Kim

My husband and I will be traveling to Rome next May (2002) and are just starting to look at hotels. We looked at Due Torri, but the rooms seemed small, and I liked the location a little better for the Santa Chiara.<BR><BR>I am curious about a couple of things, though. Everyone talks mostly about the location of the Santa Chiara and says only that the rooms are "clean". To be frank, the pictures of the rooms on their web site remind me of rooms at the Holiday Inn - total devoid of character or charm. Maybe those are just bad pictures? We were looking for a little more than "clean" rooms, as this is our first, and probably only trip to Rome. We are not looking for lavish like the Hassler, we just want something quaint, charming, friendly, in a good location, with a room larger than a closet, and can spend @$200 - $250 max. I have my heart set on a terrace or balcony. I also can't get the SC to respond to any of my emails asking them if any of their rooms has a balcony which you can sit out on, or a terrace. <BR><BR>We also looked at the Nazionale, which is in Monticetorio Piazza, not far from the SC. However, can find very few write-ups or anyone who has stayed there. Am I wrong on my impressions of the Santa Chiara, and are there any other 3-4 star hotels in this area we should consider? We really want a central location.

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kerrie

<BR>Dear Kim, <BR> <BR>I also have the same problem with the Santa Chiara. Nobody describes the rooms with the exception of saying they are small. I am ending my 18 day vacation with the last 5 days in Rome and I want a nice hotel with large rooms and some ambiance. (I hate to say charm, because here in the US charm usually means wholes in the wall) <BR>I recently visited the web site for the Grand Hotel Plaza near the Spanish Steps and it looks really nice. Here's the web site. <BR>www.hotelplaza-roma.com <BR> <BR>Hope everyhtingworks out for you. <BR>Kerrie

richard j vicek

Good afternoon, Kerrie <BR>Just for your information we stayed at <BR>the GRAND HOTEL PLAZA for the first time <BR>last November and thought the hotel was <BR>very good. It is not a new hotel being <BR>built in the 1870's or so, is large and <BR>has an ecellant staff. We picked it <BR>for its location on the Corso which can <BR>be extremely busy and its being at the <BR>bottom of the Spanish Steps , we had in <BR>the past used the De La Ville which was <BR>at the top and the stairs go to be too <BR>great. It was also an excellant hotel. <BR>Richard of La Grange Park, Il..

elaine

Hi <BR>I'm thinking of the Santa Chiara myself for this fall, and interestingly <BR>I've gotten a different impression about the charm factor <BR>For example, just earlier this month a poster here said "My choice would be the Santa Chiara which has a lovely location and lots of charm". <BR>The Fodor's editors in the hotel section of this website say <BR>"Fodors recommends this hotel, mentions that not all rooms are spacious but all have character and are quiet". <BR> <BR>I hope they're right! <BR> <BR>Another hotel suggestion that I've been considering is the Albergo Sole al Pantheon, and it's included <BR>as a recommendation in Karen Brown's book Charming Inns and Itineraries. It's a little more expensive than the Santa Chiara.

Kerrie

Hi Richard, <BR>I couldn't sleep tonight and I decided to come on line and see if there was anything new. I just saw your message and I am happy to hear that you liked the Grand Plaza. My husband is an architect and I thought he would be interested in staying in a hotel with alot of old world character. <BR>Thank you for responding. I find it so refreshing that people are so willing to share their experiences! <BR>Kerrie

Sandy

My husband and I returned from our one and only trip to Rome on April 11th and prior to going I was consumed with "what hotel will we be staying in?". Well, when we got to Rome it became pretty evident to us that the most important factors in a hotel room were the level of noise and comfortable beds. The first 2 days we stayed at the Hotel Tizano and it was noisy. We then moved a couple of blocks away to the Santa Chiara and it was wonderful!

Kim

Sandy: <BR>My husband and I have agreed that location is most important to us, and from what we have read the ability to sleep!!! <BR> <BR>However, we do want a nice hotel (i.e. something a little more stylish and memorable than the Holiday Inn). All I read about the Santa Chiara is that the rooms are "clean". That leave alot to the imagination about the rest!! <BR> <BR>Maybe I'm expecting too much for Rome? Or maybe we need to stick with 4-star hotels to get something more than basic and "clean"?

Surlok

I would, if I were you, read what is posted about the Grand Hotel Plaza at the Rants&raves section of Fodor's. I stayed there, and what is said there is absolutely true. <BR> <BR>The hotel lounges are beautiful, lots of art work, the stairs are magnificent, but the rooms aren't the same showed on the Plaza web site, and the bathrooms, although large, are in need of some plumbing up date.. <BR> <BR>Besides, one of the concierges is the most dumb person I've ever seen in such position.

Sandy

Kim, I hesitate to say this, but I really don't think you will be disappointed with the Santa Chiara. If this is your first trip outside the US as it was with me, you will find enough charm just in the differences in the way they do things and in the way the hotel is set-up and located. There is nothing "Holiday Innish" about the Santa Chiara. It is located behind the Pantheon. My husband and I would get up early in the morning and walk the short distance to the Pantheon and just absorb the splendor of it in the quiet of the morning. Then we would walk back to the hotel for a very nice continental breakfast.

marj

i just wanted to mention that santa chiara has a lovely marble lobby. the rooms, as far as furnishings are basic, not antiquey but they do have the tall french style windows with shutters which give the room a more european feel. believe me, it's nothing like a holiday inn. the building itself is a typical old rome style building 9actually a few connected bldgs). the location is also great.

carol

I haven't seen the rooms in the Santa Chiara, but the building is lovely. It's an old terracotta villa, and I love the location because it's right around the corner from Santa Maria sopra Minerva, one of the loveliest churches and quieter piazzas in Rome (the 5* Crowne Plaza Minerva is up the block from Santa Chiara, but I wouldn't want to stay there--too glitzy and reminiscent of NYC). It's a wonderful part of town, you can walk almost anywhere in 5-10 minutes. I plan to stay there on my next visit.

carol

The Nazionale on Montecitorio is a very upscale businessmen's hotel; it's where all the members of Parliament stay when it's in session, since Piazza Montecitorio is where Parliament is located.