Hotel Nardizzi in Rome

We paid 135 euros a night last Christmas for a family of 4. To the best of my recollection we received the RS cash discount. The staff were okay when we were there. I was happy enough with the breakfast they produce, but it didn't suit all family members.

Instead of asking for the Rick Steves discount, I used the special price advertised on their website. I had no problem with them honoring the price I had booked earlier on the web (55 EUR per night for a double with bath).

The person who booked the trip for us said she could not find the link on the Nard's website? (I don't know what to make of that), but reserved the rooms and then followed it up with emails to the Hotel Nardizzi requesting the Rick Steves discount. Hotel Nardizzi never replied to the emails , and when questioned upon our arrival, claimed they never received any emails. And they claimed that they keep records of all incoming emails. Right, I say, with great skepticism.
When we showed them our Rick Steves 2007 Italy book where we got the info about Hotel Nardizzi in the first place, they blew us off like we were some kind of skels, trying to rip them off.
My whole point is this. Here is the Hotel Nardizzi reaping a very tidy profit on US tourists, who wouldn't even be going there if it wasn't for Rick's guide and reco. But mention the Rick Steves discount and they balk, choosing instead to rattle off long reams of broken Anglo/Italian gibberish geared at frustrating you into silence.

And 55 Euros a night for a double? What decade did you go there? The Steves rate as of two weeks ago was 120 Euros per night for a double with a bath. We ended up paying 155 Euros/night. And I don't care how many croissants they throw at you in their complimentary breakfast, the place isn't worth even half that.

If you go to the Hotel Nardizzi's website right now, there is NO link to receive the RS discount. Where is it? I can't find it! Yet the fine folks at the Nard swear it's there, and if you didn't use it to book the reservation, then there's "NO SOUP FOR YOU!
This place is NOT above board and should not be frequented!

Which DECADE???? If it were decades ago, I wouldn't have written about it on this site. Steven, we got the 55 EUR for a Db last year at Christmas (December 2006), at a time when many of the other Rome hotels were actually raising their rates for the holidays. I had no problem with emails, either. They always responded quickly. Our family thought that the Nardizzi was an incredible bargain. Another gentleman who has written to me is booked in January of 2008 for 85 EUR for a triple. They have many incredible rates online. I am sorry that you had such a negative experience them. I can see why you are feeling upset.

I just checked out the Nardizzi website and saw the Rick Steves link right there.

http://www.hotelnardizzi.it/

It worked when I clicked on it.

Terry, I would have been elated to get the place for 55 Euros a night. But, alas, we paid 100 Euros more a night. It must have had something to do with the off season, as opposed to the high season, when we went. However, as I said, it wasn't just the rate, but also what we felt was their lack of honesty in dealing with us. Overall, we had a great trip in Switzerland(St. Moritz) and Italy (Milan, Florence, and a week in Tuscany). That's why we hated to end up the trip with problems at the Hotel Nardizzi.

I think that the workers at the front desk varied widely when it came to being helpful and friendly. We learned quickly which person would help us (make daily calls in Italian for us to ES Brussels airline, looking for my daughter's lost luggage) and which would not. It sounds like you got one of the bad ones. That's a bummer. Especially when you've paid so much.

Terry...thanks for the link. The problem is the stupid hotel has two websites. Check out this site:

http://www.hotel-rome-nardizzi-americana.com/index.html

The whole time we were on the wrong website! No wonder I couldn't find the RS link. You would think they wouldn't need to have two websites.

Steven that is wild! I looked up the other website! Why would they have two??? (And apparently be unaware of the problem with 2 separate websites when you're standing there at the desk.)Very, very confusing.

Now I'm curious about the Nardizzi.
My wife and I were thinking about staying there in November (from around the 14th - 20th). The web special is 90€. We could do the overbook special for 60€ if we wanted to take a chance. But it doesn't sound like the Rick Steves %off discount applies to these rates. So what is the rate if we pay cash, in the off-season, using the RS discount? Is it going to beat the 90€ special price?
During Jan/Feb, the price is as low as 69€/nt for a Db with their specials.

They did offer a 10% discount to us for paying cash, but to add to our frustration, 4 different bank machines, within walking distance of the Nardizzi, oddly refused our attempts to get cash on our bank card. We had used bank machines throughout our trip without any problems. Suddenly we get to Rome, and bang, we couldn't get any cash. We had to pay with a credit card. The other party we went with purchased Euros in the States from their bank. It took a few days for their bank to get them, so leave yourself plenty of time if you go that route. Their bank charged them a 1 1/2% fee for the service.

I had no problem booking at Nardizzi. I'm going the first week in January and got a rate of 84 Euros a night for a triple room with breakfast. They responded quickly to my request and immediately sent me a confirmation.