2 friends traveling to Rome for 5 nights at end of September.Our first trip. 44 yo female and 32 yo female. Want to stay in a decent place-nothing less than 3 star (maybe 4 star?) type place...is it reasonable to think we could ask for a discount for staying 5 nights?
Can anyone suggest a good area if not a good hotel...want to be in a place where we feel safe...will do the usual site seeing. Not afraid to walk a lot as long as we can come back to a decent hotel at the end of the night.
Also, how do people feel about hiring a driver to take us from place to place during the day for a flat fee...does anyone know how I would find someone...would we just ask for a recommendation at the hotel? Is it worth the money?
Also I was told we could take the high spped train to Florence for the day and that it will only be about an hour trip one way...anyone ever done this?
Thanks for any help!!!!!

Hotel recommendation: We stayed at the Jolly Hotel Leonardo da Vinci this May, Via dei Gracchi, about 20 mins from Vatican and the centre, 3 mins from the nearest Metro station, in a rather quiet street, a really nice 4-star hotel. The area seemed very safe to us.

Discount: probably not. 5 nights is not exactly an extraordinarily long stay.
Usually the hotels have reduced weekend rates.

Driver: What for??? Do you have an idea of the traffic in Rome? You'll be faster on foot. Many areas in the city centre are closed for individual traffic anyway (except residents), so your car won't be able to enter the most interesting areas. Use buses and the metro if you don't want to walk, or take one of those hop-on-hop-off city tour coaches that do a circuit to all the main sights (ticket is valid for one day, so you can get on and off whereever you want). A car is ab-so-lu-te-ly useless in that city.

A one-day trip to Florence would be extremely rushed in my humble European opinion and would not do the city justice. There is enough to do and see in Rome to keep you busy for far more than those 4 short days you've got.

Rome can be a very noisy city to a hotel dweller--with the young Italians on Vespas and motorscooters screaming through the streets. Pay attention to this when selecting hotels, making reservations and talking to hotel managers.

I would also skip the trip to Florence--it will just be frustrating, as there is too much to see for a day--and Rome has way too much to see in 4 days anyway.

In Rome, be sure to try to make advance reservations with the "Ufficio Scavi" (Office of Excavations) at The Vatican for an English tour to visit the Necropolis underneath St. Peter's. (Note: this is NOT the same thing as the Crypt.) It is absolutely fascinating, you can probably make reservations on-line, but don't wait until you get there. The tour isn't offered every day, there are very few spaces, and they fill up quickly.

If you want to take a day trip outside the city, go to Hadrian's Villa in Tivoli, outside Rome. You can take a train from Rome--or this may be where you want to hire a driver and car.

Last bit of advice: keep a vice grip on your handbag, beware of gypsies and gypsy kids, and be extremely vigilant near the Coliseum or when on any form of public transportation--especially near The Vatican. If you're carrying a good bit of cash, don't keep it all in your wallet--and never put your passport in your wallet.
Buon viaggio!

You don;t need a private driver in Rome - and it would be a fortune. Stay in a central hotel and you can walk most places. If your feet are too tired sit down in a cafe for an hour and have a drink or ice cream.

If you're REALLY tired just grab a cab. They're everywhere - and no different from taking a cab at home.

Agree that a day trip to Florence would give you VERY little time to see anything. And 5 nights in Rome is very little as it is - you'll be amazed at home much there is to see and do. Five days just scratches the surface of 2,500 years of history and culture - never mind shopping and relaxing.

Nohoborn - I'm sure you're enjoying planning, what will be, a wonderful vacation. I agree with the other posters - you don't need a driver. Rome is a walking town with reasonably priced cabs everywhere. I also agree that a day-trip to Florence is not feasible. There are closer, wonderful places you can day-trip using the train that would be enjoyable if the intensity of Rome overwhelms you. We day-tripped to Assisi for a wonderful day on one of our Rome sojourns, as an example.

As far as hotel location, we prefer the Piazza Navona area, but have also been happy at Piazza Barberini. We wouldn't return to our hotel near the Vatican (too far away from areas we enjoy for dining & enjoying sitting outdoors).

Hope you find this helpful...

Hi N,

With only 5 nights in Rome, I suggest that you stay there.

It's 1:36 hr from Rome to Florence. You will have a very rushed day in Florence.

Have you considered Orvieto?

1 hr by train. Very nice town. One of the best restaurants in the region - I Sette Consoli.