Where to stay in Rome (budget)
Im planning a trip for Rome. I want to know places to stay for 4 days and 3 nights. I have see some hotels like Golden Tulip Ambra Place, Maikol, Navona and The beehive hotel. What do you guys think and recomend???
shira
bayamon, puerto ric 10/29/09
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Golden Tulip is a good budget European brand (Dutch based). I would also get a copy of Rick Steves' new Rome 2010 book, he has lots of great hotels listed there you can't find on the internet.
Click the "Books" link above to buy directly from Rick.
Here is a sample of the 2008 book.
We used the Bed and Breakfast Association of Rome to find a budget-priced room near the Vatican.
The closer you get to the historic center of Rome, the higher the prices go, even for budget places.
Generally, to get the cheapest accommodation you need to stay farther out and take the subway or bus downtown to do your sightseeing.
Shira We booked at a very nice B/B called B/B Al Parco.(http://www.bebalparco.com/). We rented it in September of this year for 85 Euro per night (which included a very lovely breakfast). It is run by a very nice English lady who speaks fluent Italian. Super clean and in a good location not far from Termini Rail Station and very close to the Colusium. We loved it.
Check out this website www.cross-pollinate.com they are a bed and breakfast and apartment booking service for Rome, Florence and Venice. It is an American family that operate the site (they also own the Beehive). Have stayed at the Beehive before and it's a very nice place!! Close to Termini so you can jump on the subway easily.
thanks
im really confused in what area to stay.. close to termini close to the pantenon or close to the colisseum???
Any and all of the above would be fine, depending on prices and the hotels you find. If price is your biggest concern, stay in any one you choose near any of those locations.
Go to TripAdvisor.com and enter your search parameters for a hotel, or B & B and get a list of accommodations according to their TripAdvisor rating. Be sure to choose the option "availability not confirmed" and this will give you the complete list. Then when you find one of interest, go directly to their website and contact them directly to check rates and availability. Many times websites like TripAdvisor will not have up-to-date information or you may not be able to book online through them.
Steve (Amex Steve, that is) do you really consider the Golden Tulip chain of hotels to be budget? I certainly don't. We had to stay in one in Dijon once and it was ridiculously expensive for a cookie-cutter hotel.
Sure, you can find budget rooms at Tulip. Right now in Germany, Holland and Italy you can find them from 49€ per night. Certainly budget compared to the stuff I usually book for my clients (Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, etc), but not as budget as the hostels I have stayed in!
Tulip runs a range of hotels from one to four star worldwide. Some are Golden Tulip Hotels, some are Tulip Inns, and Royal Tulip ($$$$). So you can't compare your experience with the entire chain.
OK, Steve, so which arm of the chain is the budget arm, Tulip or Golden Tulip? The thing is, I just hate to see people going to Europe, maybe for the first time, and ending up in a room in a large, Europe-wide hotel chain with no charm and no ambiance, when we all know there are so many small family-run hotels in Rome that would lift your heart. Well, maybe not your heart, Steve.
Hi Shira:
In June, I am staying at a quaint hotel called Hotel due Torri. While the room is rather small, as I am traveling solo, they provide breakfast and a great location. Many of the major sites are within walking distance and is nestled in a neighborhood offering the opportunity of interaction with the locals/culture. The daily rate for the single is 120 euro, which, with the weak dollar is kind of high. Yet, this is Rome, one of the greatest cities on earth. Last time I was there, we stayed further out. For me, that presented limitations, so I'm just saving up my $$$.
Have a great time.
I agree, I didn't say it was the BEST idea, just not a bad one. Tulip Inns are USUALLY cheaper than Golden Tulip, but that varies by city and date of travel.
The 49€ price I found was for a Tulip Inn in Berlin for November. But at the Golden Tulip Duesseldorf Erkrath rates start at 28€. So there is no hard rule.
Both Tulips in Rome are **** Golden Tulips, rates about 99€ for next month. Not bad rates actually.
Best always to check Rick's book first and exhaust them before looking somewhere else IMHO. And as you might have missed I said check Rick's book and put a link that lead directly to a limited sample of Rick's book.
Do be careful when choosing hotel near termini. From my own experience, hostels at the left hand side of termini eg via principal amedeo. Is more dangerous and shady. I was being tailed by 2 guys when I was searching for my hostel last week when I'm in rome. Went back to termini and book a 3star hotel through the travel agent. Got a reasonable price room at the right side of termini. Feel sooooo much safer. I can't imagine what would have happen if I continue staying in my original room...
Yes what exactly is budget? 100 euros, less, more, etc.? This is a family run place near the Pantheon that I have heard good things about: http://albergocesari.it/inglese/hotel.htm Click the SPECIAL OFFERS link for some prices - I saw a triple, with breakfast, for 140 euros a night between now and the end of December.
We just came back from Rome and while I didn't feel threatened, the Termini area seems very seedy. There is graffiti everywhere and it's dirty. Our B&B was neat and clean, but I would have preferred to stay in a different area.
Shira This has certainly prompted many responses. The Termini station as with many other larger collections of tourist areas is a prime target location for the less desirables. But don't let this turn you off of the Termini district. Rome is a BIG city with big city problems like all others around the world including here in North America. As I mentioned in my earlier post we stayed about 6 blocks from Termini not too far from the Coliseum and had no problems what so ever. It is populated with regular working families who go about their daily activities in peace and quiet. However, having said this you always need to be alert, especially at the Termini Station and other larger areas.
I just got a reservation for 2 nights in December at Hotel Aberdeen that Rick recommends for 90 Euro a night, breakfast and tax included. There is a special area on their website for Rick's followers. At least 10 Euro a night cheaper than regular rate.
Jip, super rate for a *** in Rome. And the reviews at TripAdvisor are a home run. Hopefully the building construction on the street is done by now. Great find!!! Have fun!
Jip, you've made a good choice. I have stayed at Hotel Aberdeen twice in the last year and was very pleased. No elevator, so pack light-you will be carrying your bags upstairs. It is a great neighborhood-lots of restaurants and bars, a little grocery just down the street, and very close to transportation.
We stayed at le Rose di Bl in June. A B&B 5 minutes walk from Termini, around corner from Metro Vit. Clean and large room, A/C, elevator, nothing fancy, skimpy breakfast. Only 3 rooms all with private bath, 2 extra baths in the hall, and laptop with internet. The owners are offsite, but good access and info prepared. A very good value for 69euro.
We have always stayed in the area 4-5 blocks north of the RR station.I didnt feel it was seedy.Nationale is a busy street at all hours with lots of people moving around.
Choose hotel della regioni next june. 110 euro with taxes and breakfaat. located near trevi pantheon and spanish steps. Email directly for price
Jip...I wouldn't worry too much about the construction across the street. Google street map photos can be up to 2-3 years old.
I have stayed in the Termini area four separate times (and at four separate hotels to get the best rates) and never had a problem. I agree with those who say you just have to accept that Rome is a big city and be more alert, but no more so than in Paris or London. If anything I have found the Italians more helpful, including a visit where I tore my hamstring and had to navigate on crutches--which by the way are called 'stampelli' in Italy!
When my daughter and I were in Rome last month, we stayed at the "When In Rome" hostel. They only have 5 rooms, very, very clean. The room we stayed in was bigger than my bedroom at home. The baths were only 4 steps down the hall.
I would highly recommend them, especially for the price (25 euros pp). They are 3 short blocks from Termini and there is easy access to trains, metro, etc. We walked from there to the Coliseum, Trevi, etc. We found them on Hostelbookers.com
As an aside, I'm over 55, 300 lbs, and found it very easy to get around Rome from there.
When in Rome Accommodation Via Varese 34, 5th. Floor, Rome, Italy 00185 http://www.hostelbookers.com/property/index.cfm?fuseaction=accommodation.search&isdynamic=1&strsearchby=destination&straccommodationtype=hostels&intdestinationid=1070&strdestination=rome&strdestinationparent=&intnights=2&intpeople=1&dtearrival=05%2f10%2f2009&fromPropertyNameSearch=0&intpropertyid=42254
--Craig
I just came back from Italy. I stayed in an apartment for 5 nights the Navona area. Perfect location to get to everything. Nice safe neighborhood.
Apartment name: Leutari Hi-Tech Located on: Via Dei Leutari I booked it through www.rentalinrome.com
They were a nice company to deal with, I even used them for transporation and they picked us up at the airport.