Rome Trip Report
 

Well, back from a great trip to Rome. I've used this site for years for many different trips and have always found it extremely helpful. So, here goes....<BR><BR>Was in Rome for a total of 8 days/7 nights. Used the LimoService.com to get from the airport to the hotel – they were great. We where an hour late arriving and they were there waiting for us. Stayed at the Portogeshi Hotel right off of Pz. Navona. Would really recommend this hotel. Very very clean (which is most important to me), efficient staff, great breakfast on roof top terrace and the right price for me, 300.000/night for a double. The room was small, but did the job for me. Quiet location just north of Pz. Navona. Would definitely recommend this hotel. Highlights of my trip were:<BR><BR>1. Scavi Tour, this is a must<BR>2. Ancient Rome. We took a walking tour with Enjoy Rome and really got alot out of it. I think that if I just did the Forum, for example, on my own, I wouldn't have appreciated the history and significance as I did with the walking tour.<BR>3. Coliseum - defiantly get the audio tour. Took a whole roll of film here <BR>4. Papal Audience - incredible<BR>5. the food and wine!<BR><BR>We did so much, it's hard to capture it all. We also took a walking tour through the Vatican Museums with Enjoy Rome and where very pleased. Again, understood the significance of what I was looking at. Bourghese Gallery, the house is almost as interesting at the sculptures in it! Best restaurant we ate at - Antica Taverna, off Pz. Navona. Ate there twice it was so good. I would love to answer any questions you may have. Fell in love with Rome. Happy travels.<BR><BR>

Hi Marianna:<BR>Welcome back. It seems you had a great time. I really like your tip on the Portogheshi Hotel. Do you have an email for that? We paid 400.000 lts. for a hotel in Via Nazionale which didn't quite make it (lousy bkfst. although very near the Forum and Colliseum +). <BR>Our highlight was the Vatican. St.Peter's - the museum.

Did you wait until you got to Rome to arrange your Enjoy Rome tours? If so, did you have to go to their office near the train station or was there someplace else to do it? Thanks.

Ellen, I also did an Enjoy Rome tour. You can contact them a few days in advance to ask them to hold a spot for you, but you actually have to go to the office to pay before the tour. You will probably not meet at the office for the tour. I did the evening tour and we met at Piazza Navona. I liked my Enjoy Rome tour too. I wish I used them for the Vatican Museums. The tour guide I had, (group tour offered by the museums) was awful.<BR><BR>If you don't have it, their web site is www.enjoyrome.com. You can e-mail them for more specific info about the tour you want to do.

Ana: Yes, we had a fantastic time. The Portogeshi was just right for us. Great location, right price and very clean. Their website is www.hotelportoghesiroma.com and their email address is [email protected]. <BR><BR>Ellen: We did two walking tours through Enjoy Rome. I was debating between Enjoy Rome and Scala Reale walking tours, but Scala Reale is much more expensive which is what finally sealed my decision. Both Enjoy Rome and Scala Reale get positive reviews on this site. I did make reservations for the walking tours before I left. I was not able to make it to the their offices to pay before our tours and just paid the tour guide directly at the start of the tour. Several in the group had this arrangement. I took the Old Rome and Vatican tour. Each where 35.000 ITL/pp.<BR><BR>Hope that helps!

Is Portoghesi a hotel "with a character"? How were the rooms and bathrooms apart from being small?

Mariana, thanks for the info. I will put it my Rome file.<BR>Ana

Sana: Yes, I do believe that the Portogeshi is a hotel "with character". It's location is just north of Pz. Navona in a "neighborhood" type of area, which I enjoyed because I didn't feel like it was smack in the center of a very touristy area. I believe that the rooms must vary in size, because I did have a chance to peak into the other rooms when the cleaning services where there and some where slightly bigger that ours, but they didn't quite have the view. The view from our window was great, overlooking the mid-evil tower that landmarks the area. Noise from the street was not problem. The bathroom, again small, was very modern. The shower had great water pressure (which I enjoy) and we never had a problem with hot water. The thing that give the hotel the most character is the breakfast room on the roof. If you go there in the warmer months, you'll get to enjoy the outside area of the terrace. The item that probably had the least character was the staff. You'll hear that remark from other posters on this site. Depending on your needs, this may be ok for you, it certainly was for us as we don't need for the hotel staff to make us "feel like family." They were very efficient, but I wouldn't say they had character. Hope that helps. I enjoyed my stay there.