nona1

This is why: "In looking around today for rooms everything seems to be booked or way out of budget."

Try looking on www.octopustravel.com as they have hotels for all budgets and check availability immediately. I've used them several time and always managed to find something even on a tight budget. You can search by number of people too!

nona1

I just searched on there and found a hotel in the suburbs of Rome but only 5 mins from the Metro with a twin room and a double plus child room for only £875 for the whole stay (7 nights) in three weeks time. Those located centrally cost a lot more but this one is still a lot better than the airport holiday inn. (Hotel Flaminius, 3 star, budget hotel for groups) If you've got more money it also threw up some very nice 4 stars and central hotels from abut £2300 for the 7 nights.

Intrepid1

You folks do realize that there actually <b>are</b> some people who live in houses with only one bathroom, right? OK, they probably aren't &quot;quoted on Fodors and becoming travel writers&quot; but get real.

I suspect the reason for the Holiday Inn and near the airport is budget-controlled.

I also think sneaking a fifth person into a hotel room designed for four is fraud.

janisj

&quot;<i>there actually <b>are</b> some people who live in houses with only one bathroom, right?</i>&quot;

Of course - but the 5 of them don't usually all sleep in the same room, have to be out of the house at exactly the same time, are together 24/7, and have to trip over the luggage for 5 people crammed into one room/bathroom.

If possible they need to get 2 rooms, or a flat w/ 1.5 or 2 baths, and get to a more conveninet area than the airport.

What they <i>might</i> save staying out there will be eaten up in time/expense communting into the city.

Neopolitan

Intrepid, about the one bath deal, that is true. I'm not ashamed to admit I grew up in a family of 5 and we had only one bathroom! What's more we had only a bathtub, no shower (until I was in highschool and I was the youngest). But that was never a big problem. Far different from everyone being in one room --a little modesty particularly among three teenagers of both sexes requires dressing in the bathroom too and really slowing things down--and all of us trying to get ready to get in the car at the same time. Big difference!

grsing

Go in in two groups (2 &amp; 3), they'll never know. I've snuck far more than that in before (I think the most was 12 in what was supposed to be only 2, but it was a huge room).

grsing

Oh, if you're all getting off the shuttle bus together, that's a little harder. But as others asked, why are you staying out by the airport the whole time? You just waste a whole lot of time commuting, and waiting for the bus, and makes it hard to go out in the evening, and such.

MarthaT

Neopolitan, I have the same memories as you, family of 5 , one bathroom.
And we traveled the USA alot when I was a kid and shared one room.
Also when all of us were teens my parents moved to Florida and we spent about a month in a hotel room while they were looking for a house. Never realized how bad it was at the time!!LOL