Rome hotel location
 

Would a hotel in the the piazza of Santa Croce area be too inconvenient for Rome sightseeing? I've looked at Rome metro maps, and it looks like the metro in this area would not be a direct run into the center of Rome. Am I right?

I would not consider Piazza Santa Croce in Gerusalemme convenient to Rome's city center but everyone defines convenient differently. Rome enthusiasts typically have a favorite neighborhood and Rome's underground Metro doesn't service many in the center. The metro will take you to a few popular areas but I would characterize those stations as "on the outskirts." I prefer to walk to Piazza di Spagna and the Colosseum from a more centralized location.

Is there a metro stop near the piazza Santa Croce that would provide access to the center of the tourist sites?

There is a metro stop nearby, but the metro in Rome isn't very extensive as there are only two metro lines. Why do you want to stay so far out? It's much easier to stay central and walk to most things.
http://www.atac.roma.it/files/doc.asp?r=4

San Giovanni and Manzoni are on the A Line. This can take you directly to Barberini (a short walk to Trevi Fountain) or Piazza di Spagna. A change of train is required to get to the Colosseum.

Santa Croce is an easy walk or very quick bus ride on the #3 to San Giovanni in Laterano. From Giovanni there are a number of buses you can take to quickly get you to central areas of the city, such as the 87 or 81.

Now, when you say "area" that can mean a lot of things in the way places are advertised in Rome. It is not exactly a great place to be if you like late night strolls, as it could require buses, metros or taxis to get back, depending on the time. And the actual location could be a kilometer away from the basilica itself. Normally, if a place is closer to Giovanni or Mary Maggiore, that means it is close to them. If it says Croce Area, then I would guess that means eastward from the church, which can make it difficult to get around.

dave