We are going on a Mediterranean cruise in April 2024. We plan to fly into Rome and spend 3 nights before we board the boat. Our cruise ends in Athens and we will spend 3 nights there before we fly home. We need recommendations for hotels in both cities and suggestions for transfers from airport to hotel in Rome & hotel to cruise terminal. Then we will need transfer from cruise terminal in Athens to hotel & then hotel to airport. We are 77 years old and this is our first time to fly out of North America. We can’t afford a luxury hotel but we don’t want to stay in a dump either. We just need something clean and in a good location. Will appreciate any help anyone can give us. Thanks

You'll probably get other more recent feedback, but meanwhile, I'd recommend checking out Booking dot com and seeing what they churn up for your dates; so many hotels have gotten way more expensive than we found even a couple of years ago.

For ex -- not sure what you want to spend -- Albergo del Senato is a lovely hotel right adjacent to the Pantheon. Just checked for November and they were $350 a night. (We are more likely to stay in a guesthouse in Trastevere these days, but probably not as good for a first-timer.)

We liked New Hotel in Athens, right off Syntagma Square, but I just checked October date on Hotels dot com and they want $540 a night (we didn't pay anywhere near that pre-pandemic).

I've researched and planned a trip to the Christmas Markets in Nov/Dec and Spain in April -- booked mainly through the above sites; things are way pricier than I expected. Just a heads up. But you can definitely find decent, at least 3* lodging for much less.

A lot of people I know are using VBRO and Air B&B for better prices; we usually want the services of a hotel so that's where we stay, and I'm guessing you will too.

So, I'd search Rome and Athens on these sites and on travel sites by recommendations (they sites will boost their own preferred lodging unless you search by location, price, traveler recommendations, etc.)

Hopefully other posters will come up with good specific recs. Have a great trip!

Adding -- many of us vett lodging through the TripAdvisor site -- recommend checking there.

When in April. Just pointing out the start will be Easter. The 25th is a national holiday/long weekend. The very end runs into the May 1st holiday.

If you're near any of these dates expect limited supply and higher prices in Rome. Especially Easter Monday Post Covid even off season prices seem high.

It'll be easier for people to make suggestions with a rough budget.

To piggy back on this a bit, prices may rise in Greece, too into May, as May 5th is Orthodox Easter. Though many Athenians may not be in Athens over that weekend and instead on islands.

If you give us a budget per night, make it in euros. You will be booking and paying in euros (plus the dollar is used in many countries so unless you specify where you're from it's not that useful - USA, Canada, Aust, NZ, etc). If you want a lift/elevator in the building, check and double check they have one. A lot of hotels in Europe are very old and they do not have a lift. More modern, larger hotels will be more likely to have one. Often the lift is tiny, we had one in Rome, a long time ago, that we could fit two small cases in, but not us. We sent the luggage up and walked up the stairs.

Check Hotel Attalos in Athens. Clean, quiet, much better than basic but still not expensive. There is an elevator, which may be as important to you as it is to me. Great breakfast. Great advice from the English-speaking receptionists.

The area may look a little down at heel but it is perfectly safe, with good little restaurants all around.

We stayed most recently at the Inn Urbe Colosseo in Rome. Stairs to the second floor, only part-time reception. But again, affordable and pleasant and surrounded by sights and restaurants.

We stayed at Airotel Parthenon in Athens in May 2022. The rate was $140 including breakfast. The breakfast buffet was mediocre but there are numerous restaurants nearby if you want to eat out for breakfast. We did that one morning. The Airotel is in an excellent location. Right around the corner from the Plaka and about a 10-minute walk from the Acropolis. Our room was small, which is to be expected in European hotels, but it was clean. So, clean and in a good location, and very reasonably priced in 2022. Hope that hasn't changed.

Thanks for responses. Here is a little more info.
We are from Louisiana in the US. We will be in Rome April 24-27. Board ship on 27. In Athens April 27 checking out May 7. We do need an elevator. Our limit on hotel per night is $250. Would love to get something way below that but will go that much if have to. Not over.

Like I mentioned above, you are hitting up against Greek Orthodox Easter on your dates in Athens and there may be significant higher costs with that (or there might not be). I am personally researching for my first trip to Greece/Athens and do use Booking as a resource. I cannot recommend any hotels myself but Hotel Attalos is among the ones I have been looking at for my trip (solo).

I checked Aerotel Parthenon for you on booking.com. I used the dates May 4 for 3 nights, checking out on May 7. The rate is $473 for 3 nights; this is the non-refundable rate. If you want free cancellation, the rate is $526 for 3 nights. The Aerotel Parthenon has elevators. Aerotel is a chain, so be sure you enter Aerotel Parthenon.

I’ve stayed several times at Athens Cypria Hotel, which is just off Syntagma Square and Ermou Street (one of the main shopping streets in Athens). I haven’t looked up current rates, but they were reasonable when I stayed there. They have a good breakfast buffet, and the bathrooms, unlike many budget Athens hotels, were generously sized. They are listed on booking(dot)com, but here is the hotel’s own website:

https://athenscypria.com/

Any two star or above hotel in Italy should have an elevator. Check the reviews to make sure the elevator goes to all floors. Some hotels have floors the elevator doesn't reach.

You're coming during a long weekend. Before Covid your budget would have been ample but these days everything seems more expensive.

I applaud both Karen Woo's and Heimdall's extremely good and workable recommendations. These are both convenient & well-maintained and are in line with your budget. Do not pay attention to any recommendations that do not mention cost range -- such recommends come from people who do not have to watch their budgets... and as a tip for you, proverbs 356, next time please give specifics up front, so helpers don't have to guesstimate - when you want the best help, from volunteers, its thoughtful to provide key details at the start..

Sorry for the delayed response but thanks so much for all the information and advice. I apologize for not giving enough information in my original post. Will try to do better next time.