Hi
I need help planning for a trip with my mom next Spring. I am in my mid-thirties and she is in her mid-sixties. To start me off on my research, the hotel issue. I need suggestions for a safe area in Rome with nice eateries if possible, and 4 star hotel recommendations. We are looking to pay around 150-200 euros/night, a good AC is essential.
My mom has a bad knee so any tips to avoid queues and long waits is needed. Is the hop-on/hop-off bus a good way to see the city?

Any other tips are greatly appreciated.
Thanks

Rome sigthseeing with a bad knee is a difficult proposition. Cobblestone streets, ruins, mopeds, uneven, narrow sidewalks are ubiquitous. Stay central to the places she will prefer to see; i.e. Vatican, Colosseum, Piazza Navona, Spanish Steps. The Vatican is pretty accesible, but have long distances. I strongly recommend you rent a wheelchair (pharmacies have these for rent) and bring with you. If you don't need store away, if you do, you will be so glad you had one with you. I am used to travel with a wheelchair and it is doable.

Not many 4-stars hotel for 100 Euros in the Spring; I would recommend the Hotel Nazionale because it is centric and located on a nice (concrete surface) piazza within a pedestrianized area, which should help with the mopeds and cobblestones. Use of taxis recommended. The Roma Pass should help with lines (holders go in a separate access door in the Colosseo, etc...; no lines). The HOHO Bus is a great way to see the city.

The hop on/off work well except for the stairs getting on and off. If she can handle a few steep stairs, she will be fine. Personally I would recommend the Termini area since it is the hub of the transportation system and you could easily access the public transportation options. Also it is reality flat with decent local restaurants. I think you are on the edge between 3 and 4 star hotels. A/Cs most likely will not be turned on in Spring even if hot. Some private tours might be able to cut lines but lines should not be too bad at that time of year. What is her walking range? Can she walk a couple miles easily or is that too much?

Hello
fmpden, my mom can walk but she needs to rest frequently and do it at her own pace, so we cannot join a tour for example which we did in Prague but was too much for her. She can go up and down a few stairs with no problem at all.
Viajero, I realise that Rome is a bad idea with her condition but she has always wanted to go to Italy and finally decided it was time. Would be willing to splurge a bit on hotel if needed.
I found a hotel named IQ Hotel Roma, highly recommended on tripadvisor and the double room was around 150 euros w/o bkft. The website says that it is in via Firenze in the same square as the Opera house.

Thanks

Rather than splurge on a hotel, I recommend that you splurge on taxis.

You might want to look for bed and breakfasts, which might be cheaper in terms of the room rate to begin with, plus include breakfast. For instance, I just did a fast Google search for "bed breakfast via Firenze Rome elevator" -- and this is the first hit I got

http://www.alfabookings.com/hotels/hotel_nottiaroma.htm

I wouldn't book anyplace without first looking for independent reviews on Tripadvisor or venere.com, so I am not recommending this specific bed and breakfast. But you might find something very nice, with air conditioning, private bath, breakfast and elevator that is less than a hotel.

Wherever you stay, solicit the help of the owners in getting taxis for your mom and identifying on a map were the nearest taxi stands are the places your mom is most keen on seeing. Most people even half your mother's age are pooped after walking around St Peter's and the Vatican. Knowing where to find a taxi near there might help make the trip an overall success.

Finally, if the Vatican is your mom's target sight, I suggest you look in that neighborhood. If instead her main dream has been to see the sights of antiquity, stay near there.

My mom caught a pretty bad virus last time we were in Rome. She is just a few years older than your mother. I strongly second the recommendation of taxis. We happened to be staying within two blocks or so of a large, busy taxi rank and it was a lifesaver. If my mother was too tired to go out in the morning, we would agree to meet for lunch and she was comfortable walking down to the taxi rank and meeting the rest of our party for the afternoon. Again, if we were out and my mother was too tired to continue sightseeing, I would find a taxi and send her back to our apartment.

Hope you have a great trip!

Thank you all. I am a big fan of public transport but you are definitely right, taxis are the way to go this time.
I found several 4 star hotels top listed on trip advisor for less than 200 euros/night some of which with breakfast. Since we are going to use taxis a lot, extreme proximity to sights in not a must but would look for a hotel in a safe neighbourhood that has some restos nearby in case we want to go out at night just to eat. Any ideas?
Hotels that I found under 200 euros are
Palzzo Cardinal Cesi
Iq Roma
Villa Duse
Diolceziano

Any comments?

Make sure whatever hotel you choose has an elevator. Many properties (due to the old buildings) do not or, you have to climb stairs just to get to the elevator.

Good advice about stairs - do not assume that an elevator is available from the ground floor.

When I travel with my mom I make sure she gets back to the hotel for a rest in the afternoon. This makes a convenient location important IMO.

Check out Albergo Santa Chiara behind the Pantheon. Nice hotel, well located and with lots of dining options in easy access.

Anywhere around Campo de'Fiori, the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, is safe and there are tons of restaurants of all kinds. It's also close to everything except the Vatican and the Forum/Colosseum. The area is also flat, as it used to be a big field back in Roman times. You don't want to be too farr out, or the taxi will eat up tons of money. Look for places within a block or so of Corso Vittorio Emmanuele, where all the buses run. Google the addresses, and don't go by descriptions that say, "five minutes' walk to Pantheon or whatever, or near Campo de'Fiori. I always use a Rome map extensively when looking for accommodations.

You could also stay in an apartment if you'll be there three or more nights. Same cautions apply: look for an elevator if it is not on the ground floor. Note that in Italy, 1st floor is one flight up. Look at sleepinitaly.com, VRBO.com, etc. There are also reviews on slowtrav.com.

Thanks for the great recommendations. Will probably be there for six or seven nights.

I am in my early 60's and just returned from a 12 day cruise and rome, italy etc. My husband and I stayed 3 days in Rome post cruise. We stayed on Capo Di Africa street. It is far away from the busy areas. Stick with the other peoples recommendations. I would like to tell you about my horrible knee--I don't know your Mom's condition,with her knee but I have osteoarthritis, I got a cortizone shot prior to my trip. Worked like a charm. It needs to be done by an orthopedic physician. It was a blessing I cannot begin to tell you about. It was as if I NEVER had a problem with my knee. It is temporary but that is fine---try it for her. Also try and schedule private tours of the vatican/colloseium. We did both in one day, walked right in. A private one can be more costly but so worth it in the long run. I highly recommend this especially with her knee ailing her.

<We stayed on Capo Di Africa street. It is far away from the busy areas. Stick with the other peoples recommendations.>

It is around the corner from the Colosseum so in the historic center. Not everyone wants to be in middle of the busiest areas - it is personal preference and comes down to the individual and what they prioritize. There is a tram within a block of the hotel for easy access to the other parts of Rome.

To the OP, I would also splurge on a private guide. They can tailor the visit to you and your mom and help with least tiring options for walking and transport. IMO, it is really worth the investment.

The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel require a LOT of walking. While a private tour helps with the queue, it does nothing to reduce the masses of people in the museums nor does it reduce the walking required.

My mom also has cortisone shots before big trips and it certainly provides a lot of relief and makes the trip more enjoyable.

kfusto, There maybe a tram none of which I was aware or even saw. The restaurants in the area were limited, we stayed at hotel Lancerlot. We had a lovely room with a terrace, which viewed the colloseium. It was also very quiet which is a plus. In view of her Mothers knee I certainly would think it is not the best area--we are walkers and love to walk and we did our share and also tours while in Rome. We walked in 40 minutes to Trvei from Hotel. One night we were exhausted and it was cold and a taxi was I think 20 Euros back to hotel. Walking was certainly cheaper. Just to get to the main road, was a 3 block walk at least. I personally would not want to stay there in that area again.

diann24, I am not familiar with the Lancelot so cannot comment.

I respect your opinion about the area but do not share it. We very much enjoyed our experiences during our 3 stays at Hotel Capo d'Africa. There was a tram within a 5 minute walk and a good number of restaurants close by. We love the area and would happily stay there again. In more than a dozen trips to Rome, our preference is the this area and the area near the Borghese. We have stayed in a variety of areas in the ciry, including right at the Pantheon, and these days simply prefer to be out of the very busy tourist areas.

We stayed there most recently in fall of 2008 with a group of 4 couples. The consensus was that all were happy to have a quiet retreat to return to after time spent in the much busier parts of Rome.

Different strokes...

Oh absoloutely that is why they make 31 flavors of ice cream! I THINK your hotel was right across the street from the Lancerlot. I believe I saw that sign. It was actully my first time in Rome so I do not have any other areas to actually compare with--perhaps that is the reason I feel I would have loved to be in the other areas--after several times I might feel as you do. Happy travels to you.

Hi,
Thank you kfusto and diann24.
I mentioned the cortisone to my mom and she will run it by her physician. Thanks for all the advice, you are all great.

Kfusto, I just checked the Capo D'Africa and like what I see and being close to the action but not right in the middle of it. I have a few questions if you don't mind:

Do you think it fits our criteria?
Is it easy to get a taxi in this area, does the hotel have an elevator?
Is the breakfast any good?

It is more expensive than the other hotel mentioned above (270/night) but would be willing to pay more if it is worth it.

Thanks

Yes, I do think it fits your criteria though it is not in the dead center of the main tourist area which I consider to be Campo de'Fiori, the Pantheon, Piazza Navona areas.

There is a doorman to call taxis almost all of the time - we have never had an issue.

The hotel has about ten steps from the street into the lobby and then modern elevators to the rooms. It is a modern hotel overall and opened not very many years ago.

Breakfast is very good and the breakfast room has views over the Colosseum - stunning! We spent time every evening on the rooftop terrace enjoying a bottle of wine.

I have had both Superior and Deluxe Rooms and been pleased with both. They are a good size and well appointed with modern bathrooms. When I travel with my mom (who had a knee replacement last year and needs another soon) I request a room with walk in shower and no tub as this is easier for her. I use taxis much more frequently when traveling with my mother. If it is my husband and I, we tend to walk most everywhere though will opt for a taxi if our dinner plans involve a remote section of Rome.

I run alone in the mornings, often quite early, and have felt perfectly safe doing so in this neighborhood. I sometimes head up the Borghese Gardens and enjoy the peace and quiet there.

I like the modern style and amenities of the hotel. Staff has always been gracious and helpful. A/C is good though it has been awhile since I visited Italy in summer.

I found the restaurants in the area (and on nearby Via Merulana) to be less tourist oriented which is a plus in my book. There is a small enoteca down the street on the opposite side which was a nice place to stop in the evenings.

If you choose to stay near the Pantheon or Piazza Navona, there is no doubt that you will be right in the thick of things and that may be your preference for this visit. For us, we prefer the areas of Rome that are accessible, convenient yet offer some respite from the busyness and crowds of these very popular areas.

Check tripadvisor.com for lots of reviews -it is rated 42 of the almost than 1300 hotels in Rome: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...ome_Lazio.html

I might add hotel Lancerlot directly across the street ranks 13 where this one is 43. You might check recent reviews. Hotel Lancerlot is very nice, get the hotel with the terrace. We did. The breakfast is continental but very good. They have many return customers. The Terrace room was 420 Euros for 2 nights.