stay by Pantheon or Colosseum?

You mentioned a location that will minimize travel distances, but in Rome the major sights are not clustered in one area, so there will be some travel no matter where you end up sleeping. And restaurants are located throughout. Have you thoroughly investigated Rick's suggested accomodations in "Rome 2007"?

I stayed in the Campo de' Fiori area. It's somewhat centrally located. Easy walk to the Pantheon, Plaza Navona. Nice slow walk to the Colosseum, Spanish steps. I'd stay there again.

I always travel alone and generally stay in the Panetheon/Spanish steps area as I find I feel safer. Maybe it's only my perception but that's what I find. It's also close to what I want to see and do and an easy walk to the Vatican.

I stayed at the Pace Helvezia in Rome, alone, for four days in July. The room was lovely but small as it was a single. The breakfast was more varied than any I had elsewhere in Italy.

It is just around the corner from Piazza Venezia and Trajan's Column, maybe three blocks to the Trevi Fountain, a very easy walk to the Forum, Colosseum (in fact, my first glimpse of that fabulous structure was from the rooftop terrace of the hotel), Capitoline Museum, Pantheon, Campo de Fiore, etc, etc. The farthese distance I walked was a little under two miles to the Vatican. I could have caught a cab from either of two or three taxi stands I passed on the ay, but it was quite a pleasant walk.

And, mind you, as a thorougly sedentary woman of 52, I don't do a lot of walking.

I reserved my hotels through www.venere.com

I am staying at the Hotel Locarno.
It is near the Piazzo de Pollo near the Villa Borghese. Close to Vatican and Pantheon., nice restaurants, shopping and a pretty part of Rome

I always stay in Pantheon area. Centrally located, and there are lots of pedestrian-only streets that make it seem (to me, at least) much calmer than the general frenzy that is Rome.