Hotels in Rome...any reccomendations?

If you search the site, or even some very recent posts, you'll find dozens of recommendations.

We really enjoyed Hotel Smeraldo.

I recommend welcome home residences in Rome. 5 mins from the termini station.

SS

check out Nicolas Inn. For your tour try Context Rome or Through Eternity.

Hotel Max. Centrally located, near Termini, clean, friendly, helpful staff.

Thank you for the help....unfortunately Hotel Smeraldo is not available during the dates in May that I need. I will continue to check out others as well as tour operators.

Thanks again for the responses.

When I originally contacted Hotel Smeraldo (via their reservation request form on their website), I received an e-mail response, indicating that they were already booked during the time period I had requested (this was in November for the following June).

I replied that I was surprised that they were already booked 7 months in advance, and it turned out that they weren't.

I don't know where the mixup was, but we ended up with our reservation. I mention this, just in case you experienced the same thing and there really is availability.

For a tour operator, I would recommend 3 Millennia. We used this company for our tour of the Vatican, and we were very pleased.

The company's owner, Tony Polzer, proved himself to be very honest and responsive in his e-mail communications.

Don't be put off by the outdated website (I asked Tony once, and he said that they were working on it); we nearly were, but we got a great tour.

Thank you Leslie H for the info on the hotel reservations. I will do as you did.
Also thanks for the tour operator info.
I, too, thought I was working on this far enough in advance (8 months). Do you know anything about B & B's in Rome?

I don't have any experience with Rome B&Bs, but many others on this board swear by cross-polinate.com.

Good luck with Hotel Smeraldo. I'm curious if they're really booked out that far. They also have the Dependence, right across the street.

There's a fantastic little B&B called Residenza Navona First located right in the heart of the historic center at Campo dei Fiori. It's not fancy, there is no elevator, but it's clean and Air Conditioned. They also have a great little terrace on the very top of the building. Oana is the lady who runs the place and she is exceptionally friendly with excellent English. The prices were extremely cheap for the location and quality. You will be given a coupon to take around the corner to a little coffee shop for breakfast where you can have juice/coffee and an assorted danish.

Hi Leslie H,
I did email the Hotel Smeraldo and indeed got a response that they DO have availability (even though the website said no). Unfortunately we will not be able to stay there since they do not have designated non-smoking rooms and my daughter is asthmatic so this is a must. Thank you though for "teaching" me how to recheck the system. Take care............

I have heard so much about Hotel Smeraldo as I am also on the hunt for a place in October. I was surprised to hear that they don't have designated non-smoking rooms. If you aren't used to cigarette smoke, it isn't pleasant! Thanks for making that comment!

We are sensitive to smoke, and neither of our rooms had any evidence of smoke. And, durimg the 4 nights that we stayed at Hotel Smeraldo, we never once saw (or smelled!) a single person smoking.

With asthma, you obviously can't take any chances. But, if it's just an annoyance, I would take the chance. We really loved staying there.

Good luck, Judy. I'm sorry that it's not going to work out for you. You have to wonder how much business they lose to a faulty reservation system!

Residenza Argentina is around the corner from Hotel Smeraldo and is fantastic - clean, small, intimate, personal, safe and extremely well located.

We stayed at the Hotel Lancelot when we were in Rome. It's family-run, friendly, and about a 5-min. walk from the Colosseum.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions on places to stay in Rome. Has anyone ever heard of or know anything about Guesthouse Beldes? I am looking into all those suggested.

Hotel Aberdeen
48 Via Firenza (5 minute walk from Termini and Rick recommended...)

Central to Metro line and bus routes...

Just checked out yesterday (06SEPT08 rate of 150 euro)

Thank you all for responses to my questions. I have booked rooms at Guesthouse Beldes, all of their rooms are non-smoking.

I am still working on the tour companies.