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Hey all you travelling readers (and italians ones, if there are any)
I'm looking for cheap, central and clean accomadation in Rome (I'll be there from saturday to tuesday). Any advice?
I'll take other bits of advice also, especially if it involves pasta or gelato!
From my friend Andrew, who goes to Italy on every vacation....
M. -- Here is a place I've stayed a couple of times. Plusses: 1. Cheap(about as cheap as any non-sleazy hotel in the center of Rome); 2. Very
convenient to the central train station, but outside the zone of sleazy train station hotels; 3. Very nice management. 4. The building is old
and cool and is adorned with the Barberini Family Bee (i.e. from their Coat of Arms); and 5. Most importantly, it is smack dab across the street -- a narrow, picturesque, stone-paved street -- from one of the most amazing little churches in all of Rome, Santa Prassede. This little church contains
Byzantine mozaics that are crude (compared both to ancient Roman or 12th-13th Century "Cosmatesque" mozaics), but very evocative. Santa Prassede and her sister were early martyrs who are supposed to have endured
great hardships/painful death for the Cause. The only problem is that neither Prassede nor her sister (whose church is a few blocks away), really
existed -- they were both officially "de-recognized" by the church some years ago. Nevertheless, the church is an amazing (and very rare) remnant from Byzantine Rome. (I took Peter there, and he liked it so much, he came back for early morning Mass!)
Negatives are: 1. Hotel is not luxurious; 2. While they theoretically accept credit cards, they are very likely to tell you that (a) the machine does not work; (b) they don't know how to use it; or (c) credit card use will result in an additional charge. All of this leads, after much
hand-wringing, to: ""Signore, if you will simply pay in cash, that would be the best solution. There is an ATM down the street, etc." 3. Hotel lacks an elevator, being, as it is, housed in a centuries-old buidling. If you have a lot of luggage and your room is on the top floor, it's a chore to schlep up the narrow, curving staircase. (Bonus, though, is that if you do
have a room up top, you can probably open the shutters in your window and gaze lovingly down on . . . Santa Prassede church!)
Christina, if you don't mind pensione's, I did a dig in Rome and stayed in a nice one near the American Academy in Rome in Gianicolo, the little neighborhood on the hill above Trastevere, which has a beautiful park and a great view of all of Rome.
HOTEL VILLA BASSI – Via Giacinto Carini 24. Telephone: 06-5815333
I also honeymooned in Rome, staying in an apartment in the Campo dei Fiore, which is an excellent place to stay as well because of its proximity to the great cafes and restaurants in the bohemian Trastevere (across the river). Sorry I don't know of specific pensiones or hotels. If you go for that kind of thing, Trastevere is a great place to hang. Hope this gets to you soon enough. Rome is so small and the bus system so easy, that it really doesn't necessitate being centrally located I don't think.
Go to
http://www.venere.com/it/roma/sprassede/
for pics of Santa Prassede, rates, etc.
Check out the Nova Hotel. It is in downtown Rome, absolutely great location. It is nicer than the typical Italian (or European for that matter) hotel, but still affordable.
Real espresso - Sant' Eustachio il Caffè and Tazza d'Oro, near the Pantheon. Drink and be merry!
everything in rome is great.
only one suggestion...
dont preplan.
rajesh dahiya
graduate student
(north italy)
Where to eat cheaply AND deliciously:
Il Boom
Via dei Fienaroli 30a (Trastevere)
tel 06 5897196 - closed on sunday
Enoteca Corsi
Via del Gesù 88 (Largo Argentina)
tel 06 6790821 - only midday
Osteria dell'Angelo
Via Bettolo 24 (Piazzale Clodio)
tel 06 3729470 - closed on sunday
Settimio al Pantheon
Via delle Colonnelle 14 (Pantheon)
tel 06 6789651 - closed sun mon
All accept major credit cards. Enjoy!
I'm here and have already eaten for five people--- and plan to keep at it!
thanks for the advice!!
my first trip to Italy!! will be in rome the first week of april '03 and would greatly appreciate ANY advice for pensiones, apartments (where, how much), getting around, hot spots, food, and anything else you may think helpful. thanks!
jeff
you are amazing , how much would you
charge to do my website.?
i am on my way to rome.. and found it
frustrating.. would you recommend
the hotel santa prassede..
i am a painter living in singapore
and my husband is an architect.
i am trying to rent my painting studio
for good nice people. but how can you tell these days.? lin
you are amazing , how much would you
charge to do my website.?
i am on my way to rome.. and found it
frustrating.. would you recommend
the hotel santa prassede..
i am a painter living in singapore
and my husband is an architect.
i am trying to rent my painting studio
for good nice people. but how can you tell these days.? lin
In July 2000 I stayed at Hotel Santa Prassede for two weeks. It was clean, quiet, comfortable, cheap and extremely convenient. The hotel is a few blocks from the Terminii making travel in and out of Rome very easy. The hotel is situated half a block from Via Cavour which means you can travel via a major bus line all night long. There were lots of decent, inexpensive places to eat and shop in all the adjacent neighborhoods which are well worth exploring. Unlike the more strictly touristy areas, i found this area very low key with friendly people everywhere. There was a laundramat with an internet portal close by. There were lovely and important churches literally across the street. The hotel was walking distance to the Colliseum, the Forum, the Museo Archiologico, and the Baths of Diocletian. There were lovely places to sit and contemplate the Roman sunsets such as the English speaking, Irish Pub around the corner, or the nearby Piazzas -- della Repubblica and Santa Maria Maggiore.
I had a throughly magical stay and can't wait to return.
www.sleepinitaly.com--AVOID THEM LIKE THE PLAGUE. Beautiful photos and descriptions of apartments...but nothing in the apartment worked! And the agent, sleepinitaly, was arrogant and of no help whatsoever.