Very early flight leaving Rome (6:40). Hotels?

That is the problem. The airport hotels are fine. They just get bad reviews for being bland and expensive, otherwise they are fine for the night. Hotels around the airport are just not into the American style of free shuttles. At 6.40 that is not a direct flight back to the US so you can check in around 5 to 5.30 and be fine. A cab ride from central Rome will take 30 minutes at that time of morning. When we had had a couple of early flights like yours, we just stay in Rome and get up at 4:30, arrange for a cab at 5. At 6.40 the airport will barely be awake.

For our flight coming home from Rome in January 2013 we used the Hilton at Fiumicino Airport, after visiting the nearby ruins at Ostia Antica earlier on the day we checked in. The price wasn't bad, and actually the convenience was priceless. It's immediately adjacent to the airport terminal, but there was no noise from overhead jets - it was very quiet and comfortable. I don't think our flight left quite as early as yours, but we still got up in the virtual middle of the night, so it was still really early.

They do offer a free shuttle to the airport, but it may not be running as early as you might need. However, you can take an elevator that's about a 45 second walk from the front door of the Hilton up to an elevated causeway with moving sidewalks and you're in the terminal faster than you can say, "which way to security?" The only way it could've been more convenient would have been if the plane had rolled into the lobby of the Hilton.

Their restaurant is also very good, and as we had an early flight the next day and were tired, we hadn't planned on heading into downtown Rome for a big last night on the town. We had a great dinner at the hotel before turning in, and the breakfast in the morning that was included with our room was outstanding -- probably the most extensive breakfast buffet I've ever seen, catering to travellers from all over the world with different ideas of what breakfast should include. Not sure if they serve breakfast extra, extra early, but we had time to get up, shower, have a not-too-rushed breakfast, and catch our early flight.

We will be staying at the Hotel Tiber Fiumicino on the way home on our next trip. They do have a specific shuttle schedule, but if you go down to the bottom of this page -- http://www.hoteltiberfiumicino.it/en/position-hotel-tiber-fiumicino-roma.html -- there's a little note to call the desk if you need a ride outside those times. If you are interested in this place, you could send them an email (address also at the bottom of the page) to find out about how early they could take you to the airport as well as how early they could have some breakfast for you.

Enjoy your last night in Rome and not by the airport. Taxi is 48 Euro to the airport. It's a 30 min ride maybe quicker early in the morning with no traffic. So all you are saving by staying at the airport is 30 min of sleep time. Youkk be up 30 min earlier staying in Rome. That's isn't worth it for me to stay outside center Rome.

If you want to save money and time then after touring Rome on your last night and dinner then head to the airport at say 11-12 at night and sleep at the gate.

We have used the Hilton Hotel at the airport several times because we don't want the worry of city traffic for a morning flight. (After missing flights because of traffic situations beyond our control we like the security of being close.) We enjoyed walking to the terminal along the elevated walkway. It is quite long, at least 15 minutes to Terminal 3.

But this May 2014 there had been a change. The hotel shuttle bus took us to the new Terminal 5, a separate building for US flights. We were checked there (also where you take care of VAT tax) and then taken by shuttle bus to Terminal 3 where we ate, and boarded our fight.
My understanding is that if you arrive at Terminal 3 you have to go to T5 and back to T3. It was new and unexpected for us, but because we were at the airport hotel they explained it and we were prepared. Terminal 5 was smooth and efficient at the time we were there about 7am.
We use the hotel's free bus to go back into Rome for the afternoon and dinner and return by it. It runs every two hours. I know this isn't for everyone, but it works for us.
The hotel has been consistently clean, efficient and quiet.

I've found that many of the very early flights are to other European gateway airports--where fliers sit around until 11:00 a.m. or early afternoon before flying to the U.S. It's the same way if you're flying out of Venice or Florence or Pisa.

It's hard enough flying 10 hours home, but even harder when you have to get up at 3:00 a.m. to make the 6:00 flight. I call my own shots on flight times, and 6:00 a.m. is not one of them. I don't want to get home feeling like an asphalt roller has run over me.

Many travelers stay in Rome and schedule a taxi pickup to get them there on time. Unfortunately, FCO is not the most efficient airport I've ever been in.

If at all possible, make a flight reservation later in the a.m. If not, good luck to you.

You need to be at the airport at about 05:30 since at that time it's certainly a European flight (like a domestic flight in the US). The taxi ride at that time in the AM is about 30 min or less from the city center. If you get you taxi a little before 5am you will get there on time.

Any other option nearer to the airport, except for the airport Hilton which is across the terminal, will require at least 10 or 15 min taxi or shuttle ride, therefore staying closer to the airport will gain you no more than 15 or 20 min of extra sleep. I don't think it's worth the trouble of not spending the last night in Rome.

To me the choice is clear: either stay in the city center and enjoy the last evening in Rome or stay at the Hilton inside the airport.

Airport Hilton. You won't 'enjoy' a last night in Rome anyway with the time you'll need to get up. I'd also be nervous about the taxi showing up on time in the middle of the night, but that's just me. Also, please confirm which terminal you need to be in. I don't think you have to go through the whole Terminal 5 shuffle if you're not on a direct flight to the US. Get this info from the airline.