Advice on Areas to Stay in Rome

If you are going to the airport by train, it is best to be walking distance from the Termini Station. If you intend to take a taxi, it doesn't matter much. You can stay wherever you wish in the city center. Of course the Centro Storico (near Pantheon, Trevi, Navona, Spanish Steps) is the top, but it comes at higher price compared to the area near the station. For British Air you will be dropped at Term. 3. You should be there approximately 75 min. prior to departure. The train ride is 32 minutes (14 euro per person). The taxi ride about the same (~50 euro total). Choose the area where you want your hotel in the website below (click on the map). Once you pick the hotel you want, to check availability and book it, the website will redirect you to Booking.com. http://www.nycerome.com/

Jacqueline, As Roberto mentioned, staying within walking distance of Termini station is probably the best idea, as you'll easily be able to take the Leonardo Express to the airport (time 35M, frequent departures). You could have a look at Hotel Sonya or Hotel Aberdeen, as both are in that area. Does your British Air flight go directly from Rome to the U.S. or is there another stop within Europe? That may have a bearing on which terminal you're departing from? Happy travels!

You are fortunate to have a later departure time. Many departure times are around 6:30am at FCO. As Roberto describes, you have the opportunity to take the Leonardo Express from Rome Termini to the airport. The airport train terminal is in front of Terminal #3 so you should be fine. As a suggestion, the Hotel Sonya is within easy walking distance of Rome Termini. There are others nearby as well. If you are willing to pay the 50Euro taxi fare to the airport, you can stay at hotels further away from Rome Termini. Finally, if you are up early enough, and you are somewhat distant from Rome-Termini, you can taxi to Rome-Termini and take the Leonardo Express to the airport. I suggest that you should depart your hotel about 8:00am for this particular routing.

Jacqueline is probably taking BA 269 from LHR to LAX which departs from LHR at 4:15pm (at least today). That is why she's departing so late from FCO. She's taking BA553 from FCO which will put her at LHR at 1:25pm, almost 3 hours prior to the LAX bound flight. Flight BA553 departed from Terminal 3 at FCO today and had an on time arrival. Since Jacqueline use the plural possessive "our", I assume she is not traveling alone. So the Leonardo Express will cost them at least 28 euro. If she has to reach Rome Termini by taxi, then the savings of going by train are gone and she might as well take the taxi all the way to Fiumicino, because taxi to Termini+2 train tickets are certainly not much less than 50 euro (if not more).

Thanks so much guys! Yes it is the BA553 flight to LHR then on to LAX so I think the taxi will not be cost prohibitive for three of us. That would leave us free to stay in the center and have a fun last night. So terminal 3 and arrive 2 hours ahead of flight right? With 50 minutes allowed for the ride to airport right? Another question for you, We are planning on renting a car from Venice to return in Rome if they will allow a one-way trip and I planned to return it the day before our departure. Would returning it at the airport be the best thing or is there another way to return a car in the vicinity of Rome?

Hi Jacqueline, since you said that using a taxi would not be cost prohibitive, then I suggest using RomeCabs (www.romecabs.com). They are very reliable and the cost is the same if not only a few euros more than a regular taxi. You need to book with them in advance but it's very easy to do on their web site and you'll receive a confirmation quickly. Many folks on this forum as well as Trip Advisor suggest RomeCabs...you won't be sorry if you use them. Have a great trip.

Jacqueline: If you're coming back into Rome from Venice, you'd do much better to take one of the fast trains. They're just so quick and efficient. Last year, I left my Hertz rental car at Orvieto, 70 minutes north of Rome Termini train station. It's also a great city to visit. A radar/camera speeding ticket arrived l1 months after my visit for 4.8 mph over the speed limit in Venice/Mestre, and it was $82. I had to wire transfer money to the city's bank account.
When I have questions about anything in Italy, I follow Roberto's great directions. And I also read RonInRome.com.

A local told us the secret of taking a train to FCO from the Trastevere train stationcheaper and more convenient from the western & southern side of town. The Trastevere tram stops at the station and trains leave frequently to the airport. We were at the airport 90 minutes after leaving our Campo di Fiore hotel, at a considerable cost savings.