Staying in the "suburbs" of rome or staying in the downtown area?

That hotel looks like it's right off a rail line (Gemelli stop) and very close to a large park, so check how long it takes to get into the center and how often the rail runs and weigh that against the money savings. Staying in the center is quite expensive, but you should at least weigh that as an option before you decide what would work best for you. Price out more central hotels (you can use www.booking.com) and check the train schedule first and then weigh the positives and negatives of each option. It seems like your hotel is about 5k away or so.

Never let hotel points dictate your vacation. That's a recipe for a really really bad time. Do you know why your points won't cover the city center Marriott? Because that's where people actually DO want to stay because that's why people come to Rome...to see the sites which are NOT in the suburbs.

Forget the points and find yourself a decent hotel in the city center.

Stay in the center! You will not regret your decision. The first time we we're in Rome, we stayed a little further out. We still had a great time, but the 2nd and 3rd time we stayed in excellent central locations. There is nothing like walking out you apartment door in the morning and staring at the Pantheon while there are no tourists in sight!

Never let hotel points dictate your vacation.

That's easy to say if you're not on a budget and have zero constraints. I would advise to never use the word "never" - flexibility is key to travel, and there are always trade-offs. No argument that it's more convenient to stay in more central locations, but it's not a slam-dunk "recipe for a bad time". I've stayed in plenty of non-central locations in various countries (sometimes out of necessity) and it hardly ruined my trip, in fact sometimes it made it better (more local areas, less tourists, better places to eat, quieter, etc). I did stay in a very central location in Rome but it was a wallet buster....no regrets, but it was still a wallet buster. You at least have someone to split the costs with - ask yourself if it's worth it to spend more in this instance or use the savings on other things during your trip.

I've walked all over Rome at all hours as a single female and had no issues - I don't remember any area where I felt unsafe (there is a fair amount of grafitti though in some places, but no big deal).

Kay, you don't have anything to worry about in central Rome. Really. No more than you should be cautious of while sightseeing during the day. It's a very safe city; just follow every smart traveller's rules with your valuables and don't keep them in outer pocket, in a purse or anywhere else light fingers can get to them without your knowledge. We'll fill you in on all that. :O)

The historic center is lovely at night so please don't miss it! It's one of the best times of the day for a stroll along with tourists and Italians doing the same thing. I am an undersized female (not so young anymore) and wouldn't hesitate to walk Rome all by myself except for maybe in the wee hours. Would I hang around train stations past dark? Nope, but there's no need to do that, either.

Stay in the middle where it's all going on. You won't regret it, I promise!

Oh, and those "big, fancy hotels" you mention? This is not a city like you're probably used to. There are few big hotels in the center as so much is of it is so old. There are oodles of small, cozy hotels to choose from, and no towering, glass-covered things, really.

The Courtyard Central Park you are referring to, is not in the 'suburbs', it's in Rome itself, just not downtown.

It's a very safe and upscale residential area next to the Catholic University "Gemelli" Medical Center, a huge 1600 bed facility that is one of the top in the country (that is where the Pope goes when he needs medical attention).
About 5 min walk from the hotel (between the hotel and the Medical Center), there is also a commuter train station (called 'Gemelli' station) along the FL3 line, which can take you to San Peter's station also.

Obviously, staying downtown is closer to the sights, to which you can walk, but only you can make the decision on whether the savings of staying at the Courtyard is worth the sacrifice of not being in the middle of the action.

We are are a family of 4 (2 elementary school age kids) so I'm always thinking of safety. That said, I agree with all the above who say stay centrally. You will have a great time. We stayed across the river in Trastevere in Apartment 19. We loved it. It's in a very lively area with lots of restaurants. But it is very much a regular family neighborhood on a square. At night my kids played with all the other kids on the playground.

Apartment 19
www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p300175

Actually, I have found nice places to stay in the Centro Storico of Roma for less than 100 euro per night, single - doubles can be had for less than 150 for two. You can do a quick search on booking.com, filter for location and price, and see what comes up.

As Roberto pointed out, it's not that far to the main sights, but do note the expense of getting to the places you want to see, and back to the hotel.

I don't know what the rest of your trip looks like, but if you have to minimize expenses elsewhere (like choosing hotels that provide breakfast, having an occasional picnic or street-food lunch or dinner once in a while), you can probably cover the increased cost of three nights in the Centro Storico within a handful of days. To me, it would be worth it.

kay,

I'd also suggest staying in a more central location, as it will provide more to do in the evenings. While the other location will also be "safe", it might not be the most vibrant area in the evenings.

Checking points the Central Park Marriott at 30,000 pts/night is a poor value, the rack rate is about $100. Save the points for a better value elsewhere.

Definitely stay in the city center, either by the Pantheon or Piazza Navona. Me and another young female traveler were in Rome last summer and stayed by the train station, which was a little sketchy, but we never felt not safe and enjoyed our nights out on the town! Seeing the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain at night was absolutely wonderful - and having to only walk to your hotel after would be even better.

Thanks so much for all of the advice everyone! It Is definitely overwhelming trying to pick a hotel and an area to stay. The familiarity of the Marriott is appealing to me is all. Also, I'm indecisive which doesn't help haha

I will look in the Historic Center most definitely. I will continue looking on booking.com.

Any other neighborhoods in Rome you recommend? Or stellar hotels you stayed at for under $200 a night?

Thanks,
K

(edited: had a change of heart)
You might look in the Monti neighborhood?

Just to clarify: the 'center' is not one neighborhood but a collection of them.

Search hotels here:
http://us.venere.com/
Select among the neighborhoods below.

These are in the so called 'centro storico' (historical center):, they are nice and closest to the sights and the action (but a bit more expensive areas):
Spanish Steps
Trevi Fountain
Navona

These are across the river from the historical center. Also very nice. :
Trastevere (this is a very lively neighborhood)
Vatican (this is quieter)