John183:
Was the Albergo del Senato location near the shopping areas? Or walking distance to Via Veneto? If you felt like just walking around the hotel at night, was it a good location for this.

Also, for Positano, do you think that the Palazzo Murat is a better location to stay in?

To answer your second question first, I personally like the Eden Roc's location better. It has a view that is unbeleivable and unless you have difficulty walking it is not a bad walk to and from the main town area below. Answering these posts has made me miss Positano and the Eden Roc a lot. I went on trip adviser just to see what they had to say about the Eden Roc and the reviews are very good. Check this web site:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g1...ia-Hotels.html

and you can see reviews of the Eden Roc and other Positano hotels.

For your second question, we loved the Pantheon area near the del Senato. There were many wonderful little restaurants and neat shops and it is close to the Campo de Flori. We are not the shoppers it sounds like you are so being close to the Via Veneto was not important to us but it was only a short walk away I think.

Are you planning a visit to the Aeolian Islands off of Sicily. Gorgeous

With so little time in Rome, you really won't have much time for shopping. You'll barely have time to scratch the surface of what most people want to see! The Pantheon is a great location for seeing those things. However, I have to agree that two nights in Venice isn't really enough either. I think you should pick two of the three (Venice, Rome, Positano) or, as ekscrunchy pointed out, you will spend more time on the train than in the cities. Since you only had a day in Rome before and have a friend who has never been to Italy, I would choose three nights Venice and four nights Rome.

Mers: I have travelled with my husband and young adult son/daughters to Italy, Costa Rica, and Ireland. The one place that stands out for us as an ideal stay was our 4 nights in Rome at the Hotel Nazionale a Montecitorio. It is perfectly located near the wonderfully walkable area close to the Pantheon, and it is also located near public buses to the Vatican Museums. It is literally around the corner from a great gelato place, picturesque piazzas, and the Pantheon is so close we walked there 3 times! It is one of our most memorable stays anywhere. The hotel also had a great breakfast buffet.

Many people mix up this hotel with several that have similar names. Therefore if you are a fan of tripadvisor hotel reviews, be fore-warned that I can tell some of those reviewers actually are reviewing different hotels! This is the Hotel Nazionale a Montecitorio on Piazza Montecitorio. If you find a Hotel Nazionale that is NOT on Piazza Montecitorio, you have found the wrong hotel.

good luck! I highly recommend staying near the Pantheon. the Trevi fountain is also walking distance. Great restaurants too. You can even walk to the Spanish steps, a bit further to walk but not too bad...we walked there too from this hotel.

I agree. There are upscale shops in the Via Veneto area but better shopping is to be found in the Tridente anchored by the Spanish Steps and along the Campo Marzio which jogs south to the Pantheon area. I am talking here about mostly high end shopping. More moderate prices along the Via del Corso and other spots.

So it seems like staying near the Pantheon is the best location. I will look into Albergo Del Senato. It seems like almost everyone that wrote about it loved it.

As far as Venice goes I think I'm going to try the Locanda Orseolo. I'm kind of nervous about it because I never really stayed in such a small hotel (except one in Ravello). I hope I'm not making a mistake not staying on the Grand Canal.

John183:
You sold me on the Eden Roc. I think staying in the Junior Suite seems like the best as far as the view. I need to get two rooms though, so it seems that in order for them both to be on the same floor they have to be in the same category.


travmimi:
No I wasn't planning on visiting Aeolian Islands. Once we get to Sicily, we pretty much stay put at my parents house because they like us to just spend time there. We did go to Taormina for a few nights last time we went. Maybe one day we will visit there. Seems beautiful.

I would stay at Locando Orseolo even with plumbing problems. It is the people there that really make it nice and it is a wonderful location.

kelliebellie:
Thanks for your input n the Locanda Orseolo. When we stayed in Ravello, we stayed at a place where the owners were great - just like it seems like the Locanda was. The plumbing problems, I'm told, are just a select number of rooms. How about the location? Is it ok that it's not on the Grand Canal?

Hi Mers,

I stayed at Locanda Orseolo last March and am headed there again in a couple of weeks. It didn't matter to me that it wasn't on the Grand Canal. I think the location is great---very near Piazza San Marco, but tucked away from all the bustle. And as others have said, it's wonderful there---lovely place, lovely people. No need to be nervous! Hope you have a great trip.

Yikes. The pressure is on but we had a great time at the Eden Roc in 2001 and it sounds like it has only gotten better so I am sure you will not be disappointed. I was surprised to see all the rave reviews on the Tripadvisor web site for the Eden Roc. In 2001 I couldn't find much of anything. We saw a picture of Positano in our newspaper taken from the balcony of the Eden Roc and that picture inspired our first trip to Italy. We are now in the "Hopelessly In Love With Italy" club and can't wait to get back again.

Yes, definitly book Locando Orseolo right away. The location is absolutely wonderful and you have to realize that you will be seeing canals ALL day long. I wouldn't really want a room on the Grand Canal anyway. Too busy. We did have a canal room at Locando Orseolo (sounds like one of the plumbing problem rooms) and that was great, but I would definitly stay there even without the canal view. Their breakfasts are superb and they are wonderful for booking all your tours and tickets.

Villa Rosa in Positano cost us 260 euros for the suite (2 rooms) with a large terrace in September.

Ok, so the Locanda Orseolo for Venice and Eden Roc for Positano.

Now I need to figure out Rome. I'm still thinking of the Albergo Del Senato, Splendide Royal or Sofitel Roma. I really don't know which location I prefer. I plan on going back to the Vatican again, seeing the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain, and would just like to walk around the shopping areas. I'm wondering what the area around the Pantheon is like. I was there the last time I was in Rome, but we were there so quick (1 day) that I just saw everything very quickly. I know we will enjoy Venice and Positano more than Rome, and I am tempted to skip it. I just feel bad going to Italy and not bringing my daughter's friend to see Rome since she has never been. I would like to go back the the Vatican though since we were so rushed the last time.

Anyway, any help with the Rome hotels and locations would be appreciated!

Tell us what kind of shopping areas you want to walk around in. If you mean the big designer names such as Prada, Gucci, D&G, and the like, the area you want is at the foot of the Spanish Steps in the area called the Tridente because it is shaped more or less like an elongated triangle with Piazza del Popolo at the north end and Via del Tritone at the southern end.

The heart of this area is about a 20 minute walk, more or less, to the Pantheon. And a bit less to the Fontana di Trevi.

Between the Spanish Steps and the Pantheon is an extension of the upscale shopping realm around the Via Fontanella Borghese; there you will find shops including Tod's and Bottega Veneta and the new Fendi flagship.

From the Pantheon area there is accessibility to all areas of tourist interest, either by walking or by easy bus connections. There is no Metro in that area, however, which matters not very much to most visitors.

Mers,

My husband and friends traveled to Positano and Rome this past October. How I would love to be there again. In Positano we stay at the Hotel Poseidon. We absolutely loved it. Great staff and wonderful views. It was an easy walk down the the shopping and beach area. The restaurant is fabulous actually we thought it better than some of the restaurants in Positano. Even if you don't stay there I highly recommend the restaurant. (get the seafood rissoto)

In Rome we stayed at Hotel de Minerve. It was in a great location near the Pantheon. There are wonderful cafes and shopping in the area.

Have a wonderful trip!

ekscrunchy:
It's not like I need to do alot of shopping. It's just nice to walk around in the shopping areas. Although, since I'm only staying there a two nights, I don't think there will be too much time for this! Do you think staying in the Pantheon area is a better choice? It seems like it's nice to walk around there at night. I don't really remember that area so much for some reason.

lizzyhd:
I love seafood risotto! I will definitely go try it.

Another vote for Albergo del Senato! It was quite simply the most memorable hotel my husband and I have ever stayed in. It's certainly grand enough but more importantly was the graciousness of the staff, the sumptuous breakfast, the breathtaking view of the Pantheon through the floor to ceiling door in room 603, and the rooftop bar at sunset. But more than the foregoing was the location.
We were first time visitors to Rome when we chose Senato in 2003; we didn't have a clue as to what was what and where. Or any perspective on distances from one attraction to the other. Dumb luck was on our side. It's almost as if the Pantheon is central to the all the major sites. We walked everywhere but to the Borghese gardens and the Vatican - and that's do-able if you're so inclined.
As for shopping in the area, I remember visiting several small shops while looking for gifts to take back to the States. And the Piazza Navona is only a few minutes away with all its artists' booths. And don't forget what could be the best gelateria in Rome - right outside the hotel door!

Another vote for Senato. The have a great webcam so you can get a room with a view right now!

Mers, yes, I think the general area around the Pantheon would be my favorite area to stay in. I used to stay around Piazza di Spagna but really the eating situation there is not good.

I think that anyplace between Piazza Navona and Pza di Spagna would be fine..Rome is really a walking city. Forget the Via Veneto..too out of the way and also I am not sure that I like the atmosphere so much.