Originally Posted by
CHSBoater
Thank you JDB - great information much appreciated. Specifically, we arrive on 1 November and will head to Puglia on 2 November. Right now, the plan is to return on 11 November (a Sunday) and our flight out is 13 November. By the end of the Puglia trip, we'll just be walking from town to town on the coast, and the coast does not appear to be as interesting as say, Cornwall or Wales, so we might cut it short and spend one more day in Rome.
I specifically did not mention hotels I bookmarked, because I didn't want to limit the discussion. I had bookmarked UNA Hotel, and in fact it was discussed on this thread about a hundred posts ago. Also, at Termini, I was looking at Gioberti Art Hotel, although it's not as well reviewed (I know, don't pay attention to TripAdvisor), but it's funkiness appeals to me.
I also bookmarked Monti Palace (street noise?) and Princeps Boutique (to far from the action?) I looked at Nerva but something turned me off, breakfast maybe, but I'll look again. Note: I eat breakfast like an Italian, but my wife has to have food in the morning and breakfast in the hotel will get us underway earlier.
On the other side of the Capitoline, I saw the Kolbe, but it looks like a huge business conference type hotel. May I'll look a little harder in that area.
I also looked at The Inn at the Forum, but Perche said something about street hawkers outside at all hours, plus the bedding arrangements don't work for us (lack of twin beds).
Just for grins, I looked at the Palazzo Manfredi, and I might yet do it, but it seems a bit out of the way.
Meanwhile, I'll spend some more time looking at B&B options. Stairs are not a problem. The little places we say at on these walking trips seldom have a lift.
Anyhow, thanks for taking the time to respond. Any other input appreciated. I will definitely report back what I decide to do.
Just saw this, wanted to reply, but short on time so forgive the sloppiness -
Although I said I regard the Nerva a good value, with your dates given your options, I take that back. For a non-prepaid cancellable rate with breakfast it would be €565 total for 11 Nov to 13 November. And that's for the 17sqm queen room.
Down the street is the
Hotel Forum Rome, which is tired and the reviews show it. But, they have recently renovated "New Style Superiors" with either 2 twins or a queen which is what I'd book if staying there, foregoing the rooms with a view since they haven't been updated in years. A non-prepaid cancellable rate with breakfast would be €430 total for your 2 nights, and that room is 22sqm. The breakfast's quality might not be fabulous, but it's served on their rooftop restaurant which has arguably the best view in Rome, and starting your days there really could give you that jaw-dropping, not in Kansas anymore, fun experience. However, since you'll be there when it's cold and probably rainy, the view through the plastic weather protective hangings will probably be somewhat muted. But the location is great for you, you'd have more physical space.... Just someplace else to check out.
The
Kolbe started off as a monastery or nunnery or something of that nature, so it's not, IMO, a big convention style place, although the decor of the rooms is on the sterile side. I love that street (Via di San Teodoro) and that whole pocket of streets. There's also the
Palazzo Al Velabro on the adjacent Via del Velabro. The hotel on Via Luigi Petroselli is
47 Hotel. But I'll contradict what I posted earlier - these places, and the Aventine area, I don't think would be a centralized base for you. If you were also wanting to explore Trastevere and Testaccio, then they would be. (I'm all about being located in the center of where I'm planning to visit).
I looked at the Palazzo Manfredi too, and its location will be further away from the Pantheon, but handy for the Colosseo - and it's close to a terrific place to explore, especially on a rainy day, which is the Basilica San Clemente:
Basilica San Clemente - Basilica San Clemente - Official Website
And I'll just add this if it helps you or another FTer, you'll see on Palazzo Manfredi's site the option for staying in an apartment. I thoroughly researched this for myself. I was excited at first, they have apartments on Via dei Serpenti in the heart of Monti, and also on Via Marco Aurelio in the Celio, and their rates are much more affordable than their hotel. But, I read enough horrible things about the apartments to end that option.
I'll be back in a week. Ciao for now.
Edited to add:
Regarding staying on Via di San Teodoro or in that vicinity: looking at a map one might think that it's as convenient to visiting the Forum and Palatine as if staying in Monti on the other side, and it was when the Forum had open access. But now the only way to enter the Forum and Palatine is from Via dei Fori Imperiali or Via di San Gregorio. So staying in this area if you want to get to Rome's center or to the Forum/Palatine/Colosseo, you'll have to either ascend the Capitoline from what used to be its front entrance in Republican times, cross the Michelangelo designed piazza, descend the Cordonata (which is great fun but to those with limited time in Rome will become a nuisance), or walk around the circumference of the Capitoline, or if going in the other direction, around the Palatine.