Ostia Antica - has anybody stayed there?
 

We're thinking of finishing off our time in Italy with an overnight in Ostia Antica, before we fly out.

Does anyone have any experience of staying there? Where? Options seem to be a bit limited.

I'd appreciate any suggestions.

Honestly, for just one night I wouldn't care much about the room, as long as it's got a window, a bed with four posts, and a shower. What you shouldn't miss, though, is dinner at Al Monumento - this plain osteria at Ostia Antica is justly famous for excellent fish dishes, and inexpensive to boot!

I haven't stayed there but my husband and I took the subway/train out one day at Christmas when we were in Rome and absolutely adored it! Most of it was closed but if I ever go back to Rome we will stay out there for a while. Doesn't answer your question, I know, but I really loved the beach there.

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

We're struggling for a place for the night before we fly out and wanted to see Ostia Antica.
Thanks for the restaurant recommendation - other sites I've read comment about the lack of decent places to eat!

Is Al Monumento the restaurant (which looked good but was booked up on the Epiphany that we went through there) that is located in the adjoining tow, or is it the restaurant right next to the ruins with the waiters dressed up in little Roman tunics? That looked just dreadful (in addition to the boys, the antipasto display looked aged (note, this was Jan 2000 things might have changed)

Oh please - I'll try not to be offended by the question whether I'm recommending a restaurant (?) with waiters (!) dressed up (!) in tunicas (!). Seriously - Al Monumento is NOT famous with tourists; it's famous with the Romans who are daytripping to their household beach of Ostia. It's in the "centre" of the village of Ostia Antica: NOT to be confused with the adjacent - most impressive - ruins of Rome's ancient harbour Ostia (scavi d'Ostia, in Italian), nor with the above-mentioned Roman weekend beach (Lido d'Ostia). I'm not sure, though, that Al Monumento is "the" restaurant you're referring to, jjk - it's not a restaurant, in the Italian sense of a ristorante, it's really a plain, casual place: a typical osteria. The name "Al Monumento" does not refer to the ancient monuments - this monumento is a small plate on the façade of the osteria itself, commemorating the late 19th century immigration of 550 poor people from Romagna (the region around Bologna-Ravenna-Rimini), coming south to work. These 550 people were actually the founders of the village of Ostia Antice, among them only 50 women, one of whom founded Al Monumento. The osteria is still being owned by the same family, and they're still cooking fish specialties from Romagna, their ancestors' home region.

I suspect this is a better website:
http://www.deliciousitaly.com/ristor...p;regione_id=7

It does look interesting.

Thanks a heap, franco! :)

I second the recommendation for Al Monumento. To die for fish dishes and spaghetti alle vongole. I wish I could replicate those dishes back home here, but you just can't work without the local ingredients!

Back to the hotel question . . . I'm afraid I have no personal experience to offer. I note that Venere.com lists exactly 1 hotel in Ostia Antica: http://en.venere.com/hotels_rome_ost...ark_hotel.html You might wish to expand your search to some of the neighboring towns. The Hotel Sirenetta in Ostia Lido has gotten some good reviews on www.slowtrav.com, and can also be booked on venere.com. There also seem to be several options in nearby Fuimicino. Good luck!