TeaLoverDenise

We are a married couple in our 50s heading from UK to Italy in April. This will be our first trip there. Doing a few days in Venice first, before heading down to Rome.

To fulfill one of my desires. we are in the process of reserving a few nights in a convent, but Mr. TeaLover doesn't think he can handle 8 days in a convent so we're looking for a hotel for our remaining days.

We would like:

- Double room w/private bath
- Unique (charming, antiquey, vintage, or modern - as long as unique)
- Not touristy/contrived
- Central location so we can walk to major sites
- Must have Wi-Fi
- E125/night MAX

I'm researching Rick Steves' Italy book and Mr. Tealover is on www.venere.com and www.b-b.rm.it and Trip Advisor, but in the meantime, thought I'd ask you good people for suggestions.

Grazie!!

PeaceOut

I reserved through venere.com, and it was fine, but I discovered at the hotel they would have given me a lower rate if I'd contacted the hotel directly.

On your other thread, I recommended Domus Julia, which should be in your price range. It has everything on your wishlist.

http://www.domusjulia.it/en/price-list

The Hotel Panda is inexpensive, but I don't know if they offer everything on your wish list.

kybourbon

>>>To fulfill one of my desires. we are in the process of reserving a few nights in a convent<<<

Which convent? Some are nice, some are bare bones. Many you wouldn't be able to tell the difference from them and a hotel.

TeaLoverDenise

Hi PeaceOut, yes you did and thank you - I should have mentioned that we were also working out way through recommendations from another thread.

TeaLoverDenise

Hi kybourbon, we are looking into Fraterna Domus but it appears that it - as with many, many other Rome hotels and B&B's we are contacting - are already fully booked during our travel dates (late April/early May).

TeaLoverDenise

Hi again PeaceOut,

Hotel Julia is lovely but they came back with a cost of E200 for a double.

Hotel Panda has availability, so am looking into that.

Thank you for your help,

Denise

goldenautumn

Unless you use a booking website like venere.com or booking.com, you will end up spending time researching hotels that are not available or out of your budget for your time frame.

On both the websites I mentioned, you can enter your travel dates and your max budget, narrow the list for wi-fi, air con, whatever, and see what is available. Then you can read recent reviews.

If you have any doubt about whether it is unique enough or the location, you can ask here. But you are fishing in an extremely small pond here, without a fishing pole.

kybourbon

Don't rule out using Expedia and other standard travel sites as they often have lots of listings for Rome. Check cancellation policies and location before booking.

There are lots of B&B's in Rome, so you should be able to find something. If you don't mind staying in Trastevere, you might try Arco del Lauro.
http://www.arcodellauro.it/

There are also lots of convents (over 200), but many won't meet all your criteria (wifi). Since you looked at Fra Domus (very barebones), I'll post about some others.This one is also Trastevere and has AC/wifi and isn't as barebones as Fra Domus. A double is listed as 129€.
http://www.sfromana.it/english.html

Don't rule out Trastevere even though it's across the river as you can easily hop the tram (#8)to Largo Argentina . It's also easy to just walk across the river and is close to many things.
http://www.atac.roma.it/files/doc.asp?r=5

This one is on Via Cavour (street that runs from the train station to the Forum) so not exactly central either, but has wifi/ac.
http://www.domusnovabethlem.it/

A bit closer to the Forum and just off Cavour are two more, Santa Sofia and Casa Il Rosario (on a quiet side street).
Not all rooms at Santa Sofia have AC and wifi is only in the lobby. It's very basic (a bed and a cross)and interior rooms or rooms to the back will be quieter as the piazza in the front has a nightlife. It will probably be around 80€ a night, but it's less basic than Fra Domus.
http://www.casasantasofia.it/index.php/en/

Rosario - E-mail: [email protected]

You can find reviews on many convents on this website along with Slowtrav and Tripadvisor. Some on TA will have pictures so you can see if they are the type of place you would stay.
http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/hotels...rio&s=colosseo

There are little electric buses that run through the historic center (including the pedestrian area around the Spanish Steps). If you are finding things booked where you want to be, perhaps book something on their routes. Bus 117 (runs from Piazza Popolo to S. Giovanni in Laterano) stops beside several of the places I listed. Buss 116 runs from in front of the Vatican to Villa Borghese with stops near Piazza Navona, etc.
http://www.atac.roma.it/files/doc.asp?r=9

Santa Brigida convent is close to the Campo. They have AC, but I don't know about wifi. They are more upscale than some of the other convents, but charge a premium for their location. They are likely higher than your price.
http://www.brigidine.org/en-EN/default.aspx?idt=139

Romeby has a lot of B&B listings.
http://www.romeby.com/

The Tourist Board of Rome lists 554 B&B's in the center. Use the advanced tab to search specific areas.
http://www.060608.it/en/accoglienza/...-and-breakfast

PeaceOut

TeaLover, you asked at the Domus Julia? The sister property, Hotel Julia, is next door and is slightly more expensive.

I agree you use different search engines, but do contact the hotel directly to compare the price.

TeaLoverDenise

PeaceOut, In checking, I see that the reply was from Hotel Julia so I must have copied the wrong email address from their website. Have now contacted Domus Julia. Thanks for your help.

TeaLoverDenise

goldenautumn, we have mainly used venere.com

TeaLoverDenise

kybourbon, thank you very much for your detailed reply and assistance. We were looking at a convent stay for only 2 or 3 days of our 8 day stay in Rome - we think we could go without (or with only patchy) wi-fi for that long, but no longer!

Oh yes! Santa Brigida looked wonderful, but out of our budget. Perhaps someday.

TeaLoverDenise

A big THANK YOU again to everyone for your help.