Kandace_York

Husband and I are planning a budget trip to Italy, and I'm finding that VRBO/Airbnb sites run about the same as the hostels where we usually stay.

I haven't stayed anywhere through VRBO or Airbnb - what are your thoughts on this VRBO home? (In case the URL is hidden, the # is 235135)

https://www.vrbo.com/235135

It's certainly affordable and it seems centrally located - near the border between Campitelli and Monti.

Any tips on "due diligence" with VRBO or Airbnb would be appreciated, too.

Thanks!

kybourbon

Hard to say where that apartment is because it certainly isn't where it shows on the map (in the middle of Piazza Venezia). The comments seem to indicate it's somewhere north of the Colosseum which is not what their map indicates. Some of the area around the Colosseum is sketchy (the area by Parco del Colle Opio).

FWIW, I like some of Monti (and have stayed there a couple of times), but not the part near that park.

Perhaps you could ask them the name of the street to get more of an idea of location.

Kandace_York

Thanks, kybourbon - I was a little puzzled by that, too. There's a big difference between north of the Colosseum and west of the Colosseum!

kybourbon

The park I was talking about is sort of northeast of the Colosseum. Much of Monti (including the part where I've stayed) is north of the Colosseum.

I just looked again at the photos. They have one photo which shows a street and another that shows the balcony. If that is where the apartment is that is Via Serpenti and you will be fine. In the photo that shows the street, you can see a fountain on the left a bit down (between the white and pink buildings). That is Piazza della Madonna dei Monti. There is a convent there along with some restaurants (very popular) and areas that are pedestrian.

Just past the pink building is Via Leonina which is a minute or two walk to the subway entrance (stop is Cavour). There are restaurants down that street also which has some traffic (not much as it's a narrow alleyway).

The next intersection is Via Cavour (very busy street). If you turn right on Via Cavour you are at the Forum in one or two minutes.

At the end of the street (it changes from Serpenti to Via degli Annibaldi after it crosses Cavour) is the Colosseum.

At Piazza Venezia, there are buses to other areas along with the tram to Trastevere. The Pantheon is a short walk from Piazza Venezia and Piazza Navona not much further.

The area around the fountain is quite popular with locals and lively at night (as is the restaurant on the piazza). While Via Serpenti has traffic, it's a narrow street so not extremely busy (not like Cavour). On Sunday, they close off Via dei Fori Imperiali between the Colosseum and to Piazza Venezia to traffic.

Kandace_York

Thanks so much! I checked out the area on Google Earth and thought that one of the views seemed to match up, too - just being cautious because I'm more comfortable with hostels than Airbnb, Homeaway or VRBO. I emailed the owner for more info, so we'll see what she says. My husband and I are not really into "lively" areas or much nightlife...we have some things to think about on this one.

Thanks again!

nanabee

ttt

kybourbon

It's just the piazza that is lively in front of the convent. People hang out late around the fountain to socialize. It's not like there are clubs, just mainly restaurants.

This is the convent (no AC) although they have better pics on their FB page.

http://www.casasantasofia.it/index.php/en/

Kandace_York

Thanks. I did hear back from the owner, and the home is, as you suspected, not where the map indicates; it's a couple streets northeast. Although it does have great reviews, that puts enough questions in my mind that I will probably go with a more formal B&B/hostel/hotel/apartment route. I would still like to give Airbnb or VRBO a try, but I keep thinking it would be better for that first try to be in my own country, where I at least speak the language fluently and know how to make other arrangements in case the whole situation crumbles at the last minute.

Kandace_York

Update - we found a (reasonably) affordable apartment on the Ripa/Testacchio border. It's a little farther from Campitelli than I wanted, but it has everything we were looking for: kitchenette, washing machine, nearby green space, close to public transit and in a neighborhood that's a bit less "touristy" than other areas.