places to stay in the Vatican area

What's your budget for lodging, and would you mind telling us why you've picked the Vatican neighborhood? It's not the usual recommendation for a place to stay in Rome.

budget is 90 euros; I was thinking the Vatican only because this trip is mainly for my mom and she is very interested in religious sites... so I figured the Vatican area would be a neat place to stay for her??? any thoughts? Sorry but this is our first trip to Europe... where would a better location be perhaps where we can just catch a bus/ metro to the Vatican?

I understand. It would help to know how many nights will you be in Rome. You need to know that 90 euros a night for one room in Rome is pretty cheap and might be difficult to find in September for two reasons. 1) That's just two months away and 2) that's high season. I would recommend against staying near the Vatican because you can pretty much do it in one day, and then what? There is no shortage of amazing religious sites sprinkled around Rome. Best to get a location with good public transportation connections (mostly the bus) to where you want to go. Do you have the Rick Steves book for either Rome or Italy?

I will be staying for 6 nights... and that's a good point about doing the Vatican in 1 day.. and Yes I do have my Rick Steves Italy book; am waiting for my Rome book to arrive :)

If you have trouble finding lodging this late, you can use booking.com or venere.com to type in the dates you're looking for. But have you considered an apartment? Try vrbo.com to see what's available. You can put in your dates there as well. VRBO Rome You might find a good deal.

Don't know if this will help or not but end of August beginning of September, I am spending 2 nights at Hotel Alimandi Tunisi, which is very close to the entrance to the Vatican Museum, prior to joining a Rick Steves tour which stays at the same hotel. The cost for the two nights is Euro 280 (Friday Euro 100, Saturday Euro 180). I am also spending one night at Hotel Aberdeen, close to the Terminii, before flying to Greece and that costs Euro 60 per night (Rick Steves rate). Both hotels include breakfast and taxes in their rates and these are single rooms.

We have stayed several times at Santa Maria Alle Fornachi for 95E for a double with a super breakfast. It's a former convent still owned by the order and clean and plain; no tv, a double has 2 "chaste" beds and it is about 5 minutes to Vatican City and you can eat in the area reasonalby because it is off the tourist grid. Several times we've stayed there and there have been church groups from all over the EU and even the US. A back-up for us is the Casa LaSalle, which is further out but close to the metro and a lot cheaper and has internet.
Have fun!

Every time I go to Rome I stay at the Alimandi Tunisi, which is across the street from the Vatican. I am also a religious Catholic and wouldn't go to Rome without visiting the Vatican. Even though it's the Vatican neighborhood, the area behind the hotel is full of local non touristy restaurants which are cheaper, and the neighborhood is a little off the regular tourist areas which can be very loud at night. Public transportation is just so easy from there to any of the areas you want to go to as well. I do NOT like the area near the train
station! Stayed there once, and there are bums, etc, in the area, and restaurants are more expensive, and not close enough for me to want to walk through. I usually only spend one day (usually out of 5) visiting St. Peters/Vatican, I still prefer that neighborhood for the reasons stated above. Have a great trip~! P.S. now I'lll never be able to get a room there! LOL

Your mother might enjoy visiting Santa Susanna, the American congregation in Rome. They are super helpful for answering questions about religious services and access to religious sites in Rome. They also publish their own little guide to Rome.

Thanks for your help everyone... I've heard back from two convents... The
Casa per Ferie "S. Maria alle Fornaci" at 100 euros a night and Casa per ferie Domus Nascimbeni at 75 euros a night has anyone ever stayed at either one.? Jerry I believe u might have stayed at the S. Maria can you tell me how close public transport was?

Don't stay at Domus Nascimbeni. It's too far from everything. Have you given up on finding lodging more in the historic center? Did you try The Beehive options at The Beehive? Ignore the hostel lodging, and look at the other options. They're very convenient to transportation. Also, did you try my suggestion for booking.com and venere.com?

Michael yes thanks for the tips sent an e-mail to the bee-hive.. And have been sending emails to places I found using booking.com and veneer.com both very helpful.

We stayed at the Casa per Ferie S. Maria alle Fornaci a few years ago. The location is great if you want to be near the Vatican. The rooms are simple and very clean. I'd recommend it.

The San Pietro Metro station is literally right behind it and also that is where the bus stop(I think for the "infamouse #64) also is, however you can easily walk to St. Peter's.

3 years ago in Sept we stayed at a convent near the Piazza Navona area and very convenient to bus stops to the Vatican. Fraterna Domus was 84 E for a double with twin beds inc breakfast. It was clean, comfortable and the Nuns were very nice. Only Sr Milena speaks English there. The email address is [email protected] or also [email protected]
It was a great location and we would stay there again.