Jim

Going to Rome March 23-28 and Venice 28-31. Want to pick everybodys brains for the best way for four adults to see the most and enjoy the most. looking for lodging in the heartland of both cities. Ideas?

karen

In March 1999, four of us spent a comfortable week in Rome at an apartment on Via del collegio capranica, just a block from the Pantheon, which we rented through Romanhomes. You can see it on their website, and of course they have others. The location could not have been better. We could walk almost everywhere, and there were always taxis at the Pantheon if we didn't feel like walking. One bedroom and bath is much nicer than the other, though, and there was plenty of street noise into the wee hours. That didn't bother us, but it's not a place for light sleepers.

DavidD

Do a search here on either romanhomes or Dr. Abate the owner. I'm glad everything was OK for you Karen but others have had problems. Also there was a wild and crazy thread about him and his company which he personally posted on but Fodors deleted it. DD <BR>

Rex

Maybe I am picking on semantics that express something you really didn't mean - - but what does it mean - - "best way"... to "see the most" and "enjoy the most"? <BR> <BR>Is this a competition? Is it important to you to see "more than" the "Joneses" saw on their trip? I guess the answer is to plan for each and every day to be 18 or 19 hours in length - - there is plenty to see starting at or before sun-up and you can keep going until after midnight in either city. Hire a chauffeur (in Rome, or your own private motoscafo pilot, in Venice) to get you from point A to point B as quickly as possible, buy two or three good guide books and make a checklist of 10-20 "things to see" in each city each day. <BR> <BR>And I am even more clueless what it means to "enjoy the most". What is the scorecard for this? Start by flying non-stop, first-class from your origination city to Rome, likewise on to Venice, and the same home (you'll probably have to connect at least once to get home from Venice). Stay at the Hassler in Rome and the Gritti Palace in Venice. Eat caviar and drink champagne as often as you want, and have lots of sex daily, nightly or however often it suits you best. <BR> <BR>The problem with this strategy is that it doesn't ensure that you will "enjoy more" than those who travel in coach, stay in one star hotels, and eat in simple trattorias. <BR> <BR>I am not a troll, but clearly this is intended to be a provocative reply - - picking on your use of the word "most" - - it's a very "American" notion we have (yes, I am as American as I assume you are) - - that we have to the "best" vacation - - by some criteria that exist only in our own minds. <BR> <BR>For many of us here, a "good" trip (without necessarily being the "best") is one that is well researched - - like a good meal - - to properly whet the appetite - - by lots of reading, salivating over pictures and websites. <BR> <BR>And yet, this too, doesn't float everybody's boat. I genuinely understand people who say "if I read all that stuff before I got there, why would I still care to come see it?" <BR> <BR>Maybe you are actually expressing the desire to AVOID experiences had by others you know - - who "wasted" their trip by not having a (proper) plan (or any at all), and frittered away their time doing little or nothing (when this is not what they wanted to do). Maybe this is what "see the most" and "enjoy the most" means - - to drive down the (perceived) "wasted" experiences to as close to zero as possible. <BR> <BR>I a not trying to withhold info from you. The website www.italyhotel.com is a great way to research hotels; I personally like the Cesari (Rome) and the Bonvecchiati (Venice). Both have "good" locations, if not the "best"; neither is top of the line, even if they do deliver solid value, in my opinion. <BR> <BR>Have a dialgoue with us, Jim - - read a lot (or at least a little), research here on fodors.com, on timeout.com, on about.com (particularly good for Venice) and twenj.com - - your time will be richly rewarded. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex Bickers <BR>Westerville, Ohio <BR>

Luigi

Hotel Rex in Rome on Via Torino near Opera House is extremely good. <BR> <BR>Hotel Laconda Sturion in Venice is also well located and very nice. <BR> <BR>Both have web sites if you search for them.

babble

Rex, you are a pompous ass!

Rex

Mebbe. <BR> <BR>There don't seem to be many postings in response to Jim's question. <BR> <BR>I suppose pompous ass answers are all he can expect to get. Too many other readers like yourself have nothing to contribute to him. <BR>

Gigi

If Rex is a pompous ass, then I want to be one too! <BR>I agree with him 100%.

BOB THE NAVIGATOR

Hello Jim, I will be in Rome about the same time---actually arriving 28 March. <BR>You do not mention price range so I will have to guess. Use the venere.it site to look at the hotels. In Venice I suggest the Giorgione, Kette, and the Bisanzio as good mid-range options. In Rome, look at Santa Chiara, Due Torri, and the Margutta. For all other info you must buy the Eyewitness Guide book for Italy---fabulous for those cities. Do not mind Rex---he really is a very bright guy just having a bad day.

babble

Rex, you don't get it. <BR>Where does Jim say it's a "competition" or that he wants to "see 'more than' the 'Joneses' saw on their trip"? He said nothing more than anyone going on a trip would say--"the best way for four adults to see the most and enjoy the most..." Isn't that what most travelers want? <BR>Your diatribe was totally uncalled for! <BR> <BR>

Rex

Babble: <BR> <BR>You and I may have to simply agree to disagree. I didn't think it was a diatribe - - but was it a little bit soapbox-y? Sure. And irreverent? Mea cupla. All the time. <BR> <BR>I identified it at the top as semantic - - (and as I have been called before "pedantic"). It was micro-dissecting ONE word - - the "most". <BR> <BR>But it was a true sentiment. I think too many travelers to Europe are bent on having a "better" trip than so-and-so had - - just like having a better stereo or car. In that sense, it can indeed be a competition, and a misplaced one at that. <BR> <BR>Last of all, iun the final analysis, I did offer my sincere thoughts on a good hotel inj each city, some valuable websites - - and some extreme (even if tongue-in-cheek) ideas on doing these two cities with the "most" enjoyable tocuhes I could think of (first class air travel, Hassler, Gritti Palace). <BR> <BR>This forum can (and should?) retain a bit of Saturday Night Live irreverence - - in my opinion, of course - - and not scare (most) readers away. <BR> <BR>I wonder how many readers there are here, anyhow - - wouldn't be great if each thread had a counter? - - of viewings, of course - - not just replies. <BR> <BR>Talk about a competition! <BR> <BR>Fodors? <BR> <BR>

Patrick

Hey Rex, congratulations! Until now I thought I was the only one being labeled a pompous ass whenever I posted a detailed comment. Welcome to the club! Should we have a meeting soon? <BR>But by the way, I too felt that the original post could just be interpreted as "best" we can do for ourselves, or the "most" we can get out of our time, not necessarily a competitive spirit. Still, Jim, we do need a lot more to go on. It's pretty hard to know what your group will enjoy the most or suggest the best way to see it all without knowing something more about you. If you are four high school football players going to Europe for the first time, I'd probably give considerably different answers from those I'd give four retired architects.

babble

That's much better, Rex! You're forgiven for having a bad day! <BR>And you know, I bet Rex and Patrick could be good friends. Wait a minute, maybe Rex and Patrick are the same person!

Rex

What a thread we have going for ourselves here! And the funny thing is - - Jim has probably not been back to catch any of this! <BR> <BR>The average "civilian" might never imagine that 40+ hours here (since his original post) is an internet "lifetime" - - with 400-500 new posts occurring in the interval. <BR> <BR>

Diane

Of course it would have been nice to have an idea of what a good time means to the poster, but I'll respond the best I can with the information given. What makes Venice so special is the atmosphere. Walk the streets away from the tourist area, sit on a bench and watch the children play ball, go out early before lots of people are out and about. If time permits, take the vaporetto to Burano -- it's a beautiful island where the homes are painted all colors of the rainbow. Venice is to be savoured, not gulped.

can't believe it

Rex: <BR>You probably scared Jim away with your rude remarks. He was sincere in his question and you read way too much into it. <BR> <BR>He probably has a life too. He can return to search on his thread in 20 hours.....who cares, no one here really helped him out, did they?