butnotrmpt

Hi all - I have received much helpful info on this site, but am still waffling about my Rome hotel neighborhood, especially after being on Franco's thread. I am currently booked at Hotel Lancelot, terrace with a view, for 195E. But having read many posts about more central areas, I am exploring other options. One is Residenza Canali (2nd or 3rd floor because I know there is no elevator) for 207E. My other thought is Hotel Santa Maria in Trastavere - but I have not emailed them yet to see what is available, and I think they are more expensive. I'd like to hear again from those of you who have stayed at Hotel Lancelot, with a particular interest in the proximity of non touristy restaurants, and how you handled getting to many of the sites. And any info from those who stayed at the other 2 hotels will be much appreciated. Definitely one of my concerns is that after a day of sight seeing, we might want to return to the hotel for some R&R, and then we will not want to venture far afield for dinner and strolling, but will want to do it in our hotel's neighborhood. Thanks again for everyone who has responded to my previous posts, and my apologies in advance to anyone who finds my post topics repetitive.

suec1

I have stayed both places and I think I would say that there are more options close by in the Residenza Canali area. How many nights are you staying in Rome? Because there is one place that we just loved to eat near Hotel Laneclot - Pizzeria Lucie. It was very inexpensive and had some really good pasta dishes and very cheap wine, which was drinkable to me. I think 3E (well maybe 5, hard to remember as I drank alot of it!)for a liter of white wine. There is an outdoor terrace near a busy street - I really think alot of locals were eating there. The waiters who served you were often lounging against the wall smoking - you really knew you were not in the US! Not fine dining but to me it was a great Rome experience - we ate there several nights during our stay and now many nights my husband and I look at each other and say "don't you wish we could go to Pizzeria Lucie tonight". Have a great trip!

butnotrmpt

suec1 - sorry for the omission - we will be in Rome for 4 nights in mid-April, at the end of a 2 week Venice - Florence - Rome trip (our first to Italy - and our first out of the US/Carib/Canada in 30 years).

When at Hotel Lancelot, did you feel you were out of the way or otherwise at a disadvantage in terms of getting to other places?

susanna

I have stayed at the Lancelot at least 4-5 times. I am shocked to hear what the prices have gone up to. I have had the room you are looking at and it is very nice, very large, great wrap around balcony. I don't feel out of the way at all,the metro is about 3 blocks away and the busses are even closer. You are about a 20-25 min walk to the center where all the action is. The neighborhood up behind the hotel is really very busy, lots of restaurants, a very local neighborhood, can't think of the name though. I enjoy this hotel and area.

Samsaf

We have stayed at the Residenza Canali. We loved staying there. It was right around the corner from the Piazza Navona, on a cobblestone, antique-looking street. We walked all over Rome from there, and we loved returning to our "own little neighborhood." We called the Piazza Navona "our piazza," and we got to know the areas around it.

We paid E130 during last week of February, 2007 -- they usually give a discount if you pay in cash vs. credit card.

butnotrmpt

ttt

bobthenavigator

Closer to Piazza Navona the better.

sandi_travelnut

Right around the corner from Residenza Canali is a great neighborhood restaurant called "Tre Archi". Inexpensive and the food is wonderful. We have eaten there during our 3 visits to Rome over a 6 year period and were never disappointed.

hausfrau

I took my mom to Rome (her first visit and my third) last June and we stayed at Residenza Canali. (My full review is on Trip Advisor under "StuttgartHausfrau".) We loved this wonderful little hotel and couldn't have asked for a better location. If this is your first trip to Rome, I would highly recommend the Canali for its central location and endless restaurant options. As Samsaf said, it is right around the corner from Piazza Navona, which is a fabulous place to stroll at night, yet the hotel itself is on a quiet street. While I love Trastevere, it is off the beaten path and would not be my choice for a first visit.

Two points about the Canali, however: First, you won't get a terrace or a view unless you go with one of their top-floor rooms, so if that is a high priority for you, you might want to stick with the Lancelot. Second, our twin room was comfortably appointed but quite small and a bit on the dark side, so it wasn't the type of room to hang out in. It suited our needs perfectly as a comfortable place to sleep after a long day out; the staff was great, and the breakfasts were very nice. Excellent value for the location, in my opinion. I have stayed in the far more expensive Albergo del Senato and I would definitely consider the Canali again as a much more affordable alternative.