Where to stay in Rome with a car?
 

My boyfriend and I will be in Rome for 3 nights and we are looking for a place to stay. We are open to hotels, renting a room, vacation rentals, and so on. We will be renting a car, so I'm aware that we cannot drive into the city. We both have never been to Rome, and don't know what neighborhoods or areas right outside the city are nice to stay at. We are both in our mid-twenties. We'd like to be near restaurants, bars, sites, etc. Any recommendations on where to stay or areas to look into is helpful.

Hi babycakes,

it really depends how far out you mind being.

you could stay at Ostia, which is near the airport but is a nice place in itself as well as being a popular place for visitors to the old Roman harbour of Ostia Antica.

There are several restaurants, a hotel or two, and a train line that goes into central Rome.

Return the car and stay in the city center, so you can really enjoy and experience Rome instead of spending all your time commuting.

Who says you cannot drive into the city? Yes it's busy and you need to keep your wits about you, but certainly not impossible if you must have a car for whatever reason. I used to travel regularly to Rome on business and always had a rental car. On-street parking is tricky, but there are many hotels inside the GRA (Rome's orbital highway) that have their own parking garage (usually underneath the hotel). Chargeable yes, but I used this arrangement repeatedly.

Two good hotels I've used, with parking, that are convenient for public transport and restaurants etc are:

Mercure Roma Piazza Bologna
Mercure Roma Corso Trieste

Beware the large ZTL fines for driving in the central city!

Hotel Teatro Di Pompeo

I have never stayed here, but I looked at it and it looked neat, and if I recall correctly, you could bring a car.

Try staying at Residence Candia near the Vatican. They have apartments and, what is rare in Rome, free private parking. When busy, the yard gets full and you are often boxed in, but since you won't be using the car during your stay, it doesn't matter. A studio apartment for two is around £90 a night or 105 euro. The Residence is well located, 5 min walk to the metro.

Where are you before and after your time in Rome?

>>Who says you cannot drive into the city?<<<

The ZTL laws.

A car is of no use in Rome. I would ditch the car. Why pay car rental/parking when you aren't using it? I also wouldn't want to stay outside the ZTL just for parking. I would much prefer being in the center within walking distance of most things.

>>>Mercure Roma Piazza Bologna
Mercure Roma Corso Trieste<<<

I would never advise a first time visitor to Rome to stay so far out especially with only three days.

Any hotel near the Castello (on "that" side of the Tiber) and beyond Piazza del Popolo, Via Veneto and the Colosseo (on "this" side of the Tiber) would appear to be outside the ZTL. Also, the ZTL is not in effect on Sundays and most overnight hours Monday through Thursday.

http://www.agenziamobilita.roma.it/en/ztl/ztl.html

http://www.whyrome.info/rome_ztl_zones_79.html

Thanks for all your responses. The reason we have a car is that we are doing a road trip through Germany, Austria, and Italy. Rome happens to be one of our stops.

We would prefer a place that had free parking and safe to leave the car for a couple days. Closer to Rome is preferable.

Why not park your car at, say the airport, and take a taxi/bus and stay at a hotel in the center?

I'd do what ekc suggests. You have too little time in Rome to spend hours every day commuting. Leave the car parked at the airport and sty in the center.

Or stay in the center :)

I thought I would give a response as to where we ended up staying in case anyone else is looking...We stayed at the Hotel Milton Roma which was a very nice hotel. It was located just on the outskirt of the ZTL zones. It was only a 5 minute walk to the Colosseum and all the other amazing sites. It had an onsite parking lot that was secured with a gate which was really nice. The breakfast was also very good. I would highly recommend staying here if you have a car and want to be as close to the city center as possible.