Do you have any recommendations for a hotel room (or small apartment) for two in Rome in high season for $200 a night or less? Our preferred locations are close to the Campo di Fiori, Piazza Navona or Pantheon. Thank you very much for your ideas.

We stayed in Giulia Gold,
http://www.sleepinitaly.com/files/apt_giulia-gold.html

It's exactly as advertised except that it is not 50 meters from the Campo, but maybe 500. (1/3 mile?) It's at 93 Via Giulia. Look it up on Google Maps. I'd say it is about halfway between the Campo and Castel Sant'Angelo. It's also 2 blocks from the Corso Vittoria Emmanuele where many bus lines run, and where you will find a small market, a nice little family-run restaurant, a coffee bar, and a newsstand. It was clean, quiet, beautifully furnished, and comfortable. (Sometimes the living room furniture in apartments is not at all comfortable, but this is.)

I wrote a review on slowtrav.com if you want to read it.

Here is a review I did on the Montevecchio Bis apartment, through Sleep in Italy. The cost, high season, should be about 140 euros per night, maybe less. It is located right square in the middle of the best part of Rome.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...amp;dirtyBit=1

dave

DH and I stayed at the Hotel Smeraldo for about 140 euro per night in June. This hotel has the perfect location 1/2 block from Campo di Fiori,near the Pantheon and Pizza Navona.It is in a charming neighborhood with a restaurant and a bakery right across the street.We were able to walk easily to many important sights in Rome. When you make a reservation do not include the breakfast as it is not worth the extra charge. The bakery across the street was a great place for breakfast.The hotel is clean with good size rooms and nice bathrooms.It also has a roof garden that was fun to go up to and have a glass of wine in the evening.Be sure to walk over to da Baffetos for the best pizza in Rome.Next to Baffetos was my husbands very favorite gelato spot in all of Italy!

I agree--Smeraldo is a good choice. However, if you plan to stay 4 nites look at Palazzo Olivia apts. Both are great locations.

The Navona Garden Suites was one I considered for about 200 euros a night.The location seems quite good.

Pensione Barrett. Freinds of mine stayed there last week and loved it. The location can't be beat.

http://www.pensionebarrett.com/indexuk.htm

Zeppole, I love that website. That has to be one of the wildest "product placement" sites I've seen. I'm serious, I love it, nothing subtle about it.

Here is our hotel...

BROUGHT TO YOU BY COFFEE AND CAKE

It reminds me of RyanAir.



dave

Thank you for some great ideas. SM

davesl,

I found Pensione Barrett in the Michelin green guide when American friends of mine asked me to help them find a budget hotel in Rome. Since I live in Italy, I called the pensione for them, and had a charming conversation with the charming owners, who were very meticulous about getting the reservation exactly right.

That was a bit over a week ago and my friends have now reported back that they loved the place and the location truly can't be beat. One of them has actually been to Rome at least half a dozen times, but didn't want to foot the cost of a place like del Senato. The other was a first-timer to Rome, who tires easily when walking.

It really sounds like a winner in the heart of Rome.

A lot of people seem to get the Intercontinental on Priceline for $200-$250 US

charnees: Can you tell us a little more about Giulia gold? I read your review on ST.

Looking at the photos on sleepinitaly, I had the impression that windows are few, except in the living room. Am I correct?

The decor looks fine but I had the sense a LOT of artificial lighting was used in the photos to keep the place from looking very sombre.

I would look at the apartments offered by realrome.com. They have very reasonable rates and the owner, Tim Pearson, is great to work with. (We stayed in a 2 Bedroom, not a 1 BR)

tedgale, Giulia Gold opens only onto the interior courtyard of an old palazzo. And it does have a lot of interior lighting. However, the decor and lighting are so well done that we never had a feeling of being closed in or dreary. And the situation makes it quiet, too. There are two windows that open into a kind of little alley on the rear, too. Although they are not very useful.

I usually don't like to feel closed in, but I did not in this apartment. In fact, the living room windows opening onto the courtyard made it sort of romantic (in the historical sense of the word.) The rooms are spacious and very comfortable.