ajeleonard

It would help if you define what 'not very expensive' means for you

iapetus

So I've been traveling to Rome once every three months or so to Rome for work for the past year and a half. (Hey, someone has to bear that heavy cross! ) My next trip is approaching (mid-February). Having just found this thread, I thought I'd seek some advice, as well as share my experiences.

I have to travel out beyond the end of metro line A when I'm in Rome for work. So being relatively close to one of those stations is nice. In the past I've stayed at:

• the Hotel Napoleon - perfectly fine, quiet, smallish rooms, but a little far from the places I've been frequenting
• the Hotel Locarno - historic, nice staff, lovely bar, but the rooms (at least the ones I saw) could use a little refurbishing
• the Inn Spagna Deluxe - nice, not exactly a hotel (a guest house), very close to the Spagna station
• the Hotel degli Artisti - stayed here with my family last July, very nice rooms and very friendly staff, not all of the amenities had been completed when we visited
• the Hotel Adriano - much closer to my favorite wine bar, farther from line A but not too far, I really liked my room

I really liked the fact that the Hotel Adriano was close to my wine bar and not too far from the Spagna station. I had a room with a terrace, which I loved. But, for reasons I can't understand, the rate on the nicer rooms jumps by an order of magnitude on the final night of my would-be stay next month. (Is something happening on February 24th of which I'm unaware?) I would get stuck paying the amount over my allowed per diem on that night. And I realized how happy I was with this hotel when I came across that problem. So I could pick a smaller room … or I could stay somewhere else. I have always wanted to stay in via Margutta. Hotel Art by the Spanish Steps appeals to me. Is anyone terribly familiar with it?

Does anyone have any thoughts on other places I might try? I've looked at some of the other hotels mentioned in this thread (Albergo Cesàri, Albergo del Senato), and they all seem to have this same problem with one night out of seven being just unaffordable or just not being available.

iapetus

FWIW, I went with the Hotel Art. I can report back on it when I return should anyone find that useful.

Perche

Hotels subscribe to a computerized service that calculates what the market will bear, and prices are adjusted accordingly. The price shoots up on that day because it is the day before Carnevale, with a lot of visitors. You'll find the same bump at most hotels.

iapetus

I began to suspect that that was what was going on. And, indeed, I did find the same bump at most hotels! ^


Will there be anything interesting/exciting for me to do that is Carnevale-related on the Friday evening before Lent? I'm very familiar with Mardi Gras (and not just the celebrations in the French Quarter), but I have no idea what to expect in Italy, though I do expect it to be very different. I don't even know if there will be any Carnevale festivities on the Friday before (there will be in New Orleans, Louisiana ).

Stewie Mac

I don't know about Rome hotels, but have you tried mailing the hotel and asking them to hold the rate for all seven nights? They might be happier with doing that, than losing you...

iapetus

It occurred to me, but I didn't actually do that. Seeing as how it occurred to someone else, I may reconsider this and send them an e-mail. Thanks for suggesting it! ^

Perche

I don't know why the hotels bump up the rate for it, but you won't even notice it's Carnevale in Rome. At night in some of the neighborhoods they might put on some little show or event for the local children, but there's not much more than that. It's not like Venice or Mardi Gras.

iapetus

Well, that is a little disappointing. But I was right in that it is different than Mardi Gras! Though I thought I did see something online about a parade along the via del Corso? Is that wrong?

Meh. It's not like I expect or warrant any sympathy for not getting a Venice-style Carnevale (and I'm definitely getting none from mrs. iapetus). I'm going to be in Rome with colleagues and new friends, eating excellent food and drinking great wine. And that's just this visit.

Sciamano

Did you find yet an accomodation?
Otherwise, do you like Rione Monti? (quiet close to Termini but not the junky Termini area )
If yes, a friend of mine works here http://www.hotelraffaello.it/it

iapetus

Thanks for the recommendation! I'm probably going to stay with my reservation at the Hotel Art (largely because I am too lazy to change ). But I have wanted to stay in Monti; I just haven't done so yet. My one problem with staying in that part of Rome is that it is relatively far from the place where I like to drink wine, west of Piazza Navona.

Perche

Posts on where to eat and drink wine in Rome moved to thread, "Please recommend your favorite non-touristy non-super fine place in Rome."
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Moderator
Perché

mattrod

My gf and I will be in Rome in July for a few nights. We've narrowed down our hotel picks to these 3 hotels below, but can't decide on which one to go with. We're hoping people can give some feedback that would help us decide.

Hotel Indigo

Hotel Raphael

The Inn at the Roman Forum

(As New Yorkers, we don't mind walking - distances of walking 1-2 miles is fine and easy with us.)

Perche

That's a tough one, because those are three great choices. You can't go wrong with any of them. Since they're all first rate, it comes down to the deal you get, and slight nuances in location. I think the location of all three is fine, with minor distinctions.

The minor distinctions are that the Indigo is a chain hotel. They have on in NYC, Nashville, Savannah, El Paso, East Pittsburgh, etc., and all over Europe and Asia. While there will be Italian artwork on the walls, it's a hotel chain based in Atlanta, GA. Chains provide a somewhat homogenous experience. It's very well located, a little bit of a distance away from things, which will get you somewhat out of the crowds into a slightly quieter neighborhood.

Raphael is the best located of the three. It's just off of Piazza Navona. On the downside, that part of Rome will be pretty crowded in July. But it's in a great location.

Inn at the Forum is in a different neighborhood altogether. It's only a block away from the Forum. It's a really beautiful thing to see, especially at night, but the street will be full of hawkers, people bothering you to buy a flower, etc. Pantheon/Navona/Trevi are in one area reasonably close to Indigo and Regina, both of which are a little over a mile from the Forum/Colosseum area. You have to see the Forum and Colosseum both at night and during the day, but that immediate neighborhood is going to be packed with tourists, and people hawking things to you as you walk down the street. At least they banned the guys wearing gladiator uniforms who take pictures of you with them in that neighborhood and then demand 20 euros. Like the cartoon characters in Times Square, but New York has no equivalent in terms of the crowds and number of people hawking you as you walk down the street by the Colosseum and Forum in July. I would rank this one a little lower than the others because of the crowds in that area in July.

So, Indigo is just outside the maddening crowds and offers more peace, but is a chain. Raphael is better located, maybe a little too well located, because it can be quite crowded. Inn is in a different neighborhood a mile away, a must neighborhood to visit, but the crowds, hawkers, harassers of tourists, can be a burden in July.

PWMTrav

The Indigo is the former Hotel St. George. Even with the rebrand, it has its own character. I wouldn't describe it as terribly homogenous with the rest of IHG or other Indigo properties, since most of the Indigo brand is bought up independent hotels under a common "boutique" brand (best I can tell that means the random hotels they don't want to touch much). It's not nearly as homogenous as the Westin, to use another other chain hotel in Rome as a benchmark. I liked it more before the remodel, particularly for the upper floor rooms with large terraces that let you sit and look out over the rooftops. Some rooms still have those, but I think you need to call to make sure you're getting one. The biggest change to me is that the decor is now much more modern. The lobby and such used to be somewhat modern, but the rooms less so. All depends on whether or not you like that.

I'm happy to take the trade to the larger IHG brand for the ability to book it on points. The location is pretty good, just outside of the main tourist crows as you said, but close enough. In July, that's probably a good thing. Come to think of it, my stays there have been during June or July visits. July pre-reno, June post, if I recall correctly.