. <BR>HTH Regards, Walter <BR>

Hello! <BR>I enjoyed my trip to Paris in May and stayed in two hotels: Grand Hotel des Balcons, about $85 per night with private bathroom and excellent location in the 6th Arr.; and Grand Hotel Leveque in the 7th Arr. for about $67 per night on rue Cler, a wonderful pedestrian street filled with great food shops. <BR> <BR>As for Rome, I stayed (May 1998) at Hotel Smeraldo for aboutg $85 per night just around the corner from Campo di Fiori. <BR> <BR>All hotels were clean, simply furnished, in great locations, and excellent prices. All had private bathrooms and the beds were comfortable. What more do you need? <BR> <BR>Email me directly if you're interested in hotel numbers, etc. <BR> <BR>Monica <BR> <BR>

Just returned from Rome and stayed at Hotel Marcus; we paid 200,000lira plus 29,000 extra for air conditioning. the staff is friendly; we were placed in two separate hotel rooms during our stay; neither were very good compared to others we saw down the hall. If I were to book I would specifically let them know that you are aware of some rooms being in better shape than others and you would want a better room; the remodeled rooms seemed to have new oak doors while the other rooms had dated doors. As for location, it was a great location.

Hotel Tizi, a small pensione, was clean, comfortable and friendly. It is located northeast of Termini Station, which gets a bad rap in many publications, but I felt very safe and comfortable there. I did not find this area to be seedy. The family who owns it are very nice. You do have to either walk or take trains to the major sights, though. But the price...90,000 lira per night, double, with bath in room, was very reasonable, I thought. You can find it in Let's Go guide.

On another visit, we stayed at the Due Torre, which is within walking distance of Piazza Navonna, etc. It is nice to be able to walk out your hotel door to everything. This was a little more, but a comfortable place. This place is listed in Karen Brown's guide and the red Michelin guide.

Hi, hotels are important, but may I remind you that "doing your homework" before being there the first time makes a lot of difference, read as much as you can, get a map and try to get acquainted with both cities. BonVaoyage.

Thanks for the help everyone. I really preciated it. It seems like many of you get your hotels booked over telephone or email, aren't you afraid of getting another room (worst). All the room they show on there homepages are in condition?? <BR> <BR>But ones more thanks for the help everyone.