We are going to Rome in mid-March for a cruise. Before the cruise, we are looking to stay in Rome from March 15 through March 19. We are in our early 30s. We obviously would like to see all the major
We are going to Rome in mid-March for a cruise. Before the cruise, we are looking to stay in Rome from March 15 through March 19.
We are in our early 30s. We obviously would like to see all the major highlights but would love a place to enjoy dinner and nightlife What area would you suggest I look for my hotel in? Looking to spend around US$150 to $250 per night.
You really can stay anywhere. If by "nightlife" you mean dancing every night, then there is a marginal advantage to staying in the Testaccio, where all the nightclubs and discos are (or else in the neighboring area of Trastevere, but stick close to the river if you do that).
If you stay near the nightclubs, you will face a longer journey for sightseeing than if you stay somewhere in the general area of the Largo Argentina, which is in the dead center of the historic area and pretty much walkable to every site of interest except the entrance to the Vatican museums and the Galleria Borghese, but you can catch a tram or bus in the Largo Argentina to everywhere. A hotel desk will help direct you. There are plenty of good restaurants in the immediate vicinity.
I sometimes recommend the Pensione Barrett to people for its location and price (and it has foot baths), but you just have to arrive with a sense of humor regarding decor, because it is humorously lavishly Roman, a bit over the top. (This website link has a soundtrack.) Ask for a room in the back for maximum quiet. There is a good cafe with pastries at the feet of the hotel, called Cafffe Camerino.
I've been in Rome several times. Only the first one I booked an hotel near termini area then I moved to Vacation Rentals and apartments generally in Vatican or Trastevere districts. I think it is the best option in a city like Rome. Last time I used a quite new agency I guess - leonrome vacation rentals - http://www.leonrome.com - they are small but have good solutions. Anyway there are several reliable agencies. Take a look at the city map to get an orientation.
My husband and I are also early 30's and went to Rome last year. Stayed by the Vatican, and although it was lovely we won't stay there on our next trip back. There's not a lot of nightlife excitement, and there's a ton of bad tourist trap restaurants (even away from the main drag areas). Trastavere has a lot of flavour and feels very authentic. Over by the Spanish Steps was central, busy, and exciting. I think it's a bit pricier than other areas, but your budget should cover it if you look for a small hotel or a B&B (my preference). My recommendations would be Trastavere or Spanish Steps area depending on your preference.
Beware that the subway stopped running at 9pm and the bus system was awful. You'll want to be happy with the area you stay in as you'll have to walk a fair bit in the evenings, so consider your preferences and pick something based on that. TripAdvisor offers lots of suggestions on specific places to stay in whichever area you choose.
I just noticed Scholarjae's conclusion that "the bus system was awful" in Rome, but I didn't find it that way at all my last trip, although I wasn't relying on Rome's limited night service to get me home after dinner. I found in the daytime it was extremely useful and quick to get on a bus. Many stops have helpful electronic signs announcing how many minutes it would be before the next bus arrives.
There were several wildcat taxi strikes when I was in Rome last month and since I had an injured foot, I relied on buses to get nearly everywhere. From where I was staying in the Campo de'Fiori area, I took buses to St Peter's and beyond, the Capitoline, the Circus Maximus, San Giovanni in Laterano and Termini Station. I could have taken a bus from my place near the Tiber to the Galleria Borghese, but I took a taxi.
I also used Rome's metro, and found it was quite simple to figure out. I used it to go from the Spanish Steps to the Colosseo, and to stop by Termini to buy some train tickets.
The morning I left Rome, there was another wildcat taxi strike, but I only had to walk a few steps with my luggage to catch an express bus that too me to Termini in 20 minutes. Perhaps because of the many taxi strikes, traffic in Rome was flowing smoothly, so daytime bus trips were quick.
I think the recommendations to stay near piazza Navona, the Spanish Steps, Campo de'Fiori, etc are all quite good. But I think anybody staying in Trastevere will want to utilize buses to get to many sights. In the immediate vicinity of Campo de'Fiori and piazza Navona and some corners of Trastevere, one might want to avoid staying too near the very large congregations of young people who hang out at the areas' many bars and cafes until the wee hours of the morning. Even in the chill nights of early January, we were eating dinner at a friends' house near piazza Navona, and the constant roar of conversation from the street party below could be heard through the closed windows. Same is going on most nights in the Campo de'Fiori and around the youth bars in Trastevere.
Of the hotels we've stayed in while in Rome, we enjoyed the Hotel San Carlo www.hotelsancarloroma.com/ the most. It has two buildings housing guest rooms. We were in the annex building around the corner from the main hotel and were quite happy to be there as there was less activity on the street. The location we thought ideal as it was a couple of blocks from the main shopping street, Via del Corso, in one direction and a couple of blocks in the opposite direction from the Spanish Steps and the Metro station where one can catch the Metro to reach the Vatican. One can also catch the small 116 electric bus nearby to access most of the old part of the city. (Have a few 1 Euro coins for the yellow fare box on board the bus and be sure to validate the ticket using the validation box next to the fare box) A fun restaurant favored by many of the locals is Ristorante L'Orso '80, located at Via Dell'orso, 33. Their phone number is 06.686.49.04. www.orso80.it I'd suggest having the hotel make reservations. If you enjoy walking, which you'll do a lot of while in the old section of the city, the restaurant can be reached on foot easily (all flat). Have fun.
Check out reviews of the La Residenza (Via Emilla 22-24) in Tripadvisor. This highly rated hotel is moderately priced and in a quiet location, about 10 minutes walk from the Spanish Steps and less to Piazza di Spagna or Via Veneto.
We are in our 50s and stayed several times in Rome. We enjoyed staying within close proximity to Termini station where you have access to all modes of transportation. Last time we stayed near Spanish Steps and found it quite nice, a bit more congested. Check TripAdvisor for a good mix of accomodations which fit within your budget and desires.Ciao!
My preference is for the Pantheon/Piazza Navona area. It is perhaps the most central area for walking to all sites. I recently stayed in Trastavere and though it is lively, colourful, and a "real Roman neighbourhood", it's not nearly as convenient for walking to all places. Of course you can always take transit but we never did because we find that in walking you stumble across things you never knew to look for.
