Rome Budget Hotels or B&B's ? Suggestions please
 

Hi Fodorites,

I'll be in Rome from May 1 to May 6 and am looking for budget lodging. I thought I found a family run B & B near Termini Stazioni but now I can't find it. Does anyone have suggestions for very inexpensive but decent places they've stayed at?

State your max for inexpensive/budget. Is a toilet down the hall OK?

Hi fmpden,

toilet down the hall? no fmpden, that wouldn't do. I was looking at Casa di toto or something but several people said the single room was in the basement and smelled of mold -

Give me something to work with. What is the max you are comfortable paying?

Check out the Daphne Inn-wonderful!

Thanks Virginia Fish, but Daphne's has pretty bad reviews.

fmpden,

thanks for the help - a funny thing is happening..hotels I looked at before at one rate, now have higher rates...if I could keep it at 90 Euro and below - way below, tht would be good. I looked at Hotel Columbus on Via Conciliazone the other day and it was 90 Euro, now it's higher - and there are no rooms...EEK.

Since I'm doing a month of hotels in Spain,Italy and France I'm trying to keep the costs down. Believe it or not, from recommendations on Fodor's I found some charming hotels for 50 to 65 Euros in good 5th and 6th arrondissments . Looks like Rome is much more expensive, no?

That's the first I've heard of Daphne Inn having terrible reviews, but it certainly doesn't seem like a budget choice in any event.

An economic single room at Hotel Julia has an ensuite toilet and sink, but you have to go down the hall for a shower. I had no problem with this. It might be booked up already, though. Their regular single rooms have complete ensuite bathrooms. http://www.hoteljulia.it

Yes, Rome is a lot more expensive for Paris for hotels, in my opinion.

I'm not surprised about the rates going up so quickly - Rome is such an in-demand city that it's inevitable.

try arco del lauro a b&b in Trastevere area Rome. we are booked for end of May the reviews on fodors and trip advisor are fantastic. 119 euro a night, yes I believe you will have to pay more for Rome. the correspondence I have had with the owner Lorenza has been fantastic what a lovely lady. we can't wait to meet her and share in her hospitality. I had originally booked a hotel at 180 euro a night but after continued research on fodors and trip advisor planning our trip I happened upon arco del lauro.

Many thanks Willtravel and Kerry64 looking them up now, but keep the suggestions coming. :)

By the way, part of my problem is that I dont know one area in Rome from another, i.e. I know in Paris to stay in arr. 1, 2, 3,4 ,5 6 - but in Rome I dont understand the difference between Prati and Trastevere, and dont even know the names of the other areas, if someone can help me with that?

Something you might need to know to help me is: that I wont take a subway/metro. I ususally make my way around a city by taking the hop on hop off buses - or a bus - so a location near a bus stop or where the hop on-offs stop would be helpful.

I also see that there are some little hotels/B &B's behind the Spanish Steps (if they're still available). Would that be a good place for me to stay?

Thank you Fodorites for your generosity by the way, I cant tell you how much I have learned and hints I've gotten from reading your posts for a year. :)

I think the best budget deal in Rome is at Casa La Salle http://www.casalasalle.com/uk/chi_siamo.php

This is the Christian Brothers House out on Via Aurelia, but it's set up as a seperate hotel and has 24/7 access. It's about a 5 min walk to the Cornelia Metro stop. I've been taking people to Rome and staying at this B&B for several years.
Alan

malanh, I've noted that place, and it's so reasonably priced, but one thing that makes me hesitate is that it seems so far out. Do you find that to be a problem at all?

For the original poster, you might also want to consider convents in general, which are mostly in the 40-65 Euro range for a single room.

go to www.rome-accom.com and you'll find some great places. Anywhere around the Spanish Steps or between the Soanish Steps and the Via Veneto puts you in a good place to walk or hop on buses. If you're anyplace in Central Rome you can to all of the historic places including even across the river to Trastevere. It's a great walking city.

I just looked at the Daphne Inn in Rome on tripadvisor, and I see there are two of them, but they both seem to get good reviews. What review website were you looking at, mahya?

Sandy

We stayed at both Daphne Inn's-Trevi and Veneto-in February, 06. Yes, they may not be budget, but great value for the money and we were exceedlingly pleased. Tripadvisor has wonderful reviews on them.
Good luck--Rome is a very walkable city and many locations are fine.

Hey WillTravel
I've found the slight inconvenience of the location to be offset by the price. There are actually several decent restaurants nearby, and a large market just across the street. My biggest problem was (this February) when the Metro closed early and I had to walk back from the Vatican. Luckily I found a bus for most of the way. I'd say that if you don't walk around Rome at night it's a good deal.

Hi - take a look at Hotel Julia. I think I paid $90 (or right around there) for a single. The shower was down the hall but I had a toilet and sink in the room. The location was very good for me. I don't recall any buses but I also wasn't looking. I took the subway once and walked the rest of the time. Sounds like a fun trip!

Well Hotel Julia is out - all booked up.

Howis the area around Basilica of St. Mary Major, Via Carlo Alberto?

It seems to be close to southwest of Termini Stazioni.

Is that a safe area ?

I don't know what they will charge in May, but we stayed at the Residenza Antica Roma near the Trevi Fountain in November and it was a great location at a great price. We walked everywhere! We paid $139/night for 5 nights.

Thanks, Antica Roma is booked up also.

It's really unbelievable, within the last two days everything that was available for May has been taken up.

Hi M,
If this is of any help...I ll be staying in Accommodation Planet 29 near Termini in April. A double room with ensuite bath is costing me 90 euros. The reviews are good & i think they have a mention in the Lonely Planets also. You could mail to [email protected] or check out their site at http://www.mclink.it/com/travel
All the best.
Ciao

Sasha,
Thanks very much.

I have a question about the Termini area though. There are warnings in various places that it's not the best area because of pickpockets, (some even mentioned "streetwalkers" and to stay away from bus 64 known to be a tourist bus and frequented by the pickpockets.

I assume because there are so many tourist hotels in the termini area that it is frequented by an element we would all rather not run into.

So although there is availability in the termini area I've been somewhat afraid of booking there.

Can you all comment on safe and unsafe areas of Rome?

We stayed at the Hotel Paba in February--88 euro for a double room for two people. I think hotels in this area (Colosseum) are cheaper than those near Campo dei Fiori/Piazza Navona. It's a safe area and still very close to things (especially ancient Rome)

hi, mahya,

we stayed near here last easter in an apartment on the via dei serpenti, which runs between the via nazionale and via Cavour. WE really liked the area and found some great restaurants in the evenings when we wanted to eat close to our apartment.

If I had one quibble [doesn't get as big as a complaint] it's that at the end of the day, it seemed a long way back from whereever we'd been [apart from the forum and colosseum of course]. hence our eating in the local area, which wasn't much of a sacrifice as it turned out.

taxis back would have been sensible [we weren't!]

regards, ann

Hotel Des Artistes. About 4 blocks from Termini. Very Short walk and in a very quiet neighborhood.

Jay & Outwest,

Des Arts and Paba booked up. Paba cetainly has great recommendations...too bad!

Lynn, I've e mailed your suggestion, but no answers yet...

Keep em coming.

Try http://www.cross-pollinate.com .

dear m,
i understand your concern. i also had the same concerns - but it's suppossed to be located on the 'safe side of Termini which is a safe residential area ' according to the reviews. at that price, and for me, during easter (when everything is fully booked), this is the best option i could find. check the reviews at http://rome-hotels.tripadvisor.com/H...ome_Lazio.html.
ciao.

Well, I've sent out a lot of emails to a bunch of B & B's and apartments in Rome so we'll see who answers tomorrow.

An advisor on TripAdvisor gave me this site with lots of B & B's I hadn't seen before.. if anyone else is looking:

http://www.bed-and-breakfast-in-ital...mp;IDregione=7

Try these two:
http://www.hotel-giardino-roma.com/
Giardino is simple but quite lovely, the staff is wonderful.

http://www.hotelarenula.com/
The Arenula is in a marvellous location, the staff is a bit impersonal but not rude. Rooms could be nicer but they are clean and not too small. Pretty quiet at night, too, and you have Bernasconi bakery and cafe just across the street.

Thanks Keren,

The Giardina looks very nice and centrally located...I think I've booked something - I suppose I'll know tomorrow and will let you all know.

If you're still looking, the Hotel Panda is a very inexpensive hotel that gets good reviews on this forum, I think. Also centrally located.

We stayed at the Domus Julia, but I suppose the Hotel Julia would have mentioned their apartment annex to you. We had a twin room there.

I have never seen bad reviews of either of the Daphne properties. Are you sure?
:)>-