Best place to stay in Rome?

On our last 2 trips to Rome we stayed in the Prati area and very much enjoyed it. Lots of good restaurants filled with locals but within walking or bus distance to main sights. The most recent stay was at Hotel Isa on via Cicerone.

We prefer anywhere between the Pantheon/P Navona and Campo d'Fiori. Pretty much dead center Centro Storico. You can walk everywhere from there.

We did stay in Trastevere on our last trip to try somewhere different and found it to be too crowded, noisy and rowdy most of the day and all evening long. It's become a real partying hang out, just not to our liking. And you are further from the sights- we didn't care as we've seen al the major sights so had no need that trip.

I see the Monti neighborhood mentioned here often
And there are plenty of fans of staying near Termini.

There simply is no best. Everyone seems to have their preference, but for any "you must stay here" there are ten reasons why you should not.

My advice? If you find a hotel you like, anywhere, then look to see what neighborhoods and restaurants are nearby. The great joy of Rome is being able to take an evening stroll, have a choice of good restaurants, some good local bars, some gelato places. Proximity to the sights is really secondary, those you will travel to if needed. But walking access, see the comment above about an evening stroll, that includes some sights is a bonus. (though to view, not necessarily to visit.)

Everyone has their favorite, I have mine, but you just need to find yours.

Next April will be our 3rd trip to Rome, and we are returning (for the third time!) to Campo de' Fiori. First time in October 2010, it was at the Campo hotel on the perimeter of the piazza. In February 2017, the hotel had bought apartments and we stayed at one of them, a tiny one on the 2nd floor overlooking the market. It was a little noisy in the early morning when the vendors were dragging their pushcarts over the cobblestones to set up for the day, but that was real Rome and music to my ears.

We just booked a spacious first floor 3 BR, 2 Bath apartment down the street from the market, but towards the main drag, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, where we would catch the bus to wherever. FYI...from Trastevere, catching the bus is a long walk. Across that street is Piazza Navona. Scored that place for $660/night, and split 3-4 ways it's not bad. For that efficiency in 2017, for a week it came out to $85/night, but since Covid I don't think that kind of deal exists anymore. And for a month out in September, gonna be tough...

Everyone has their favorite neighborhood, but this is mine. Close to so many off-the-guide-books trattorias & ristorantes that won't break the bank, but not on the piazza itself. Those are tourist traps. Walkable to so many areas, a short bus ride to the Vatican. My go-to bakery is Forno, steps away from the piazza, where the pastries are sublime and the rotation of pizza slice flavors is fantastic (salsiccia/escarole!), That was our lunch almost every day on our way to exploration.

SO many wonderful options! Depending upon your budget - first exquisite recommendation is The Hassler Hotel at the top of the Spanish Steps; nearby is the Hotel Homs…great location; wonderfully efficient staff and great breakfast!

Restaurants near the Spanish Steps “Alla Rampa” offers the best Al dente pasta! AND the new restaurant next to Hotel Homs is Il Collenette - superbly creative menu and great outside ambience!

Thank you all SO much for taking the time send these detailed responses. This was incredibly helpful and I have narrowed down some of my favorite airbnbs in suggested areas! Last question is if it’s better or worse to book a ground level airbnb? Safety wise? Can’t decide if it’s a make or break.

Last question is if it’s better or worse to book a ground level airbnb?

We stayed in two apartments during our time in Rome last November. Both were upstairs facing interior courtyards and were extremely quiet. My first concern would be the nature of the street - traffic and noise. For our second apartment, in Trastevere near the main square, we accessed the door leading to the stairwell going upstairs between two tables of a sidewalk restaurant. My point is that foot traffic both in Trastevere and the first location near the Pantheon [upstairs above Giolitti] was extremely heavy at times, so I would want to be sure it was a quiet, residential street.

We've twice stayed at Albergo del Senato right next to the Pantheon.

We found it a perfect location and walked absolutely everywhere from there.

Best of all was the ability to enter the Pantheon right before breakfast and have it to ourselves. It was an incredible monument to have right next to our balcony.