We will be spending 3 nights in Rome before heading to Tuscany where we have rented a villa for a week. I was hoping to stay at the Albergo del Senato, but that is fully booked.

Looking for a lovely, boutique style hotel either near the Spanish steps or the Piazza Navona. As this is a 50 birthday celebration, we're willing to spend a bit of money, but just not the Hotel de Russe kind of money.

Looking for suggestions - as well as any opinions that anyone has on any of these choices:

Inn at the Spanish Steps
Piranesi
Hotel Locarno
Hotel Splendide Royal
Scalinat di Spagna

Many thanks!

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Search?wh...=Piranesi+rome

http://rome-hotels.tripadvisor.com/H...ome_Lazio.html

http://rome-hotels.tripadvisor.com/H...ome_Lazio.html

http://rome-hotels.tripadvisor.com/H...ome_Lazio.html

For other options - www.venere.com - put in your dates, it will give you choices that are available - you can narrow it down by area.

I think the hotel Ponte Sisto in Via dei Pettinari is in a very good location and recently renovated. May be expensive though. http://www.hotelpontesisto.com/web/

Relying on Fodor's review of the Locarno, I booked three rooms for mid-July. I deeply regret it. Where Fodor's describe Art Deco elegance, lovely tapestries, and antiques, we found a place in dire need of fresh paint, new carpeting (stair carpet was grossly stained), and some good upholstery. All three of our rooms were dark and dingy, and what I saw was not fine antiques but old furniture in need of repair. The public areas do not seem to be air conditioned at all, and guest rooms are inadequately cooled. The front desk staff was efficient, but not particularly friendly or solicitous. My two sixteen year olds, experienced travellers themselves, found the place "creepy." I agree.

On previous trips to Rome, we have stayed at the Hotel Dei Borgononi and have loved it. It is well located -- within easy walks of Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, and Trevi. I so regret that we did not return there on our most recent trip. For roughly the same price, you get lovely rooms and great service.

We were in Rome in May 2006. Our hotel, the Domus Julia, was near the Spanish Steps, and we liked it, but it's not special for a celebration.

I did walk into these hotels and picked up their cards, because they looked very nice:

La Lumiere di Piazza di Spagna (Spanish steps), has rooftop dining, is in an old mansion on Condotti street. www.lalumieredipiazzadispagna.com.

Hotel Barberini, Via Rasella 3, a four-star just up the street from the Domus Julia, across from Barberini Palace and near the Spanish steps. [email protected]

Have fun planning your trip.
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I just checked my notes to be sure. The first hotel I mention is on Condotti street, right in the middle of the designer shops, so it felt very upscale. I actually preferred its location to the one across from Barberini Palace. There are good prices available in August, but I don't know when you're going.
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