Rome: Albergo del Senato, Teatropace or others
Jan 21st, 2007, 08:02 PM
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Rome: Albergo del Senato, Teatropace or others
I am very conflicted about our Rome hotel choice in October. My husband and I would like to stay in the Pantheon or Navona area and have rates from several hotels. This is a dream trip I have wanted to take my whole life, being an art history freak. Had even thought I would stay at Portrait Suites for 450EU a night, but don't think we want to stay in that area. I don't mind paying high $ if it is WORTH it.
Had narrowed down to del Senato; superior room with a Pantheon view (they can't guarantee me 6th floor/balcony) for EU340 or Teatropace in Navona area in a Jr Suite for 320 EU. The photos online I've seen of Senato make it look a little dated/worn and I'm worried we'll get a small room. I get that it is an old hotel and dated is OK as long as it is not in great need of renovation. Teatropace I've learned that our balcony is shared and the TV gets no English channels, not a huge deal, but would like to catch a little news late night. Would appreciate any remarks about these choices or others!
Also thought about Rafael (worried about paying 500nt and getting bad service,) Residenza Canali (no terrace rooms available), BelleSuite - only 160!, InterContinental (but at Spanish Steps and big) 488nt Jr Ste. I am all over the place.
Would love some Italian charm and a BALCONY and comfortable Queen or King bed. I know, I know, I will have to give up something. We are in our late 30s and enjoy nice casual dining with good wine and local bars -- not late night clubs necessarily.
Had narrowed down to del Senato; superior room with a Pantheon view (they can't guarantee me 6th floor/balcony) for EU340 or Teatropace in Navona area in a Jr Suite for 320 EU. The photos online I've seen of Senato make it look a little dated/worn and I'm worried we'll get a small room. I get that it is an old hotel and dated is OK as long as it is not in great need of renovation. Teatropace I've learned that our balcony is shared and the TV gets no English channels, not a huge deal, but would like to catch a little news late night. Would appreciate any remarks about these choices or others!
Also thought about Rafael (worried about paying 500nt and getting bad service,) Residenza Canali (no terrace rooms available), BelleSuite - only 160!, InterContinental (but at Spanish Steps and big) 488nt Jr Ste. I am all over the place.
Would love some Italian charm and a BALCONY and comfortable Queen or King bed. I know, I know, I will have to give up something. We are in our late 30s and enjoy nice casual dining with good wine and local bars -- not late night clubs necessarily.
Jan 21st, 2007, 08:25 PM
#2
Your budget is richer than mine, so I can't help with you with the specific hotels you mention. But I can tell you that we were in Rome in October 2006 and were truly disappointed to find that a McDonald's has opened on the piazza facing the Pantheon. We had previously loved this smaller piazza and the sights and people-watching from the many outdoor restaurants. Now, just a glimpse of those Golden Arches sent us quickly on our way.
Jan 21st, 2007, 11:10 PM
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In defense of that McDonald's, it has the best french fries of any McDonald's I've ever been to, and a cheeseburger as good as any McD's burger I've had outside the U.S. There, I've said it. I like McDonald's. I look forward to eating at a McD's in each country I visit. If you're hungry at the Pantheon and tired of endless pasta, I heartily recommend it. 
I didn't find anything about the location of the del Senato to be a drawback, other than if you had a Pantheon view, I could imagine it might be a bit noisier, as the bustle of the piazza would be outside the window.
We stayed at the Minerve up the street, and our room did not have a view and, though a "superior" room, it was not as nice as the sample picture on the websites. As for English TV, at the Minerve, we only had the news stations (CNNWorld, BBCNews, SkyNews, CNBC) in English, and the occasional TV show on MTV. Mostly programs were in German, even if the shows were American. I don't know if Teatropace is telling you that they don't even offer the news stations.
I didn't find anything about the location of the del Senato to be a drawback, other than if you had a Pantheon view, I could imagine it might be a bit noisier, as the bustle of the piazza would be outside the window.
We stayed at the Minerve up the street, and our room did not have a view and, though a "superior" room, it was not as nice as the sample picture on the websites. As for English TV, at the Minerve, we only had the news stations (CNNWorld, BBCNews, SkyNews, CNBC) in English, and the occasional TV show on MTV. Mostly programs were in German, even if the shows were American. I don't know if Teatropace is telling you that they don't even offer the news stations.
Jan 22nd, 2007, 12:11 AM
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jbm,
My husband and I just spent our own dream vacation at the Senato over Christmas. I'd been waiting to go back to Rome for 10 years and it was my husband's first visit, so we were willing to splurge a little on a nice hotel with an excellent location. I did a lot of research and the Senato stood out above those in the 250 Euro range. It was priced a little high for us (they quoted us a "special" of 310 Euro per night for 6 nights) but we decided to take the chance based on all the positive reviews.
We had room 603 (top floor with tiny balcony) for 6 nights and we were extremely pleased with our decision. The furnishings and fabrics were not worn or dated in any way, and the tile-and-marble bathroom was gorgeous - either recently renovated or very well-maintained. Obviously I cannot speak for all of the rooms in the hotel, nor can I compare the Senato to the others on your list, but that was our experience. Oh yes, and we got the International CNN channel.
It is an old building and some people might describe the rooms as being on the small side, but it is no different from thousands of other European hotels. As far as I'm concerned, you can't beat the Senato's friendly service or the spectacular location and I would stay there again in a heartbeat. One of the factors in my decision was observing that the Senato monitors their reviews on Trip Advisor and when one person out of several hundred posted a negative review, someone from the hotel responded immediately and told the person to contact the hotel so they could determine the cause of the bad experience. Now that's customer service!
With all that said, for 340 Euro I would think they could give you a 5th or 6th floor room and am a little surprised that they won't guarantee it if you make a specific request. Other people have indicated that they got a specific room they requested (and the woman at the front desk actually told us to ask for room 608 next time because that is her "favorite"
.
I hate McDonald's (kgh8m, don't take it personally!) but frankly the only way you notice the McDonald's is if you walk right by it. You cannot see it from the hotel and it does not spoil the atmosphere or ambience of the Piazza della Rotunda in any way. In fact it took a day or two for us to even realize it was there.
As for noise, you can imagine that Christmas is a pretty busy time of year, but from the 6th floor with windows closed we had no trouble with noise. It may very well be different if you are lower down and/or want your windows open (they do have A/C) and are particularly sensitive to noise. That will be the case in any of the larger piazzas. I have to say it was wonderful to watch the sun set over the Pantheon and throw open the windows and look out across the peaceful piazza in the mornings.
Sorry for the long post, but it sounds like you are facing the same sort of decision we were and I wanted to provide as much detail as possible.
My husband and I just spent our own dream vacation at the Senato over Christmas. I'd been waiting to go back to Rome for 10 years and it was my husband's first visit, so we were willing to splurge a little on a nice hotel with an excellent location. I did a lot of research and the Senato stood out above those in the 250 Euro range. It was priced a little high for us (they quoted us a "special" of 310 Euro per night for 6 nights) but we decided to take the chance based on all the positive reviews.
We had room 603 (top floor with tiny balcony) for 6 nights and we were extremely pleased with our decision. The furnishings and fabrics were not worn or dated in any way, and the tile-and-marble bathroom was gorgeous - either recently renovated or very well-maintained. Obviously I cannot speak for all of the rooms in the hotel, nor can I compare the Senato to the others on your list, but that was our experience. Oh yes, and we got the International CNN channel.
It is an old building and some people might describe the rooms as being on the small side, but it is no different from thousands of other European hotels. As far as I'm concerned, you can't beat the Senato's friendly service or the spectacular location and I would stay there again in a heartbeat. One of the factors in my decision was observing that the Senato monitors their reviews on Trip Advisor and when one person out of several hundred posted a negative review, someone from the hotel responded immediately and told the person to contact the hotel so they could determine the cause of the bad experience. Now that's customer service!
With all that said, for 340 Euro I would think they could give you a 5th or 6th floor room and am a little surprised that they won't guarantee it if you make a specific request. Other people have indicated that they got a specific room they requested (and the woman at the front desk actually told us to ask for room 608 next time because that is her "favorite"
. I hate McDonald's (kgh8m, don't take it personally!) but frankly the only way you notice the McDonald's is if you walk right by it. You cannot see it from the hotel and it does not spoil the atmosphere or ambience of the Piazza della Rotunda in any way. In fact it took a day or two for us to even realize it was there.
As for noise, you can imagine that Christmas is a pretty busy time of year, but from the 6th floor with windows closed we had no trouble with noise. It may very well be different if you are lower down and/or want your windows open (they do have A/C) and are particularly sensitive to noise. That will be the case in any of the larger piazzas. I have to say it was wonderful to watch the sun set over the Pantheon and throw open the windows and look out across the peaceful piazza in the mornings.
Sorry for the long post, but it sounds like you are facing the same sort of decision we were and I wanted to provide as much detail as possible.
Jan 22nd, 2007, 03:46 AM
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I agree with Haufrau's comments regarding the Senato. We just returned from a 7 nights stay. In no way are the rooms shabby or dated. If you are used to the Four Seasons or Peninsula, you might find them small and lacking in pizazz but I really can't imagine you would have a problem. I saw two rooms and wrote about them in my current Trip Report so you could check that. You can barely see the McDonald's; I had to look closely to spot it at the north side of the piazza. The funny thing was that the patrons sitting outside McD's seemed to be locals while the tourists were jammed into the other cafes in the square.
I visited the Rafael as well. As you know, that hotel is closer to the Piazza Navona. The lobby is grander than the Senato but the front desk service seemed really disorganized when I went on a small tour. I saw two rooms, one of the Richard Meier doubles and a regular superior double. I did not care for the Rm room and thought it an odd juxtaposition in an old Roman hotel. The superior double is a bit larger and more lushly appointed than the room at the Senato. The bathroom was much larger and more luxurious. They were quoting prices of 300 Euro double at the time we looked around; you might be able to have some leeway on the prices if you dare go to the effort.
I was touring the Rafael for someone who was consdering staying there. My recommendation was to save the money and stay at the Senato.
Hope that helps you a little.
I visited the Rafael as well. As you know, that hotel is closer to the Piazza Navona. The lobby is grander than the Senato but the front desk service seemed really disorganized when I went on a small tour. I saw two rooms, one of the Richard Meier doubles and a regular superior double. I did not care for the Rm room and thought it an odd juxtaposition in an old Roman hotel. The superior double is a bit larger and more lushly appointed than the room at the Senato. The bathroom was much larger and more luxurious. They were quoting prices of 300 Euro double at the time we looked around; you might be able to have some leeway on the prices if you dare go to the effort.
I was touring the Rafael for someone who was consdering staying there. My recommendation was to save the money and stay at the Senato.
Hope that helps you a little.
Jan 22nd, 2007, 04:37 AM
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My experience is that many expensive hotels are not worth the money, and that you can often have a less disappointing experience and more central location at a cheaper establishment.
Besides, since this is your dream trip, how much time will you really want to spend in your hotel room?
Having said that, I'll add my vote to the others for Albergo del Senato. It's a charming hotel, perfectly located for exploring Rome. We stayed there last July in one of the 6th floor rooms. I wouldn't call our room luxurious, but it certainly wasn't in need of a renovation, either.
The hotel staff was mostly top-notch, and there's a lovely rooftop bar that's great for a drink or two after a busy day of sightseeing.
For the sake of comparison, we've also stayed at the Hotel Eden on Via Vento. We paid over $500 a night for a tiny room with poor AC, despite the best efforts of the hotel staff. And we didn't find the location ideal for exploring Rome.
Hope you have a great trip!
Besides, since this is your dream trip, how much time will you really want to spend in your hotel room?
Having said that, I'll add my vote to the others for Albergo del Senato. It's a charming hotel, perfectly located for exploring Rome. We stayed there last July in one of the 6th floor rooms. I wouldn't call our room luxurious, but it certainly wasn't in need of a renovation, either.
The hotel staff was mostly top-notch, and there's a lovely rooftop bar that's great for a drink or two after a busy day of sightseeing.
For the sake of comparison, we've also stayed at the Hotel Eden on Via Vento. We paid over $500 a night for a tiny room with poor AC, despite the best efforts of the hotel staff. And we didn't find the location ideal for exploring Rome.
Hope you have a great trip!
Jan 22nd, 2007, 04:41 AM
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The rooms are small but nicely done and mine overlooking the Pantheon was not noisy when the shutters are closed. We barely had room to walk around the bed in the last room assignment we had there.
I no longer stay there is season as I think it has gotten too pricey. This fall I am at the Sofitel. Large rooms, quiet location and excellent service.
I no longer stay there is season as I think it has gotten too pricey. This fall I am at the Sofitel. Large rooms, quiet location and excellent service.
Jan 22nd, 2007, 05:52 AM
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We stayed at the del Senato in December on the third, room 306, with a view of the Pantheon. Wouldn't trade that room for all the tea in China. Staying there was one of our all time favorite hotel experiences. Though we could hear outside noise, even with the windows closed, as the jet-lag wore off this became less of an issue. We would be so fortuante to stay there again some day.
Jan 22nd, 2007, 12:10 PM
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Thanks for all the great advice and detailed reports. It really helps! Travelers really seem to love del Senato. The noise issue at any hotel really doesn't concern me; we have three kids at home and I'll be away in Italy!
Hausfrau, I was surprised del Senato wouldn't guarantee a high, balcony room either, I contacted them by email and requested 6th fl/balcony and it could not be guaranteed. Also curious about room price, online a DBL (large bed) was quoted as 310 Euro and the email they sent quoted me a "Special Rate" of 349 Euro for Superior room with Pantheon View "if possible 6th floor and balcony." Am I paying more for guaranteed view?
Ekscrunchy, thanks for the Raphael report. THe best rate they'll do is 430EU for a DBL DLX so I don't think so, esp considering the poor service reviews.
FYI: Teotropace did write me back that they are in the middle of making the terraces private for their terrace rooms.
Thanks again and feel free to offer any other suggestions.
Hausfrau, I was surprised del Senato wouldn't guarantee a high, balcony room either, I contacted them by email and requested 6th fl/balcony and it could not be guaranteed. Also curious about room price, online a DBL (large bed) was quoted as 310 Euro and the email they sent quoted me a "Special Rate" of 349 Euro for Superior room with Pantheon View "if possible 6th floor and balcony." Am I paying more for guaranteed view?
Ekscrunchy, thanks for the Raphael report. THe best rate they'll do is 430EU for a DBL DLX so I don't think so, esp considering the poor service reviews.
FYI: Teotropace did write me back that they are in the middle of making the terraces private for their terrace rooms.
Thanks again and feel free to offer any other suggestions.
Jan 22nd, 2007, 12:17 PM
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Look also at the Hotel Ponte Sisto. It is also a 4 star in the Historical Center and a short walk to the Pantheon or Piazza Navona. The rack rate for a double is 360EU or 400EU for a junior suite, but I think you can get it for less - call and ask about promotions.
It gets great reviews both here and on Tripadvisor.
http://www.hotelpontesisto.it
It gets great reviews both here and on Tripadvisor.
http://www.hotelpontesisto.it
Jan 22nd, 2007, 12:34 PM
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Yes, the rate difference at the Senato is for a guaranteed view of the Pantheon, which IMO is a must at this hotel and their biggest selling point.
I have occasionally had luck booking on expedia closer in to the date I want and getting a better rate but a view is not guaranteed.
341 is over 420/night and IMO the Senato is a great hotel but I am not in the room enough when in Rome to justify the high cost.
I have occasionally had luck booking on expedia closer in to the date I want and getting a better rate but a view is not guaranteed.
341 is over 420/night and IMO the Senato is a great hotel but I am not in the room enough when in Rome to justify the high cost.
Jan 22nd, 2007, 01:20 PM
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I had Ponte Sisto on my short list originally, but was unsure of the area; if it was too far out. Looks very nice. Also wondered if many shops and restaurants are in the area. I should research some more.
Jan 22nd, 2007, 01:30 PM
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It has been several years, but we stayed at the Raphael hotel for 4 nights. I wouldn't stay there again. The room itself was perfectly acceptable, but I believe we had a superior double room and it was fairly small and dark. Of course the location is wonderful and they have a lovely rooftop restaurant (that you can visit). The service was not incredible and I felt that the room was overpriced for the amenities (or lacktherof).
Jan 23rd, 2007, 04:08 AM
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The Ponte Sisto is in a very good area.
It's about 4 blocks to Piazza Farnese, 5 blocks to Campo dei Fiori and 9 blocks to Piazza Navona and the the many shops and restaurants on the streets around those piazzas. Also (just across the bridge to the south) you are about 4 blocks from the best part of Trastevere and its many restaurants.
Type "ponte sisto rome, italy" at maps.google.com and and then click on "Satellite". You'll see the large square Piazza Farnese, the large rectangular Campo Dei Fiori. Scroll down just a hair and you'll see the large oval Piazza Navona the Pantheon 4 blocks to its right.
It's about 4 blocks to Piazza Farnese, 5 blocks to Campo dei Fiori and 9 blocks to Piazza Navona and the the many shops and restaurants on the streets around those piazzas. Also (just across the bridge to the south) you are about 4 blocks from the best part of Trastevere and its many restaurants.
Type "ponte sisto rome, italy" at maps.google.com and and then click on "Satellite". You'll see the large square Piazza Farnese, the large rectangular Campo Dei Fiori. Scroll down just a hair and you'll see the large oval Piazza Navona the Pantheon 4 blocks to its right.
Jan 23rd, 2007, 07:31 AM
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Thank you bardo. Great suggestion. Ponte Sisto emailed me a rate of 390 Eu on their suite with private terrace. Not much more than del Senato regular room.
Anyone dislike the area around Ponte Sisto?
Anyone dislike the area around Ponte Sisto?
Jan 23rd, 2007, 07:50 AM
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We were also deciding between Albergo del Senato and Ponte Sisto and ended up picking Ponte Sisto for a variety of reasons. Go to reservationitaly.com and have them give you a price quote. We got 2 interconnecting rooms for E220 each in June (not a suite but still). I then emailed the hotel and they told me it was fine to book through reservationitaly but they matched the rate directly also. I think you might do better this way.
Jan 23rd, 2007, 09:22 AM
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jbm, I checked out the Ponte Sisto's website and it looks quite nice. I think the location sounds like it is still pretty good too. The only other thing I can say is that the Senato would be more intimate (I think it is around half the size), and from the pictures I think that the Senato's rooms actually have more character in terms of the furnishings.
kfusto makes a good point about how much you are willing to spend given that you are not in the room a lot...we knew we wanted to relax a bit on this trip - lazy mornings, come back to the room for a couple hours before dinner, etc. so for us it WAS worth it to have that Pantheon view.
bardo1, thanks for pointing out the satellite function on google! I hadn't used it before and the satellite images of Rome are incredible! Having just been there it was really fun to look at the photos and see all the places we visited from above.
kfusto makes a good point about how much you are willing to spend given that you are not in the room a lot...we knew we wanted to relax a bit on this trip - lazy mornings, come back to the room for a couple hours before dinner, etc. so for us it WAS worth it to have that Pantheon view.
bardo1, thanks for pointing out the satellite function on google! I hadn't used it before and the satellite images of Rome are incredible! Having just been there it was really fun to look at the photos and see all the places we visited from above.
