Originally Posted by
PWMTrav
. . .Rome's a really good city to consider an apartment rental if you want to be near something specific. . . Piazza della Repubblica is kind of a zoo, but mostly just tourists and people trying to sell .... to tourists. Not the prettiest area (the piazza itself is nice, but always crowded), but I've stayed nearby with no issue (St. Regis is a block up). It's convenient in many respects, particularly if you want to use the metro at all, since the lines cross at Termini. The Mercato Centrale in Termini is a great place to go eat or snack as well.
This is all helpful. Thanks for the advice. The more I read on FT, the more it seems an apartment or one of the smaller, local hotels are the way to go. It is unfortunate if you are wanting use points with the big chains.