hawaiianheart1

HI- I've tried to read everything so that I can be efficient in seeking info from expert travelers - but have one question specific to my family plans!

Five of us will travel next July 2015 (I know but it's when we can do it) to Rome and Sorrento/Amalfi Coast or further south (likely 8-10 days, but still planning).

My question about Rome and taking my 3 kids --a 12yr-girl, 15yr-boy, 18yr-girl is this: should we rent an apartment for 3-4 nights or get a hotel (that includes breakfast). My worry about hotel is that we:
A) have to get 3 rooms which forces us to put one parent in a solo bc I don't want to put any kid in a single -- cost/safety
B) squish 3 teenagers into one triple room - they like each other but are all grown, not child size now -- comfort

An apartment appeals due to space/flexibility/local living, but not due to my having to worry about all of the meals and haggling with a landlord.

If you also have location advice per your suggestion on which to book, I'd love that too -- and am reviewing your advice on locations per other forums too. Thanks in advance!

sparkchaser

Get an apartment. Breakfast isn't a big deal -- just buy some various food stuffs at a grocery store or just go out for breakfast.

Fodorties can and will gladly give many recommendations for apartments.

nytraveler

If you haven;t been to Rome before I would get a hotel - 2 rooms - one parents and one teens (with 3 single beds). You may be happy to have the advice of the concierge desk staff to help you and the kids find their ay around (don't assume all 5 of you will be joined at the hip the whole time - kids may have different choices at times and want to do student pub or cafe at night).

Also - with so many destinations in so few days not sure how many apts will have availability for only a couple of nights.

sandralist

Getting an apartment offers the option of getting 2 or 3 bathrooms, which could really help. I don't know if you already have zeroed in on one agency, but I like to use Rome Loft. Maybe one of these apartments would work for you. For July you definitely need air con:

http://www.romeloft.com/search/?chec...12-27&people=5

The idea that you need a concierge for your "first time", forgive me, is really old fashioned I think. And so is the idea you can't rent apartments short term. You can book like hotels with a credit card. If you have teens with you, then they are often excellent map-app-logistics researchers and you will be glad for the option of having a place to keep some food and cold drinks in lieu of eating out all the time.

mama_mia

We like staying in apartments with kids because of the additional space. We pick up a few items in the market to have on hand for breakfast but eat other meals out. I would think an apartment would be more cost effective than several rooms.

We stayed at the following apartment (Casa Paradiso) a year and a half ago. It has air con, two bedrooms (one with twin beds, the other queen) and a convertible bed in the living room. I slept on the sofa bed and it was fine.

The apartment is a block or two off Campo de' Fiori, an excellent central location for exploring Rome. Many shops and restaurants nearby. The owner had some guidebooks and maps on hand, too. She speaks excellent English, so it was easy to make arrangements. Highly recommend.

http://www.vrbo.com/305032

Mimar

If you rent an apartment, you don't have to eat all your meals in. It's convenient to have a few things for breakfast, cold drinks, and snacks. You'll have more room -- assuming you pick a larger apartment. And do pick something central and with air-conditioning, so you or some of you can easily drop back there for a rest from sight-seeing in the hot sun. But you will need to do a little research, on where to go and how to find your way. Get the kids involved in this.

annhig

I'm in the apartment camp too. The first time we went to Rome we rented an apartment and so far as I know, we didn't miss the lack of a concierge. We had a lot more room than we would have done in a hotel, and it was great being able to come back after a hard day's sightseeing, put our feet up and have a cup of tea together; difficult to do if you are in 2 or 3 separate hotel rooms.

another plus was that DS, then 15, could go over to the little bakery/cafe opposite the apartment and buy the cornetti for breakfast - after the first morning he did this by himself and he got a real thrill out of it. [so did we, as it got us out of having to walk back up the 80+ stairs to the apartment!]

another time we rented an apartment in Rome and never ate a meal in, not even breakfast.

Normally apartments are available for periods of 3 nights upwards - and really you aren't going to want to spend less than 3 nights in Rome, are you?

bvlenci

In your situation, I usually rent an apartment. There's more space, and it allows the early birds to get some sleep while the night owls enjoy themselves in the living area. (This doesn't work well if the night owls sleep on a sofa bed, because the early birds will wake them up in the morning. It's much better if there are enough bedrooms for all.)

However, there are numerous disadvantages to staying in an apartment other than what's been mentioned already. All in all, I much prefer staying in a hotel, myself.

1. You usually can reserve an apartment with a credit card, but you almost always, at least in Italy, have to pay the balance in cash on arrival. I don't like carrying that much cash.

2. You need to make an appointment to meet the agent at the apartment, and you almost always have to give them a call when you're on your way to the apartment (either when leaving the airport or on arrival at the train station). Will you have a phone that will work in Italy?

3. Check-in is usually in the afternoon. Almost all hotels will let you drop off your bags and hold them for you while you go out for breakfast, or a little sightseeing before breakfast. Apartments rarely have this possibility. The same is true if you have a few hours at your disposition after checkout time.

4. I don't need a concierge, but even though I live in Italy and am fluent in Italian, I find the services of the front desk staff to be invaluable for little questions and problems. Things like burned out light bulbs get taken care of much more quickly than in an apartment.

5. Most apartments, other than the more expensive ones, don't have any provision for daily cleaning of the rooms. At home I have a housekeeper, but when we're staying in an apartment, I seem to be the only one that's bothered by dirty dishes in the sink or hair in the shower drain, or unmade beds. It's my vacation and I don't care for spending any of it doing housekeeping. At the very least, make sure that these tasks don't fall on one person.

6. Almost every apartment I've stayed in is missing some basic supplies, such as dishwashing soap or a sponge to wipe the counter. (Do people steal those?) Living like a local to me means having a nice meal in a local restaurant, not buying toilet paper in a supermarket.

7. Doing the research to find a suitable apartment, an honest broker, and a conscientious owner is much more time-consuming than what you need to do to find a decent hotel.

Some apartments do have a manned service desk, which eliminates some of the problems I've mentioned, but I haven't encountered any apartment so well staffed in Rome.

In your case, I think the advantages are probably greater than the disadvantages, but keep these points in mind, and be prepared.

greg

Additional consideration with apartments not mentioned is arrival and departure logistics.

Apartments either have a very limited check-in window to receive the key or need to make an appointment with a renting party representative. If there is a delay in getting the key due to rep or you not being able to be there at the appointed time, will it crater your plan? Will you have a way to communicate with a rep from streets?

Similarly, if you are arriving hours before the appointment/check-in window, what are you going to do with your luggage? Hotels can usually keep them until your room is ready. It is tougher with apartments.

Also, if you want to stay in Rome after check-out until you catch train, plane, etc, what are you going to do with your luggage?

NYCFoodSnob

It sounds to me, since you're asking for location advice, this will be your first time to Rome. If so, I would recommend staying in a hotel. You just can't imagine how much easier it will be to get questions answered when you have service personnel around 24/7 do deal with your various questions or concerns. Good hotel service is a priceless commodity. Every member of your family will appreciate the various conveniences.

The kids can stay in a triple. There is no need to split them up. If you stay in a better hotel, many will supply a large double that can turn into a triple with the addition of an extra bed. They do this all the time. With two rooms, you have two bathrooms. Larger hotels, like the Grand Hotel de la Minerve, one of my absolute favorites, can supply adjacent rooms to make your stay easier.

IMO, renting an apartment requires more work, risk, and experience, unless you're willing to dive into a crash course and take your family with you on that time-consuming ride. You will save a lot of time, energy, and second-guessing if you stick with a well-reviewed hotel. You can get great deals in July.

annhig

bvl /greg/foodSnob - perhaps we've been lucky but we have had very good experiences renting apartments not just in Rome but in Florence and Venice too. yes we had to carry some cash, and make a phone call, but apart from that, we had no problems to speak of.

And the advantages, for us, far outweighed any of the disadvantages you mention. When travelling with the family I'd certainly choose to do it again instead of staying in a hotel, even if I could afford the Grand hotel de la Minerve.

NYCFoodSnob

<i><font color=#555555>"perhaps we've been lucky"</font></i>

IMO, there is no discounting or minimizing the importance of luck when renting an apartment off the internet these days. Of course there are people who swear by their experience. I am one of those persons. But I usually travel alone. However, when it comes to giving advice to first-time visitors, traveling with kids, I always recommend a good hotel. IMO, a good hotel is the safest choice.

Renting an apartment requires a lot more research across the board. Renting an apartment requires a better understanding of each neighborhood. Renting an apartment often comes with communication challenges, especially if the owners do not speak English. Renting an apartment often comes with financial restrictions and or risks that don't exist when you stay in a hotel. Renting an apartment can be very risky. It is always a possibility that the apartment you rented will not be available the day you arrive, and if a replacement is provided, you could end up in a completely different neighborhood, one you never bothered to research. When you rent an apartment, there are a lot of things that could go wrong that would never occur if you stay in a good hotel.

Finecheapboxofwine

There are some hotels that have hotel rooms and apartments in the same building or in a side annex. That way you can choose the best of both worlds with the security of a hotel setting and staff on the premises all the time. I'm researching our family trip to Rome for the spring and found the apartment in hotel is much more expensive option than renting an apartment from the owner or agency.
For a family- I opt for apartment route. Many hotel rooms have one queen bed and then sofa beds for the rest of the family. I dislike sofa bed sleeping, personally. You'd have to be making up the sofas and putting them in an out each day and night too in order to find a place to sit, Apartments can be more spacious and you are traveling with adult sized people that could make a hotel room feel crowded. But as someone else wrote above, they require LOTS of research.
Your family might like a day when you can sleep in and don't feel the need to rush for breakfast seating. A nice brewed cup of coffee in your apartment while the kids sleep.....luxury!

WWK

I'd go with a hotel, for all the reasons stated above.

I don't know your budget, but can highly recommend Albergo Senato, which has one of the best locations in Rome for sightseeing and exploring. There's a ground floor mini-apartment that sleeps three. No view, but you're steps from the front door and The Pantheon.

Kids could stay downstairs, adults upstairs, all rooms are nice, though standard rooms are typically small.

There's an amazing front desk, and a wonderful rooftop bar for a quick drink or two when you're done with sightseeing.

bvlenci

The idea of an apartment with hotel services is a good one, if you can afford it. I've never done it, but I know that the Hotel Campo dei Fiori has apartments in an annexe. The Mozart Hotel has apartments off-site, but near enough to use the hotel's services. And the Beehive, a hostel in Rome, manages some off-site apartments, and provide services at the location of the hostel, which may not be near the apartments. These are roughly in decreasing price order.

I've never had a bad experience with an apartment rental in Rome, but I've read about a lot of bad experiences on TripAdvisor. One of the most frequent was a sort of bait-and-switch, in which the agency called at the last minute and mentioned "water damage" at the apartment and offered a substitute, which was never satisfactory. This is often the fault of the owner, not the agency, because most owners list with several agencies and then forget to keep the bookings synchronized. That's why I said you had to do research on the agency, research on the owner, and research on the apartment.

My most recent apartment rentals in Rome were through www.booking.com . These usually (but not always) allow paying the full cost with a credit card. One of them was at a hybrid hotel/apartment building. All of them were very professional and were not being rented "unofficially", which is another thing that makes me nervous, because these will not have had any sort of inspection or even the most basic safety measures.

RoamEurope

I like both hotels and apartments but the 3-4 days length and fact that it is your first trip to the city put me firmly on the side of hotel here. As mentioned above, there are hotels with apartment annexes that can give you the best of both worlds... usually the apartment is within a block or two of the hotel and provides for use of hotel amenities.

As for hotels, the right triple absolutely will be fine for your kids. Try looking at www.4inEurope.com for good recommendations or, if adventurous, try for all 5 in one room with www.sleeps5.com (I think the specific recommendations/ hotel info on 4inEurope.com are better and I rely on Trip Advisor so the links at 4inEurope are useful).

For area, I prefer Trevi Fountain area but will stay closer to Termini if arriving or leaving via train. Personally, I'm not a big fan of staying near the Vatican.

hawaiianheart1

Thank you to all. I should have disclosed that I have been to Rome (1X) as has my husband, but not together and not with the children. We are from a major metropolitan area (DC) and have some experience traveling on trains/eastern seaboard etc. The kids have traveled to Hawaii many times (family, Mexico and each child has been to London for individual trips with a grandparent. But, this is our first trip together to Europe and is a reward to our graduating high school senior for taking 4 years of Latin.

So, I have a follow-up question: When I visited Rome (before kids), I went in the spring-thus, it wasn't sticky and smelly (which most people say it is in the summer) and in reading about it, I just assumed three nights was adequate to do the big things and then move off to possibly Florence or Siena but for sure Sorrento as a base (in a hotel where I can sit in the sun and sip/read)for a more tranquil experience. I'm seeing from some of the comments that we could stay longer in Rome and pace ourselves and perhaps make it more relaxing. Keeping the kids in mind, we do have flex in the 10 day schedule so, before I book anything - how many nights make sense for a first visit to Rome during July?

colduphere

We have traveled a lot with three teenagers. We usually move around pretty quickly. But Rome is the one city we spent five nights in. And it worked very well. Our kids were almost exactly the ages your's will be next summer. We were there in early August.

They just loved being near the Piazza Navona where they could walk at night, or on the street in front of the apartment. Fun and relaxing.

We stayed here:

http://www.romanreference.com/en/rome/apartment/124

It looks like they have done some work on it as we had to climb ladders to the lofts, which made it even more novel/funky/cool for the kids.

Calabria62

Are you able to fly into Rome and out of Naples? If you actually have 10 days you could 6 or 7 days in Rome and then on to Sorrento to relax. FWIW, last time we were in Rome it was in May and VERY hot, but we managed. (2 parents, 2 adult kids)and the kids loved it, even with the heat. We had an apartment and booked through SleepInItaly. No problems with the agency or apartment, which was in Trastevere. We walked everywhere.

We were just in Sorrento in July, and found relaxing at the hotel one of the highlights. (Which was Hotel Corallo, in St. Agnello) But there are many lovely hotels in Sorrento itself of relaxing. So, if you just wanted to chill and others wanted to explore you could visit nearby sites, Pompeii, Capri, etc.

So, perhaps, an apt. in Rome and hotel in Sorrento???

ms_go

Palazzo Olivia has apartments but also some of the services and amenities of a hotel--apparently even more so now than when my extended family stayed there are few years go (e.g., have added a reception desk and breakfast and remodeled/upgraded the apartments). My brother's family (also with 3 kids) has been back more recently and still gave it a thumbs up. The location is fantastic, just off the Piazza Navona:

http://www.palazzo-olivia.it