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Old Jul 18th, 2013, 01:52 AM
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Rome Accommodations in San Giovanni

I found accommodations in Rome and the price is great but I'm not sure of the area. I'm also not sure if it's within walking distance of some of the major attractions. My parents and I prefer to stay in an apartment/house as we like to cook most of our meals. My dad likes to visit the farmer's market or supermarket.
There are only two reviews - one very negative and on positive. I'm not sure what to think. I'd appreciate your input.

Here is the link:
http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p869673#reviews

Thanks.
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Old Jul 18th, 2013, 01:54 AM
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I apologize. There are 7 reviews. For some reason, I only noticed the first two!
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Old Jul 18th, 2013, 02:19 AM
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The reviews are positive with respect to your getting what is advertised: a clean, well equipped place with public transportation access to the historic center. So generally, you will not be able to walk to any of the usual sites, with the possible exception of San Giovanni (Cathedral). I assume this apartment is priced accordingly, so it depends on whether you mind having to take the bus or subway for all your sightseeing.
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Old Jul 18th, 2013, 02:36 AM
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Ok, thanks. What area would you recommend to stay in that also has supermarkets but is within walking distance to some of the attractions and shops?
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Old Jul 18th, 2013, 04:23 AM
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Does your father prefer to shop in supermarkets or in Roman farmer's markets and Roman delicatessens? Try looking around the area of the Ottaviano metro stop. It is closer to the Vatican. In that neighborhood, you can often find basic apartments and you are not only in walking distance to St Peter's and a lot of great shops, it is also easy to cross the river and walk to the Spanish Steps or the piazza Navona and other big attractions in Rome. You will need to take the subway to get to the Colosseum, but it is very speedy.

Maybe you can find something here

http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-ren...an-area/r32235

(My problem with that other apartment besides location is that it looks like it is on the ground floor, and perhaps partly on the basement level, with many rooms having no windows at all. If the weather is too hot or too cold or rainy, that kind of an apartment can feel clammy.)
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Old Jul 18th, 2013, 10:27 AM
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Thanks stevewith. I appreciate your feedback. It's ironic that you mentioned the Vatican because the owner of one apartment contacted me with another place he had available since the one I inquired about was booked. Here is the link & description:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/9r4tsf6ulsx2t43/tyIUhXpWL6

This beautiful apartment is located on the ground floor of a historic building exactly in Via delle Fornaci, 126 recently renovated, and with completely new furniture. Very bright and spacious, the apartment has one large bedroom connected with a large dressing room. The tidy dining area with table, chairs and TV is connected with an outdoor platform and a very big garden where you will have lunch or dinner or just stay sitting comfortably enjoy a nice glass of wine at sunset time. In the living room there is a very confortable double sofa bed and will be possible to put one more single bed for accomodate 5 people in total. The bathroom with shower and washing machine, and the fully furnished kitchen has also a fridge a gas oven and a microwave one. The air conditioning in every room connection, the WiFi internet, make this apartment the ideal place for your stay in Rome
Little summary:
1 Bedroomm with a double bed each (I only notice one bedroom with bed)
1 Bathroom
1 Living room with 1 double sofa bed + 1 single bed
1 Kitchen
Garden
Air Con
FREE internet WIFI

Sourroundings

The Vatican, with its ancient history, needs no introduction. This large and bright apartment is located right in the heart of the Vatican (200mt), outside of the south colonnade of St. Peter's, just 5 minutes from the basilica. It's just 10 minutes walk from Lepanto Metro Station and in front of the bulding the number 64 bus direction Termini rail Station and S Pietro rail station is 5 minutes walk In this area you will find everything you need: local markets, supermarkets, banks, pharmacies, cinemas, restaurants, clothing stores, bars, pubs and other pleasant places that can make your stay in Rome unforgettable.

If you read this, let me know what you think. Although, it's one the ground floor but in some ways, easier for my parents so we don't have to keep hulling suitcases up the stairs.

Thanks for the link. I will check it out.
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Old Jul 18th, 2013, 10:36 AM
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P.S. My dad has never been to Roman farmer's markets but I'm sure that he would enjoy it.

I also forgot to mention that the cost for the apartment above is 115 euros/night and for 5 nights6 days is 575 euros paid in cash.
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Old Jul 18th, 2013, 11:51 AM
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I prefer the "other side" of the Vatican, because if you look on a map, you will see that the Metro line runs on the other side, so I think it gives you easier sightseeing options. (Also, I was specifically thinking your father would enjoy the Trionfale market, which is on that side).

However, the second apartment you linked to is located where it is not hard to walk to some of the most charming neighborhoods of Rome, either across the river or in Trastevere. (You are less than a 10 minute walk from a favorite inexpensive restaurant of mine, Sor'Eva, in the piazza della Rovere. )

There is a poster on Fodor's who goes by the screen name "annhig." She stayed in that neighborhood while studying Italian last year. Here is a link to her trip report, which is of course mainly about studying, but you might get a sense of the neighborhood.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...an-in-rome.cfm

I am sure she would also be very flattered and most happy to help if you started a thread asking for her help if you have specific questions for her. Just tag it "Italy."

I assume when it comes to paying in cash that your landlord means that you will need to pay a small deposit in advance to hold the apartment and pay the balance in cash when you arrive in Rome and actually see the apartment. If a landlord is expecting you to send the full 575 euros in advance, then I think you should look elsewhere.

A ground floor apartment can be nice for just the reasons you expressed. The second one you linked to looks brighter than the first, with more windows. I prefer to be up a few floors, even if it means hauling my bags, I guess partly because I feel I have more privacy that way, but that may just be a quirk of mine.

I'm sure you will find plenty of places to buy fresh fruit and staples wherever you go in Rome. There are some legendary morning food markets in Rome, and you and your family might want to experience at least one even if you have a good supermarket on your doorstep:

http://goitaly.about.com/od/romeshop...od-markets.htm
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Old Jul 19th, 2013, 06:06 AM
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Hi,
Thanks again for your input. I agree that the second apt. I showed you is a lot more brighter than the first one. I do agree with you about the ground floor vs. being a few floors up. I didn't want my parents' to have to carry suitcases up and down the stairs but if I can find a place with an elevator, or a short flight of stairs then I think it will be better. However, I think that I might prefer a few floors up so we don't have to listen to the people who live upstairs especially if they are up late.

The second apt. that I was considering only has one bedroom. I prefer two so I can have my own space, and some privacy. I haven't responded back to the owner yet but he informed me that it was still available. I will do more research and see if I can find a two bedroom in the area (link) that you provided me. I will see how my search goes. I'm glad that you shared that bit of timbit with me regarding the area where the second apt. is located.

Just to clarify. The landlord wants a deposit and balance upon departure. I don't me to imply that he wanted the full balance.

Thanks for the link to annhig.
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Old Jul 19th, 2013, 06:28 AM
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Hi isabella,

no need to "shout out" for me, i spotted your thread anyway and am happy to help if i can.

as you'll see from my trip report we did like the neighbourhood and there is in fact a very good local market just up the road from that apartment, where I'm sure you and your parents would find anything you might want to cook or ready-made food to buy to eat in the apartment. the restaurant we ate at twice did very good pizzas to go too. the transport is very good - lots of buses and the train from San Pietro.

i appreciate what you say about wanting your own room, but the apartment looks quite large and airy and there is the outdoor space which should help with that. we have stayed on upper floor and ground floor apartments and i personally prefer ground floor ones for their sheer convenience. if you anticipate doing a lot of food shopping then that is even more important especially if your parents are "elderly".

if you want something more central, but for the same sort of price, there is an apartment we stayed in a few years ago:

http://lacasadiclelia.webs.com/

there is a separate bedroom for a third person, though you have to go through it to get to the main bathroom [there is a very small en suite toilet off the main bedroom] and you have to go through the main bedroom to get to the bathroom and the 2nd bedroom.

that said, it's very central and we enjoyed staying there a lot, though we didn't do much cooking! Here's my TR from that trip which should tell you more about it:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ek-in-rome.cfm
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Old Jul 19th, 2013, 08:37 AM
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In general, if you have an address, you can plot the walking distance on Google maps by clicking on the pedestrian symbol. Be sure to get the exact address before you rent a place. Landlords are prone to exaggerating the convenience of their rental's location.

In general, we prefer to stay close to the area of maximum sightseeing. So we can drop back to the apartment if one of us feels tired. Or overladen with shopping bags. In Rome we always stay in the Campo dei Fiori/Piazza Navona/Spanish Steps area. And we walk a lot. You can see so much in Rome just walking the streets of the Centro Storico, the historic center: the odd Roman ruin, the historical church, the shop windows like the ones which sell vestments to Catholic clergymen.

Having to take a half-hour bus or subway ride back and forth seems awkward and time-consuming. You pay so much to get to Rome. Why spend any of that valuable time in a dark tunnel?
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Old Jul 19th, 2013, 10:05 AM
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Thanks annhig. The owner would like to know soon if I will rent the apartment but I have been searching for other homes hoping for a 2 bedroom. Also, since there were no reviews, I wasn't sure what to think but it's much appreciated to have another perspective, and feedback regarding the apartment. A part of me says 'wait' until tomorrow just in case something else comes up. I will ask if I can have another day to think about it, and in the meantime, I will check out the link you sent me.
Thanks for your help.
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Old Jul 19th, 2013, 11:12 AM
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Mimar's post is really misleading. I am wondering if she even bothered to follow her own advice and look up the walking distances for the apartment we've been discussing. It is a comfortable walk from there to all of the Vatican, the area of the piazza Navona, the Campo de'Fiori and all of Trastevere. It is only 5 minutes more in the other direction to walk to the Spanish Steps or the pizza del Popolo.

Mirmar has no idea what is "maximum sightseeing" for anybody for herself, and in truth,but there no way you can comfortably walk from Campo de'Fiori or the pizza Navona or the Spanish Steps areas to all the top tier sights of Rome. One would need to have a very skimpy list of "maximum sightseeing" to pick those locations and think they'd been doing "maximum sightseeing" by only seeing what they could reach on foot.

There is food EVERYWHERE in Rome, and in the apartment you are looking at, you will not be walking long distances to stores or markets. Nor would you be if you went on the other side of the Vatican. You will also have the distinct advantage of getting away from the most touristy parts of Rome, and getting better food and having more of a neighborhood feel in the bargain.

Since Mimar has told us she never stays anywhere except the locations she mentions, perhaps she knows nothing about this one?

If you are traveling on a budget, you will not want to be spending money on taxis. You will do plenty of walking in the most gorgeous areas of Rome, and the people who tell you they walk "everywhere" either don't know how much of Rome they have missed or aren't telling about all the times they gave up and crawled into a taxi after the Vatican, the Villa Borghese, or the Baths of Caracalla.
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Old Jul 19th, 2013, 11:41 AM
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Thanks. I was starting to panic and wonder if the second apartment I was considering, and you and annhig were supportive of, was a good choice. I am use to walking and don't mind walking through the streets of Rome as I understand there is not going to be one apartment/home that will be within walking distance to all the sites.

I checked out the site that you posted and contacted some owners but the cost is $$$. By the time you add in tourist taxes, cleaning fee and some other fee (which I forget), I am looking at 890-1300/euros for some of the beautiful apartments I inquired about near the Vatican. There were some other gorgeous places for much less but they are booked. Some of the owners offered other places they have but it's not within budget. Right now, the second apartment we have been discussing is in total 575 euros for 5 nights/6 days. This includes everything. One owner wanted 15 euros per person/day for cleaning plus an additional rate for the use of bed linens, etc. If I were Jennifer Lopez than I would pay it but I'm not. lol

I checked out the link that annhig sent me as we'll and it's beautiful. I really like it. I sent a message to the owner, (along with a few prayers to God - lol), and hoping to hear some positive news from her. The cost is in the same range as the apartment we have been discussing and it has two separate bedrooms, which is what I would prefer.

Thank you everyone so much for your help! I greatly appreciate it. : )

If you know of any other apartments/homes I can check out, please feel free to send me a link.
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Old Jul 19th, 2013, 12:01 PM
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good point, stevewith. I've stayed in 3 different areas of Rome so far, and i've liked them all for one reason or another. but there's no way you can walk all over Rome from wherever you're staying, not even if you stay in the centro storico.

we tend to go out sightseeing during the day and in the evening, stick to the area where we are staying. but in Rome, public transport is so good that it's easy to get around even quite late at night.

good luck, isabella.
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Old Jul 20th, 2013, 12:21 AM
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What do you think of this place? I like it a lot. It only has 1 bedroom and I'm trying to figure out if it has wifi. I contacted the owner to ask. Hopefully, there is wifi or a nearby cafe that has it. The price is right. I like this apartment a little more because of the character and decorating compared to the other apartment we have been discussing above.

http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-ren...2552#amenities
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Old Jul 20th, 2013, 01:43 AM
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isabella - I like the new apartment you've posted - if it's free I'd take it. there is a separate area with a sofa bed in it - we had that arrangement once and it worked well. in a nice position and well decorated and furnished.

go for it!
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Old Jul 20th, 2013, 01:48 AM
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I just found out that there is no wifi and mobile air conditioning. I'm not sure what this means. The owner said that they are not allowed to install an air conditioning unit as the apartment is under supervision of the Arts Ministry. However, she did say that there is free wifi at local bars and restaurants.

The cost is the same 575 euros in total including final cleaning of 30 euros.

I'm stuck between the two. I think I want to go with the One located in Centro Storico because of how it's decorated. It's charming, quaint and in a good area. There is only 1 bedroom, and a pullout sofa. no air but mobile air conditioning? No wifi but available in local pubs and restaurants.

The second apartment is spacious, bright but doesn't have that Italy feel to it that I was looking for. However, it has air conditioning, free wifi, and also in a good area. It has 1 bedroom and pullout but in the middle of the dining/living room area.

Hmmm?
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Old Jul 20th, 2013, 04:19 AM
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mobile A/C means a portable unit I think. when are you going?

loads of wifi available in cafes and bars. only you know if that will be a problem for you.

i can tell you that when we were there in February we frequently walked back to our hotel near the stazione San Pietro from the centro storico, so that walking back to that apartment near the Vatican shouldn't be too difficult, though the buses are extremely good, if that is what is worrying you.

but for a first visit, I think I'd want to be in the centre.
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Old Jul 20th, 2013, 10:44 AM
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I decided to book the Roman apartment in Centro Storico! I'm excited and looking forward to staying there. I like the look and feel of it and decided that I would enjoy getting out and using wifi while enjoying Rome!

I can cross off Rome accommodations from my list. Now I want to figure out how to get from Rome to Paris, as my mom wants to visit Paris and Lourdes! Maybe I will see some of you in that forum!

Thank you everyone for your help!
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