Advantages: location, beautiful rooms, clean, tidy, rooftop terrace Disadvantages: staff are unwelcoming at first
...so I decided upon the Valadier hotel due to its reasonable prices, good write up on a few traveling websites and its location.
Set off on a cobbled side street off the Piazza del Popolo, the hotel has 60 guest rooms and is approximately 35km (approximately 21 miles) from Fuimicino Airport and is within walking distance of the Rome metro system and most of the main sights to see when visiting Rome. In terms of distance, the Spanish Steps are only ... ...a hotel named after Giuseppe Valadier who designed the Piazza del Popolo in the early 1800s.
As I approached the front doors after finally finding the side street off the Piazza del Popolo I was filled with a sense of dread. I had paid 170 Euros (approximately £130) per night for a standard double room so was expecting a pretty top notch hotel only to be greeted by a rather dull façade that looked grimy and in need of a good sandblasting. The fears ...
...happened to stay at this hotel a few years ago, unfortunately it was not because of a holiday, I was basically instructed to fly over to Rome to hand out some confidential documents to our Head Office. I basically arrived late in the evening had a chauffeur car waiting to take me to the offices I had to hand out the paperwork, go to the hotel (possibly see a couple of Italian friends for a well deserved pizza) and fly out the following day at lunchtime. ... ...I finally got to the hotel and it was such a relief!! I did not know what to expect at first, being rather central (not far from the American Embassy), their address is in fact:
Via Ludovisi, 43
00187 Roma (RM), Italy
+39 06 42013153
I thought it would certainly not be like a Bed and Breakfast but at the same time knowing that my company was cost cutting I certainly was not expecting caviar and champagne!
The entrance to this four star hotel ...
Advantages: Clean, close to transportation Disadvantages: No breakfast included in our package
...and 5 nights at the Bettoja Hotel Nord Nuova Roma for 720 £ (about 1300$), excluding breakfast. As usual, it was not easy to decide which hotel to choose. We did some homework and most reviews indicated that the Termini area was "highly undersirable". The decision to stay in the area was influenced by price and the fact that there were renowned 4-5 star hotels in the same vicinity - how "undersirable" could the area really be then? On the morning ... ...using the Leonardo express. The hotel is located in the street Giovanni Amendola so it is only a short walk from the main entrance of the train station. The reception desk area was typical for a smaller European hotel I guess: quite tiny. But the check in was pretty fast and after filling in some papers we got the key to room 544 and took the lift to our room on the 5th floor. The room looked really dark when we came in but it got much lighter when ...
Advantages: A must see in Rome Disadvantages: It's only a fountain
Ah, the Trevi Fountain. Some would say that it's the most beautiful fountain in all of Rome. Well, I wouldn't know about that - not having visited all 7,000 of them. Ok, that's maybe an exagerration, but there are quite a few of the old fontanas dotted around the eternal city. One thing's for sure though, it's certainly an impressive site...or sight, even.
You would think that such a world famous and much visited tourist attraction would be situated ... ...when you've arrived at the Trevi Fountain - the street sign and the appearance of a rather large cascade of sparkling aqua should give you a clue, but if that doesn't do it for you then the huddled masses and click'n'whirr of countless photographic implements will. Still not sure you're at a major tourist attraction? The hawkers and street vendors aggressively punting their 'high' quality tat should put you straight.
There's quite a bit of history ...
Advantages: Location, Price and Staff Disadvantages: Nothing, It is what it is!
...Location
********* The Clarin Hotel is a 2 star hotel situated in Via Palermo, a street central to the city centre although on the Eastern side, and approximately a 5 minute walk from Termini Station and a 10-12 minute walk to the Coliseum and many other attractions. I would recommend getting the train from the airport (either of them) to Termini Station as the hotel is 2 roads away from the station, and as long as your case has wheels or bag isn't ... ...I ended up booking the Clarin Hotel via the intermediary Lastminute.com and I don't know how much they charge in commission but I still found it reasonably priced. I have been on city breaks before where we have skimped on spending loads on a hotel in the centre and ended up suffering and having to wait for buses/trams/taxi's to take us in and out. Which ends up costing a bomb. So I decided this trip we would pay the money and stay in the centre ...
Fast, new Perpendicular Technology, very quiet, fair price (*)
