pfod1

In the process of planning a somewhat last minute trip to Italy for the end of September to early October. Planning on starting w/three or four days in Rome but having a lot of trouble finding a place to staty in a good location and that won't break the bank.

Anyone have experience or advice with this apartment? It is in Campo dei Fiori on Via Giulia. It looks nice. My one reservation is that it is on the ground floor and so I suppose it could be kind of on the noisy side. At the same time, at this late date I seem to have very few options. Thanks.
http://www.sleepinitaly.com/files/apt_giulia.html

jody

Via Guila has mainly antique shops and antique restoration shops along it length ..There are a few restaurants on the side streets but I've found it very quiet at night when we stayed ina hotel there.

JerryS

Via Giulia is a fantastic location and street. It is extremely quiet and safe (there's a police station located in the middle).

massagediva

Book it,Dan-o!

pfod1

Thanks for the quick replies. Sounds like a go!

Lesfaye

Pfod1, we have that very apartment booked for December, so looks like you will be going before us. Please post a review when you come back. I found that apartment after much searching, area, price, restaurants and wanted to be in that area and wanted no stairs. Very excited, the street via guilia looks fanatstic! Didn't think about the noise though, hmmm..

bardo1

There are no cars allowed on Via Giulia and there are not many pedestrians either since the street is completely residential. Very quiet and utterly charming. It's an excellent location with many restaurants, etc. just a few blocks up (away from the river). I stayed on Via Giulia about a block from this apt. - it was absolutely perfect!

Patrick

I looked at it too. It does look tiny, but the worst drawback to me was that little bed (is it really a double?) that is wedged against a wall. Can't stand having to crawl over each other to get in or out of bed. Biggest advantage for such an inexpensive place is AIR CONDITIONING, not that that makes much difference for October or December rentals.

Lesfaye

Yes the bed did look small upstairs in the loft, a french bed is basically an american double. There is another double in the couch so if we want to spread out...no cars, quiet residential street. Yes! This is sounding better and better! The kitchen looked quite nice though, a very nice little espresso machine on the counter, can't wait to go shopping for food at Campo Dei Fiori and make a couple of lovely meals in my little Italian kitchen!

JerryS

bardo1, Yes, Via Giulia is very quiet and utterly charming, but cars are, in fact, allowed. Since there are no restaurants and other "attractions", the traffic is minimal and, at night, almost non-existant.

pfod1, a great location.

bardo1

Jerry,
Not to quibble...Yes you COULD drive on it - if you live on the street (and have the permit) or are a licensed taxi. Otherwise it is officially a pedestrianized street.

VolGreg

Just got back from Rome where we stayed at the La Guilia apartment. Here is my take;

PLUS
the price, location, & next door is a very good resturant and cheap (for Rome) called the Gulio. also the apartment is bigger than an average hotel room in Rome and there is a small kitchen.

MINUSES
You must book a week at full price even if you stay less than a week.

You only get 4 towels and 4 washcloths to last a week. you must clean them when they get dirty since that is all you get. DON'T EXPECT A CHANGE OF SHEETS - unless you buy them and change them yourself.

The hot water heater has only 5-10 minutes of hot water before it runs out.

The host (Franchesca) works and is only available after 6:00PM (and up to 8:00PM) to let you in on week days she is available on the week ends at an appointed time that you choose.
THIS IS A BIG DEAL! If you arrive during the week and early in the day then you must store you luggage until Franchesca arrives. We arrived by train from Florence around noon and to depsit lugage at the Termini require a LONG (1-2 hours) wait in line. (Due to terror concerns they must search you luggage). It is not fun to lug baggage around Rome!

YOU MUST TIDY UP before leaving unless you want to have some deductions from your damage deposits.

There is an energy allowance of 10 Euros per day. If you want all of your damage deposit back you must turn off all lights when leaving.

NO air conditioning.

The small bathroom has a shower & drain in the middle of it so to keep the toilet paper, towels, and toiletries dry (good luck) you must use the shower curtain over the reamining area in the bath room.

Bottom Line if you are very familiar with Rome It is a good deal, but if it is you first time then you would be better served by a hotel.

The negative far outweigh the positive in my book, but opinions vary. I am not too hard - this is living as the Romans do - I just like the luxury of a hotel.

Hoping this gives y'all some fact before booking. Greg

Lesfaye

Volgreg,hi, are we talking about the same apartment Via Guilia 116? The one with the iron staircase up to a small french bed? Did you book this thru sleepinitaly? The owners name that I have is not Franchesca and I inquired about heating and there is no charge and we did not have to pay for a week we are staying 6 days. There IS air conditioning not that we will need it in December.

KT

Lesfaye, I'm pretty sure that you two are not talking about the same apartent. There's a weekly rental called "La Giulia" available through ItalyPerfect that is not the same as the Sleepinitaly one. To begin with, it's on a street off Via Giulia, not right on Via Giulia, and it's not on the ground floor.

Here's Giulia:
www.italyperfect.com/romeapartments/
lagiulia/lagiulia.html

Via Giulia is a pretty long street, and I'll bet there are other apartments around with "Giulia" in their name, too.

KT

Sorry, meant to type "Here's LA Giulia" before the URL.

Lesfaye

Hey KT, thanks for the reply! I was hoping it wasn't the same apartment as his review was less than complimentary. Yes you are right it is OFF Via Guilia and mine is on and also on the ground floor!

VolGreg

I am sorry I did not reply, but KT is right. I suspect you know that now since you have returned.

I hope my review was neither favorable nor unfavorable. I just wanted to give the facts and let people make up their own mind. It would be a good deal for people with a lot of Rome experience, but I want the luxury and guidance of a good hotel.


Greg

cf5657

I stayed at this apartment 2 years ago. It's tiny. The location is fantastic and there are some great hidden resturants down there but that bed is not meant for two people. It is smaller than a full size. There is a pull out bed in the sofa but good luck walking around in the place. It doesn't have a/c so if your going in Sept Rome is still really hot so your going to be warm in that loft with only the window open. The place is cheap, and very well located but be warned it is the size of a broom closet.

Just as a side point, in case you don't speak Italian, the street is pronouced Julia. I have a funny story that goes along with that.

Lesfaye

Hi well thanks but too late we just got back and did stay at this apartment and you are right it is the size of a broom closet. Yikes! When we walked in I thought it WAS the closet! The women who greated us was not the owner but a cleaner who spoke NO english. Thank god it was in winter and the heat did work but the loft got steamy and the ground floor was an ice cube and there was MOLD on the walls! Great location like you say but never again! Wow about the street pronuciation was definately not saying it like that!