Safety of Hotel near Termini Station in Rome

Violent crime is unusual in tourist areas in Rome and other European cities. Pickpocketing / theft is extremely common, though, so be careful with your possessions, no matter where you stay!

Read the reviews carefully on Trip Advisor for this hotel and pay attention to descriptions of the area. No doubt, if any other reviewers found the area around the hotel scary, they would have mentioned it. That said, some people just aren't used to cities and may feel uncomfortable in many urban environments that are otherwise perfectly safe (for tourists). I live in an urban neighborhood at home that feels perfectly safe to me, but even some who live in the suburbs here think of my neighborhood as a "scary area" because they just aren't used to an urban environment.

First, I object to using the phrase that pickpocketing is extremely common. That is bombastic and over the top. That implies that nearly everyone will be pickpocketed. You are not headed into a den of thieves and if you take a few minor precautions you will be fine. Over the years we have spent nearly a month in Rome and have yet to see a pickpocket and haven't lost a dime or euro. But I don't carry a fat billfold in my hip pocket either.

I am not familiar with that particular location but we always stay in that same general area just south of Termini near the opera house with absolutely no concerns about the area. The area should hopping with activity because 10, 11 pm is early for the Romans. They are just getting started at that time. Some restaurants don't open till 9pm.

The fixed taxi rate from the airport is 48 euro. There is a late night surcharge but I don't know when that starts.
What is the name of the hotel? From that area it is easy to catch a public bus to the Vatican. Or walk it is about an hour.

In general the area around Termini is seedy in general.
Never go anywhere u are unsure. Ck out Hotel Aberdeen a short walk from Termini and across from a military outpost. U can walk to most of Romes top sights from it.
I haqqve stayed there w great brfast.

We stayed at Hotel Raffaelo which was a several blocks from Termini and never felt unsafe. Not an area that I would refer to as "seedy". Lots of little trattorias within close proximity. I would stay there again with no qualms.

Frank:

First, I object to using the phrase that pickpocketing is extremely common.

Sorry - I take it back. You have nothing to worry about - no one ever gets pickpocketed in Europe. You have nothing to worry about! And you can always spot a pickpocket instantly - they all look like theives. Rick Steves for example would never be a victim of pickpockets, because he's an experienced traveler who has been warning people about it for years. Oh - wait a moment...

https://blog.ricksteves.com/blog/pickpocketed-paris/

Sarcasm aside, I stand by my original warning: it is extremely common. That doesn't mean everyone is a victim - but you don't always know you were a target. I have met several victims, and I was once targeted myself in Latvia in a very brazen attempt in an area that wasn't very crowded. My hands were full as I was carrying some bags in an awkward way, and two young thieves dressed in tourist clothing brushed up against me and the woman reached her hand into my pocket seeking my wallet. I was lucky I pushed her away and caught on. It was very scary. Lesson learned - now I am much more careful!

As I said, it has nothing to do with staying near Termini - I was just reminding the OP to be very careful with her possessions in Rome. Don't be another victim like Rick Steves was!

although one day we will take transportation to see the Vatican.

You can take the Metro from Termini station to the Vatican---- if by' transportation' you meant a taxi, its quite unnecessary

10-11 is not 'late' in Rome.

Exercise the common sense caution you would in any US city and you will be find.

We have stayed near the Termini twice at Residenza Cellini. It is about 10 min. NW of the address you mentioned. We have always felt safe in the area. We walked to many of the sites. Always a good practice to keep valuables in a money belt. Have a wonderful time!

Pickpocketing / theft is extremely common

No it's not. In all my travels throughout Europe I have not encountered any pickpocketing or theft and neither has anyone I know. That's not to say that it doesn't occur but to claim that it is extremely common is pure hyperbole. I also don't see the relevance of Rick Steves being pickpocketed as if to suggest that he should be immune to crime. In fact considering the amount of travelling he does surely it's testament that pickpocketing is not extremely common as he has managed to avoid it for so long?

Hannah, most of the recommended lodging is NW of Termini. I’ve stayed in the NW area twice and would stay there again. I concur that the area gets seedier the closer one gets to Termini. I haven’t been in the area of your proposed hotel; however, the hotel that corresponds to the address you cited is listed in my antique 2014 RS Italy guidebook.

The guidebook’s description of the area is “on the edge of Rome’s international district”. In the book’s hotel description is a term “good security”, a reference I don’t recall seeing before. This piqued my interest and I went to Trip Advisor and read the comments pertaining to the neighborhood. I would suggest that you do the same.

Men who carry their wallets in a hip pocket are a handy target for pick-pockets. So are women who are careless about their handbags. Use a money belt for valuables and keep it under your clothes. I also have some clothing with hidden pockets which are useful for keeping money, cards, passport safe. A backpack should not be used for valuables, since there is easy access.

Apologies to the OP for not directing my initial response to the original question. I've visited Rome many times with the most recent trip staying in two hotels within five minutes walk of Termini.

Whilst I'm 6'3" male and not of a skinny stature my experience would likely be different to yours however there was never any element of danger or dodginess in the area. We arrived around 18:00 and the station was very busy plus there was a highly visible armed military presence around. Outside the station it was busy, lots of people milling about and this remained pretty constant for much of the night. After dropping our bags off at the hotel we went out for drinks and a meal and returned in the early hours of the morning, it was still relatively busy at that time and I wouldn't have expected any trouble. There were lots of groups of women walking around and I see no reason why two women would need to be concerned about being in that area at night.

...... the area gets seedier the closer one gets to Termini...... That really needs to be put in context. Seedier, seedy for most Americans means a high crime area or higher crime area, run down and abandon buildings, a poor area, scruffy people hanging around, less commercial, lots of trash, graffiti, etc. IMO, while some of that may apply to the Termini area- some trash, graffiti - it doesn't convey the same US meaning. A lot of Europe, because it is old, has old building that are little worn on the edges, needs lots of paint, trash is not picked up as quickly, and there is a whole different attitude towards graffiti. In the US most graffiti is gang related and in Europe it just graffiti. In the US we try to remove it as quickly as possible and in Europe it is just tolerated. In some ways some might judge all the major European cities to be a little seedy. But they have been around for a long time. I would not consider the Termini area seedy - personal opinion.

Hi Hannah: I am going to put in my two cents. I have been on the RS Rome tours twice and stayed at the Hotel Aberdeen and liked the area and it is in easy walking distance of the train station. When I was on the Best of Europe tour which ended in Rome I again stayed only a few blocks from the Hotel Abderdeen.

I stayed an extra day on my own in Rome. I did visit some churches that were near the train station.
I did not care for the area at all and felt it was run down and yes, I would use the word seedy. I remember thinking I would not stay so close to the train station.

If that is all you can find at this late date then fine. I did not see anything dangerous but just did not care for the area. Your hotel is offering a cab ride from the hotel so that is fine. Getting in that late it makes perfect sense and you will not have to walk from the train station to the hotel.

If you can find somewhere else to stay I would and if not then there are two of you and you just be aware of your surroundings. But that is true of any place you are.

You will not be in that area much as there is a lot of places including the Vatican that you will be touring in the two days you are in Rome and the area near the train station is not one of them. There are some major churches to visit near by which I highly recommend since you are so close to them.

You can take the subway right to the Vatican. It is a bit of a walk from the subway to the Vatican but easy to do.

Have a great time in Rome. Most unique city.

We were pick pocketed twice in Italy. Our first day out right by the Leaning Tower of Pisa 3 girls approached us with clipboards. I kept walking. I told my my husband of this possible scam but he didn’t want to be rude so he stopped to listen to them. I walked a few feet away then I turned, walked back, and pulled him away by his arm. In that brief time they managed to completely unzip the Pacsafe sling bag on his back. He hadn’t secured the latches. Fortunately anything of value was in the inner pocket. We made sure to properly latch our PacSafe sling bags the rest of the trip. They’re great bags if you latch them properly.

The second attempt occurred while walking down a train platform in Tuscany. It wasn’t crowded. My daughter had put her water bottle in my husband’s cargo shorts pocket. I guess the water bottle was mistaken for a fat wallet. A man walking along side my husband put his hand in my husbands pocket and his hand got stuck. It was so odd. They walked a few feet with my husband staring at the man whose hand was stuck in his pocket and the man kept looking straight ahead like nothing was going on. Finally the man dislodged his hand and walked away.

I love Italy. I lived there as a kid. I’ll phrase it this way: Pickpocketing is not uncommon.

Pickpocketing is not uncommon.

Neither is it extremely common. I've been to Italy eight times and never been pick pocketed nor witnessed any. I've been to Spain 30+ times and never been pick pocketed. I've been to France 10+ times and never been pick pocketed, Poland 4 times, nothing, Germany 6 times, nothing, Romania, nothing, Hungary, nothing, Bulgaria, nothing, Estonia, nothing, The Netherlands, nothing and so on......

I have friends who have been with me on some of those trips and and many trips throughout Europe themselves who have never been pick pocketed. In fact I don't know anyone who has been. If it was extremely common as suggested then I would have been a statistic by now surely?

Pick pocketing does occur in Europe and some places experience it more than others but it is not extremely common.

Very nice, cozy hotel! Having breakfast, admired the panoramic view of the open-air museum, which was perfectly complemented by local voiced seagulls. Children tried to feed them every time. On the contrary-Palazzo Barberini, there, in the garden, you can walk before going to bed. The Spar supermarket is easily accessible by going down the street where this hotel is located (I think moms will understand), but in general, wherever you go, you will find many interesting things everywhere! It's ROME !!!

We have stayed at the Aberdeen, which is a short walk from Termini. The neighborhood is fine, and the metro and bus lines are close by. The hotel is across the street from the Ministry of Defense so it feels safe.

Hannah, I don't know the particular hotel you've booked, but we've stayed in hotels a couple of blocks south of the train station several times, and have never felt unsafe. Our personal favorite is the Aberdeen, but on our recent BOE tour we stayed at the Sonya, and it was fine, too.

Although I travel with my husband, there have been a number of times when I've gone out to grab something to eat or a bottle of wine - yes, after dark, on my own - and I've never felt unsafe in this area.