Help! Fraterna Domus or Pensione Panda
 

Hi,

I need to make a decision soon about booking with either of these two places, the first a convent near Piazza Navona and the second a pensione near the Spanish Steps (I am trying to keep costs as low as possible).

I am travelling solo in late Novemeber, and obtained the following prices on both: 78 Euro for a double room at Fraterna Domus, and 68 Euro for a single at Pensione Panda (the only other alternative here was a "stanza di matrimonio", which I believe is a honeymoon suite! for 95 Euro).

Which two places would you choose to stay at, if you were travelling solo and prefer a room that is a big larger than a closet? This will be my third time to Roma so I am familiar to both areas. Last time I stayed near the Spanish Steps (San Carlo) and like that area a great deal, but as I'll be travelling alone I might meet other solo travellers in a convent setting, not to mention have dinner there a few nights and avoid the awkwardness of dining alone if staying at a hotel/pensione. Also not sure how large/small a single at Panda is..

Any thoughts?

Thanks for any advice you can give!
Tonia

Tonia, I don't know whether you ever saw the additional information I added to your old post about the Casa Santa Brigida (click on your name and it will come up).

My room at Fraterna Domus, which was given to me as a single, had two twin beds in it and cost 48 Euros a night. It was not, admittedly, much larger than 12 feet by 12 feet. If you are paying 78 Euros, I would guess that the double room you are being given is larger than mine was.

I would also suspect that the "stanza di matrimonio" is simply a double room. In Italy, a "letto di matrimonio" is a double bed that may or may not consist of two singles pushed together and held together by bedding that goes over both.

I don't remember seeing any type of 'common' area when my husband and I stayed at the Panda. We checked in on the third floor - looked like someone's living room, but our rooms were on the second floor. The room we stayed in, a double bed with a bath, was small but nice. Our friends stayed in rooms with no bath and their rooms were much smaller. If you want to stay someplace with the opportunity to meet others, I don't think the Panda will give you this.

Eloise,

Thank you for the information. I hadn't realized there were additional responses from you to my separate post last month, so thank you for mentioning it. I printed it out and will use your suggestions.

Hmm, I hope that what I was quoted for (78Euro for a double) is a larger room that the single you stayed in, since you say it also had two beds...I guess I should trust them, they are women of the cloth!

Nonetheless, I think this is the cheapest rate I could probably get and also taking in the factors that are important to me (double size room for single use, safety, company, and food if I choose to eat there) so I've decided to send them the required deposit.

Parker - thanks for your info on the Panda. I am not able to make the comparisons.

Thanks to all once again!
Tonia

Meant to say "I am NOW able to make the comparisons"...oops!

Tonia

Hi Tonia
if i remember correctly the Fraterna Domus has a curfew of 11 or 12, no? would that make a difference to you?

Hi Tonia.
We stayed at Fraterna Domus at the end of May/early June and were very satisfied with the accommodations for the rate. We paid E78 for a double which included breakfast. Breakfast was coffee, hot tea and hot milk and stale/hard bread and jam and some sort of packaged "snack". We don't drink coffee, so the breakfast was not really worth it for us. You may want to ask if they have a rate without breakfast. We never ate lunch or dinner there, but when we stopped back by our room during those times, the "lobby" was packed with people waiting to eat, so it seems quite popular.
The room was fine...clean and plenty big with a nice window. The shower was just a showerhead in the wall in the bathroom area, but the water was hot and the pressure was good.
The location is excellent. The bus from the station stops right in front of the convent. It is about 2 blocks from Piazza Navona. Orso 80 which is much discussed here is down the street and around the corner on the way to Piazza Navona. There is a bakery/pizza/bread place nearby that we bought pizza at several times and a small convenience store next to Orso 80. From out the front door, you can see the Spanish steps at night (albeit about a 20 minute walk away). It is an easy walk to St. Peters/the Vatican, across the bridge from CastelAngelo (sorry I know I didn't spell this right) and an easy walk to all the main tourist attractions - Campo, the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain etc.
Bus stops are nearby for the Coliseum/Forum but you can also walk there as well.
We basically use our room to sleep and shower and having said that were very satisfied with our stay at Fraterna Domus. For the price and location it seems hard to beat.
The sister we spoke with didn't know much English, but through smiles and key words we were able to communicate just fine.
There is an 11:00 pm curfew, but that didn't affect us.
The area is well traveled at night, so we never felt unsafe.
Hope you have a great stay.

Thanks Wanderfar - I am feeling increasingly better about choosing to stay at Fraterna Domus and opting for the double room. Also thanks for the suggestions on places to eat around there. I am printing all of this out for me to bring...

Wildfire - yes, I was aware of the 11pm curfew, but I don't think that will be a problem since I'm travelling solo and won't be wandering the streets late(unless, that is...I make a whole bunch of friends there! uh oh..).

Thanks again to all.

Tonia

We have stayed at Fraterna Domus several times. Last December we stayed there for 12 days. The first day I hurt my back when I slipped on the cobblestones- too much walking with jet lag! The sisters were lovely to me. One of them drove me to the emergency room and went with me to see the doctor to help with translating. They provided meals for me while I was recuperating and twice brought a doctor(who was also staying there) to check on me.

There was a very pleasant mix of nationalities there- a group of students and teachers from the University of Alaska who were on a tour giving music performances. We enjoyed listening to them practice in the 1000 year old chapel attached to the convent.

There were several German families with young children and a single woman from Canada.

Three of the sisters speak some English and one speaks fluent English.

You would find it interesting to go to a mass at their chapel. The sisters are very dedicated. If you get the chance, eat Sunday lunch there, and you will see many local families there.

Sally,

Thank you for the info.

Tonia

TONIA:

I have stayed at the Panda several times. While you can't beat the location, beware that you don't receive a "small" room because it will forever describe in your mind what "small" is.

FWIW, once the Panda was full and they sent me to Pensione Paradiso across the street from the Lepanto Metro stop. It was clean and the room was 32E per night!