cgsauer

Hello, my sister (28) and I (age 26) are traveling to florence from april 17-20 (4 nites) then to rome from the 20-23 (2nites).<BR><BR>Does anyone have suggestions on places to stay for budget travelers - ie hostels or hotels that are nice, quiet, and clean in a good neighborhood. We are looking to spend at max 80euro per nite total. Thank you.<BR><BR>Cary Sauer

KayF

The area near Campo dei Fiori is great, we stayed at www.hotelsmeraldoroma.com which is on the budget side - rooms were OK, nothing flash. There is a market on most mornings in the campo and the Piazza Navona is only 10 mins walk away. We booked a room without breakfast and had a cappuccino and croissant across the laneway at the little bar. There are a few cheaper hotels in this area - try www.venere.com and look at the Centro Historico area (historic district).<BR>Kay

_Julie_

From one of my earlier postings:<BR><BR><BR>When I was in Florence I stayed at a convent/hotel that was beautiful;<BR><BR>Istituto Suore di S. Giovanni Battista<BR>Via di Riopoli, 82<BR>50126 Firenze<BR>Italia<BR><BR>tel: 30 055 6802394<BR><BR><BR><BR>The name of the hotel part of the Convent is Villa Merlo Bianca, but the<BR>letters that I sent to them were addressed as mentioned above. If you send<BR>them a letter, ask them to send you a pamphlet so can get an idea of the<BR>rooms. If you have a car, they have space for you to park inside the gates.<BR>It is in the 'suburbs', but still close to city centre - you can take a bus<BR>there, but I often walked (about 15 minutes or so).<BR>The Mother Superior (Madre Superiore) was a wonderful lady, but didn't speak<BR>english. When I arrived, she took us on a mini tour of the convent and it<BR>was beautiful. There are a few rooms behind the library and are smaller and<BR>don't have a great view, if you get one of these just ask to see another on<BR>the other side of the building. They are very accommodating and won't mind.<BR>There is also a continental breakfast offered with the lodging.<BR>If you have any other questions please feel free to email me. This place<BR>was a great find - about 55 CAD per person a night, for the same kind of<BR>room in a Florence hotel you would be paying big bucks. Because it is<BR>walled off from the street it is very peaceful and quiet, nice when you have<BR>been amid throngs of people all day.<BR><BR><BR>In Rome I also stayed at a convent/hotel near the train station and the colossseum<BR>http://www.suorebambinogesu.it/DNB/camere2.html<BR>We had a double room with phone, full bathroom, and air conditioning.<BR><BR>Good Luck!<BR>Julie

captain_zool

i just returned on sat. from a week in rome, and stayed at domus sessoriana. it is at piazza st. croce en gerusalemme. it is a 5-10 euro taxi to the center of town. it is a converted monastery. it is nothing fancy but very clean, safe,friendly. not much to do or see there, but we just slept there. if you plan on going back and forth during the day, taxi's could add up. if thats the case i would look around pantheon, piazza di fiore, piazza navouna--larger crowds, but close to sites and nightlife. rome is shocking, you'll love it.

marcellaruella

In Florence you might try the following, which were highlighted in a budget travel magazine last month:<BR><BR>Penione Maria Luisa De' Medici - Large bedrooms, beautiful antique furnishings and a location right in the middle of town. $62-67E without a bath, $80 E with a bath. Reservations only by phone 055-280-048<BR><BR>Albergo Merlini - Rooms 1,4,6,7 &amp; 8 overlook the rooftops to domes of the cathedral and San Lorenzo. Renovated in 2002, so the bathrooms are new and modern. It has mosquito screens! $45-65E without bath, $50-79 with. www.hotelmerlini.it<BR><BR>Instituto Gould - In an area of the Oltrarno by antique shops - run by missionaries - all proceeds from this hotel go to helping abused and disadvantaged children. First floor rooms have really high wooden ceilings. $44E without bath, $47-52E with. [email protected]<BR><BR>I've never been to any of these, but other recommendations from this author are always right on the money

jtune

We stayed in the area northwest of the train station in Rome.Within walking distance Residence adler and Hotel Italia were both clean,good breakfast with helpful friendly staff