Where to stay in Rome
 

I am looking at two or three nights using points... I am wondering where to stay between The Sheraton Golf Parco De' Medici and the Four Points Sheraton. Doing one night at the St Regis (Paid as that is a lot of points) We will mainly be spending out time Downtown.

Thanks

i would do a search (upper right section of screen) on Rome and/or the names of the specific properties in which you are interested.

then, if you want updates, choose the most applicable thread and post a reply asking for updates.

Problem in Rome is that the *W properties are not located centrally. You can do better, if you wish, staying elsewhere, even apts which can be found on expedia. Rome is expensive but well worth the visit, particularily if you stay in a great area. I always rent an apt in Borgio Pio area which is great and easy to walk to downtown.

Only the St. Regis and the Westin is centrally located.

Westin is very nice. $$$$$ but nice.

Sheraton Four Points Rome is out by the airport, in a business area. Not a real touristy hotel. We stayed there for one night, our last there, before a late morning flight out the next day out of FCO. That worked out great. Upgraded to a suite with points, which was very nice. Modern hotel, no real character, but very nice suite. Nothing much near it, unless you want to head over to Ostia Antica.

Djlawman

we stayed at the Rome Golf hotel for four nights last spring using SPG points
overall, the hotel was very average, more typical of an old 4 points than a sheraton
as a plat.: received no upgrade, but did get a fruit basket
there is no air conditioning in this hotel, so keeping the windows open let in lots of bugs (ie. itchy all day)
the pool was not in service, no water in it
it is about a 25-30 min ride to downtown rome, which they have a bus that takes you to and from there for free daily, but the schedule is not great...so you may find yourself using a cab which is $$

If you don't want to spend hundreds of dollars a night for a hotel and are willing settle for less than a four star hotel and out of the way, I second the recommendation for the Sheraton Four Points Roma West. I stayed there last week and think it must be one of the nicest Category 1 (2000-3000 points for a free night) SPG hotels -- it is a real bargain.

The shuttle bus not only goes to the airport -- it will also take you to the Metro (subway) Palasport station and to the city centre of Rome (it stops next to the Teatro di Marcello, which is very close to the Monument de Vittorio de Emanuele II and minutes from the Coloseum).

The shuttle runs on a schedule from 7:15am to 11pm. So if you have an early flight like I did you will have to take a taxi. I was shocked at the $50 fare for the ride! What's up with taxi prices in Rome?

The Four Points is also an excellent choice if you are renting a car.

As this is a MR mainly... The choice I have is between the golf resort and the four points, has anyone stayed at both? Currently I reserved the four points. Location sucks but the hotel will only be used for sleep, we will be out all day on the days in Rome.

I haven't stayed at the Golf, but I think Four Points will be a perfect choice for a mileage run where budget is your main concern. The rooms are not big but they are very new and the decor is very nice.

There is an broadband ethernet in the room but I don't know how much it costs. All I know is if you access the Internet via the TV, it costs 3,50 euro for 15 minutes...I hope the broadband connection is cheaper, but I fear it isn't.

The entire staff that I met while I was there understands at least rudimentary english.

You get a free breakfast with the room -- a hot American style buffet breakfast. And for an extra 10 euro, you can choose to have it delivered room service.

You can take the free shuttle bus to downtown Rome. The earliest one to the city leaves the hotel at 9:30am and drops you off at the Teatro de Marcello at 10:00am. You can spend the day in the city and catch the free bus back to the hotel at 3:30p, 6pm, or 10:30pm. The shuttle's schedule is not very good -- it only makes 5 trips to the city throughout the day, and there is a big hole in the schedule to the city from 6pm to 10:30pm. The shuttle makes only 7 trips to the airport throughout the day.

If you are in the city and want to get back to the hotel between 6pm to 10:30p but don't want to spend $$$$ on a taxi, you can take the train from the Termini station to the airport for 8 euros and then catch the free shuttle back to the hotel. It takes a whole hour to do that though.

If you'd like, I can scan in the schedule that I got from the front desk and email it to you, just drop me some email.

From where did you take the $50 taxi to the airport? That does sound high. I've hired a car from a limo service to take three of us from FCO to the Westin for only 42E. This was based on a post from someone in the FT Travel forum who recommended this service. I will see what it will cost to have the Westin arrange the return. If anyone is interested I can post how this all works out.

Edited to say that I'll be traveling tomorrow.

[This message has been edited by TravelWeary (edited 02-12-2003).]

The Four Points is closer to FCO than any other hotel I know...about 22 km. My driver drove at a fast and furious pace and I guesstimate it took him about 15 min to get there.

But I think the culprit for the high price is because that when you call for a taxi in Rome, as you may know, you are charged as soon as you get off the phone. I must've waited over ten minutes for the taxi to get to the hotel, and in all that time I was being charged. I don't know if it's true, but I assumed there might be extra airport drop-off charges?

The total came to a little over 45 euros, which is almost $50 USD. Was I ripped?

Rome: General Discussion Thread (Where should I stay? Which hotel is better? etc.)
 

I know, there are numerous threads on these two hotels, I have searched and read them all! But I would love to have a head-to-head comparison of the two.

Here's the situation: Staying in Rome 2-3 nts next month. 2 adts, 2 kids, need 2 rooms at either. Both price almost exactly the same! Only in Rome for a day or two, then up to Florence (which I could also use advice on!). Neither hotel has had glowing reports on FT, so which would you choose (based on short stay, 1 Plt & 1 Gold room)? Has anyone noticed any improvements since the last bad reviews?

Its bad enough traveling with our kids, we tend to get treated rather "low-class" for that reason alone. Any, any suggestions would be sincerely appreciated!

Thanks!

Robin

I'll be checking in to the Excelsior in just a couple of days, so I'll be sure to provide everyone on FT with my full report when I return. Hopefully the protests in front of the U.S. Embassy (apparently next door to the Excelsior on the Via Veneto) taper off so I can make it to the hotel easily. Do you suppose I could get some courtesy Starpoints for being beaten by an angry mob on the premesis?

Only if you go down while waving your SPG Card and defending the US Embassy. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif