Hi all,<BR><BR>I will be traveling to Rome next spring and would love feedback on a decent (not too expensive) hotel near Piazza Navona. I have been to Rome once before and would really like to stay in this area. I love the atmosphere on neighboring streets, full of life (and incredibly attractive people!!!) Any of your personal recommendations would be most appreciated.

Hi Melissa. While we didn't stay there, I agree with you about the Piazza Navona area. One suggestion: do a search on Residenza San Pantaleo. A number of threads will appear, one of which has this as a heading. Click on that one and read what the person who stayed there has to say about it.

Not sure what you consider "not too expensive" but the Raphael just one block away is really a great small hotel. And if you can grab a special rate via Summit Hotels website as one poster recently did, it would really be worth it.

We loved the Due Torri. Small, friendly, comfortable, good breakfast included. Just over $100/night in October for a double, maybe less now.

Patrick,<BR><BR>Sorry, should have been more specific on price. Ideally, I'd like something for less than $200 per night. Hotel Raphael looked lovely (made note of it last time I was in Rome) but seem to recall from Frommer's guides that it's a bit more pricey. Do you have personal experience there?

We just returned from a stay at the Raphael and it was fabulous. The room was beautiful with an ivy clad balcony, a large marble bathroom, and a marble staircase up to the loft bedroom. All services were exceptional and the location was literally a one minute walk from Piazza Navona on a quiet side street...I can't imagine a better location in the city.<BR>We paid ITL 550,000/night for a deluxe room and will stay here whenever in Rome.<BR>Have a great trip,<BR>j.

Hello Melissa: My wife and I just returned from Rome and if $220 a night is not too out of line you are in for an incredible stay at probably THE most beautiful hotel in Rome located about 6 minutes walking distance from Piazza Navona. It lies on the edge of the pedestrian district of Rome. Stay at the Grand Hotel Plaza, known in Rome simply as The Plaza. Ask for a room overlooking their inside garden area, it's quite even with the windows open. We stayed in room 341 and it was fantastic. It's located on Via Del Corso. You will not regret it, we went into about 5 top hotels in Rome and none came close to its' grandeur. Enjoy!

Just returned earlier this month from a stay at the Hotel Tiziano. Very central location a couple blocks from Piazza Navona. Quiet rooms in the back of the hotel. About ITL 400,000 a night.

Hello Melissa, You have some good input here, but for your price range and desired location I would suggest the Due Torri or the Portoghesi.

Hi, Melissa!<BR><BR>My wife and I stayed at Residenza San Pantaleo as described in the earlier posting. We were there in May.<BR><BR>It was just great. Right next door to Piazza Navona which is a great place to be. And centrally located to many of the major things you want to see.<BR><BR>Very good rates, clean, safe.<BR><BR>Check their website: www.residenzasanpantaleo.com<BR>email: [email protected]<BR><BR>If you need any more specific help, pls email me.<BR><BR>We would definitely stay here again if our trail takes us back to Rome!<BR><BR>Happy trails.<BR><BR>Bob<BR>

Hi Melissa,<BR><BR>I live and work in Rome and know the city very well. I have been reading your responses and they are all excellent.<BR>I am a tour guide here and have had many people with me who have stayed at Residenza Pantaleo and all spoke very highly of it.<BR>However my personal favourite is the Raphael Hotel. you can contact them on www.raphaelhotel.com This hotel is situated right around the corner from Piazza navona so is in an excellent location for you.<BR>Another consideration is Residenza Farnese closer to the Campo di Fiori. This is a great piazza with a more "Italian" feel than that of Navona. Try the Vineria in the Campo for excellent local wines and wander around during the mornings for the markets to see the fabulous fresh fruit, vegetables and wonderful spices and other local foods.<BR>You can contact Residenza Farnese on (39) 06 6889 1388 or Fax (39) 06 6821 0980.<BR>The Hotel Condotti is another recommendation. It is a 3 star hotel considered smallish, but very clean and reasonably priced. The Spanish Steps is where all the designer label shops are located and also many good restaurants and excellent wine bars.<BR>Whilst near Piazza Navona do try Cul de Sac for great wine and antipasta as well as Blue Ice for the best gelato in Rome.<BR>If I can help in any other way please feel free to email me direct.<BR>Regards<BR>Marianna<BR><BR><BR>Phone 06 6794661<BR>email: hotel [email protected]<BR>www.hotelcondotti.com<BR><BR><BR>

Melissa<BR>don't exactly know your preferred price but a couple of months ago I stayed at the Santa Chiara which is a ten-minute walk from Piazza Navona, near the Pantheon. I loved it.<BR>If you do a search here for<BR>Santa Chiara or the other hotels mentioned above you will find many past recommendations.

Strongly recommend the Hotel Genio. It was only about 100 yards outside the north entrance to Piazza Navona. We loved the hotel and location. We paid 270,000 lire for a double with beautiful bathroom, tv, minibar, etc. The price included a great breakfast buffet that included fruit, juice, yogurt, bread rolls, croissants, sweet pastries, cereal and milk, sliced meats, cheeses, and hard boiled eggs. Lovely lobby, helpful and professional staff. Can't say enough good things. <BR><BR>http://www.travel.it/roma/genio/genio.html<BR><BR>Tel. +39-06-86800116<BR>Fax +39-06-86800124<BR>E.Mail: [email protected]<BR><BR>

Melissa,<BR><BR>We stayed at the Hotel Primavera, in the same building as Residenza San Pantaleo. If you want to be at Piazza Navona, this is definitely right there. The main street can be a little noisy, but the windows keep out most of it. Both places should cost you about $100-$110 a night. The fifth floor rooms at the Primavera are supposedly the nicest. Our's was quite large; it had a double bed and one single for L220,000. Newly renovated baths and a tv. We even had a decent view.

We stayed at the Hotel Due Torri as well -- loved it. Excellent location, (although our taxi dropped us off at the wrong end of Piazza Navona and we had a devil of a time finding it...it is on a tiny side street.) comfortable room, good bath, typically small elevator (but welcome after walking all over Rome during the day), fine staff. The last week in May, our rate was 320,000 lira/night for a double, and that was a fine value. Off-season it is should be less.

Another vote for the Santa Chiara. Fantastic location near the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. Clean and comfortable rooms, not fancy though. Very quiet. Great breakfast. Our small double with a nice bathroom and huge balcony was 300,000 lire in early September (about $150).

Another vote for thew Hotel Primavera-beautiful rooms and modern baths in a perfect location! Would stay there again in a heartbeat.

You gotta check out Cul de Sac restaurant at the southern end of Piazza Navona. The best lunch we had in Rome. (Sorry this isn't a hotel recoomendation, but....)

We just came back from Rome (11/12) and our stay at the Residenza La Pantaleo was not the best. I am not sure but I think I heard someone say they were short staffed the week we were there. On 2 occassions we came back to our room after they had "cleaned" and found the door unlocked. The cleaning was not complete, we could tell they didn't vacuum. The towels we threw in a pile on the floor were not replaced with new ones, they were just hung up again. They took away the used soap and didn't replace it. Breakfast was not much. The part that I really had a problem with and I can't verify that the desk clerk was in on it: he called a taxi for us to go to the airport. He told us it would be 85,000 lire. When we got to the airport the driver told us 90,000 which was ok. We KNOW we gave him two 50,000 lire bills but when he came around the back of the car, he told us we gave him one 50,000 bill and one 5,000 bill. Since we had to catch a plane and our luggage was still in the trunk, we caved and gave him another 50,000 lire.

A seond cheer for Hotel Genio ... 30 seconds from Pza. Navona ... great english breakfast ... big rooms ... english spoken ... nice, safe hotel. Have stayed there twice in the past 8 years ... always reliable. Taxi stand across the street. And check out www.scalareale.com for terrific group and private guide services in Rome ... used by several on this site, and with great results. Ciao