Spring Break in Rome

Termini area is fine. We stayed there in March 2009 and will be staying there again this year. Used booking.com to sort by area (Reone Monti) and price and check reviews. Also check reviews at virtual tourist or trip advisor. We stay at hotels on Via Cavour which meet your price range and serve breakfast as well. It's a short walk from the Termini station and also to many of the sites. Probably around 90 euros which should fit your budget. There's also a grocery store a few blocks away where you can buy some meals. Check Hotel Marcantonio or Hotel Cavour. Nothing fancy but safe and clean.

Rocio:
It would be helpful to know your budget. How much are you hoping/planning to spend per night? An apartment might be a good bet with teenage eating-machines. You will spend a few more euros per night, but can stockpile snacks and lunch fixings, avoiding some restaurant expense. Our favorite is http://www.palazzo-olivia.it/ where the apartments run from 100-250 euros per night depending on season and size. The smallest apartment (Berta) at 100-130 euros would be big enough for 3 of you. At this website http://www.spottedbylocals.com/rome/category/activity/restaurants-activity/ are some good tips, and look especially at http://www.revealedrome.com/ for Amanda's restaurant reviews. She has a recent post on "Pasta for 4 Euros" that is worth seeking out. We also liked Antica Taverna near Piazza Navona. You can find it on Trip Advisor with a map to help you locate. Very Roman, very nice people, many locals eat there, and very reasonable for the centro storico of Rome. Rick's Rome book has great options too. Hope you have that as your guide!

Thank you Laurel. I will check on sites provided. My budget is about 140-170 euros per night. I'm mainly concern with safety. I had planned to stay around the termini station for convenience, but seen alot of mixed reviews about the area. As for my kids, they are happy with a good hearty breakfast, snack in the middle of the day and a good dinner. But that 4 euros pasta seems too good to pass. :) Thanks,
Rocio

Just a note about breakfast - the Italian concept of breakfast is coffee, maybe some juice, a yogurt and a pastry. "Hearty" isn't the word I'd apply, especially for two teenage boys. You will may want to stay in a slightly more upscale hotel like the Hotel Alimandi Tunisi near the Vatican, which serves a more American-style breakfast buffet (eggs, sausages, cereal, plus many kinds of pastries). It would likely be within your budget, as I found a price of 150 euro/night for a triple room in March. Alternatively, you could purchase snack items at a grocery store and carry them around with you. Re the Hotel Alimandi Tunisi, the Vatican is a perfectly safe area, and the hotel is lovely. The biggest disadvantage is that you are a bit out of the center of things, which also makes it pretty quiet at night (which may be a positive, depending on what you're looking for). You'll probably need to use buses or the metro to get around to most of the main sights, however. The Termini area's reputation for being sketchy is greatly over-exaggerated. It's not as upscale as some other sections, but it is convenient for getting around town.

I will check into all suggestions.
Thank you both Carol and Liz for your valuable information.

We stayed in the Termini section at Hotel Sonja. We had a big room, comfy bed, and and felt safe.