We're planning on flying to Italy, via military Space-A, for a visit to Rome. Since we won't know if we're actually going until just before the plane takes off from the states, would there be any problems with making last minute reservations at one of the hotels listed in Rick's Rome Guide Book, assuming that they have rooms available. Is any one preferable over the others, we're looking for elevators and private baths in the Campo de Fiori or Piazza Navonna areas of Rome?
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
RS-recommended hotels tend to fill up fast. You can check booking.com for last-minute availability. I have stayed at Hotel Genio at the northern end of Piazza Navona. It's a little worn in some of the rooms, but it has a great location, elevator, fitness room, extensive breakfast buffet on the rooftop terrace which has 360-degree views of Rome.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11363 posts
Best last minute site I have found (or overall site for booking by dates and managing my bookings, as it happens) is Booking.com. Enter location and dates and they will tell you what they have in inventory. I suspect that they are particularly good for last-minute because some hotels hold their inventory and if they have rooms left that have not sold, are more likely to use a booking engine.
Posted by
Massachusetts
715 posts
I have found booking.com and venere.com to be quite good in this regard.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23341 posts
There is no problem with last minute reservations if, as your state, space is available. The few hotels recommended by Steves' organization tend to fill up fast because a lot of travelers are very annal about reservations. Also Flori and Navonna areas are high tourists areas that, again, fill up rapidly. Your can try but the probability could be low for specifically those hotels. Try some of the less popular areas like around Termini. Termini is our preferred area for Rome. But there are a lot of hotels that are equal to anything list by Steves. The TI in Termini would be very helpful for last minutes bookings as is the typical web site like Hotwire, Hotel, etc.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16894 posts
Although Rome hotels reputedly did get all booked up last Easter and the following week when the Pope canonized some new saints, I don't think you'll otherwise be left without a room. When your schedule has to be flexible, it helps if your budget and requirements can also be flexible. Private baths should not be hard to find. Note that elevators may start on the first floor up, instead of the ground floor. One reader of this forum recently reported going to the Tourist Office at Roma Termini station and coincidentally running into the operator of a very nice B&B with rooms available.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
7737 posts
Booking.com is definitely the efficient way to do it. It will show you only those hotels with availability for your dates, and you can rank them in order of ratings by people who actually stayed there, and you can look at them all on a map to pick one in the neighborhood you want.
Posted by
Seattle
27 posts
We actually just did this, and stayed with a man named Ludovico. He runs the San Lorenzo Dream boarding establishment. Friendly, reasonably priced (€60 for a double w bath and breakfast on 8/24) near Termini station. Found him through our second hotelier.
We will def be staying with him next time we are in Rome!
Www.sanlorenzorooms.com
[email protected]
Pm me for his phone number!
Best of luck on your trip.
Posted by
roswell, ga, usa
1501 posts
I'm a retired airline employee, and I always fly standby. I've never NOT gotten a room, I use booking.com
My advice: Anywhere but Termini (just don't feel 'comfortable' there) and not out by FCO airport, as it's too
far from the City Center.
You'll find something on booking.com or venere. I like the Prati district, Campo di Fiori/Navonna and
Trastevere.
Have fun!