#2 looks to be near Piazza Navona..google Piazza di Montevecchio and you will find a map..

Thanks, I will check..
Dolce Rama emailed me saying they have no availabililty for my dates.
Mauro(recommended on Fodors)suggested
http://www.la-mandragora.it/rome/rom...ments_for_rent. asp?appartamento=001
but I feel it is not so great, any opinions?
Risab, it will probably be the end of Nov before I make up my mind! Hopefully it will still be available. Did you consider any other apts?
Have a great trip.

We also considered the Minerva (across from the Pantheon)on Via dei Cestari (my friend lives right down the street) and it is a great location but it was a bit more than I wanted to spend. Another fodorite stayed there and liked it. There is a review you can search. The other apartment that we liked was the Delfini located in the Ghetto area. They both received good reviews. The Delfini had a bit more steps to climb but the apartment looked really nice. Since I am going off season the rates were a bit lower than usually advertised for all of the apartments that I looked at.

Hi Excited,

Your link to the Mandragora apartment doesn't work, but I googled it and I agree -- the place doesn't look very promising! Very dark and dated looked.

As for #2 from your original list of options, there is something strange about it. It's billed as being a Spanish Steps apartment, but you say that the rental agent Caroline Goodwin says it's on the Piazza di Montevecchio which (as ekscrunchy points out) is very central. And not near the Spanish Steps! I'm not sure what's causing the confusion, but I'd be pretty skeptical about dealing with someone who is sending such mixed messages. And doesn't post a map on the VRBO ad!

Do you like the look of the Monte di Pieta apartment? It does seem to have lots of good reviews and that tells you a lot! If you are four people (I think you mentioned that in another post) the price seems to be right on the limit of your budget. Maybe a bit more than you wanted to spend, but it's important (to me anyway) to find a place that is good value for your money -- that is, somewhere you'll be comfortable and happy and somewhere that will enhance your vacation.

Yes, right now the Monte di Pieta apartment seems like my best bet. I will maybe wait for Risab to post when they return at the end of the month. We are 3 confirmed, may be 4, my son has not yet decided if he will grace us with his presence! (Even tho' it will be a free vacation) My only problem is the non-refundable deposit with sleepinitaly, with so much time to go, I am not comfortable with that.

I'm curious as to the Mauro you are referring to. There was a Mauro (Dr. Mauro Abate) with Roman Homes (although he operates under multiple company names)that was notorious on this board (and other travel boards) for getting nasty with posters that had complaints about his apartments. He used to post under various names plugging his aparments. Here is a nasty post he made on Slate back in 2000.
http://www.slate.com/id/78217/

Here's a thread about him from January.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35102809

And if you scroll down to Neal Sanders post on this thread you get a better idea of just who you would be dealing with.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...&tid=95041

Many other threads about Abate were deleted because of his posts.

The mauro I contacted was recommended in a trip report by dineroguru, you can search that name. It sounded good to have a friendly face at the airport etc but I did not particularly like the look of the apts (though I could be wrong). Hopefully it is not the same Mauro!

Yes, different Mauro. Some of my friends and I rented from him (the "good" Mauro :) ) about 6 years ago. The apartment was really inexpensive--at that time--and basic, but suited us perfectly and we had no problems. I would say that the place we rented from Mauro way back when was a step or two below those excited_confused is considering for this trip.

In any case, let's not give the good Mauro a bad name.

excited_confused, this is the place I'm renting this Christmas:

http://www.rentalinrome.com/bramante/bramante.htm

Of course we haven't stayed there yet, so my fingers are still crossed that we like it. I know from previous trips that the location is good.

Just remember about what was said in thr reviews for the Monte di Pieta apartment. The door that is used to enter and exit the apt opens into what the call the 2nd bedroom which has a fold out couch. If someone will be sleeping there then you have to fold up the couch in order to get in/out of the apt. That can be a real hassle. There is also a couch in the living room that someone can sleep on. Otherwise, we loved the spaciousness of the apt and having a full kitchen, which we used. Let me know if you have any questions about it.

I am leaning towards the Paradiso Big
http://www.sleepinitaly.com/files/apt_paradisobig.html
since it is confirmed that there will be 4 of us and this has 2 bedrooms & 2 baths. This is also available from Sleep in Italy so I guess I will have to bite the bullet and pay the non-refundable deposit.

We've all done it. Take a deep breath and send the money.