Hey everyone, I'm new here!

I'm a band director, taking a group of about 52 to Rome, Italy for the 2009 New Years Day Parade! We'll be in Rome from December 28, 2008 until January 5, 2009.

Any suggestions for booking rentals for a large group? I'm very concerned about the cost of the trip, I want to keep the costs at less than $3,000 per person, if possible.

The plan right now is to use Rome as a home base and plan some day trips away for sightseeing, but focusing on Rome for the majority of the trip.

Thanks for any help and suggestions!

All the best,
Matt

Oh Matt, I wish I had some good ideas for you. I just wanted to say "Hats off to you"! My brother is a band director, so I know what you are in for! Hehehehe! I hope you and the kids have a great time!
Cyn

Welcome to Slow Travel, Matt and the 52!

Am I assuming right that this would be part of an event organized by and with authorities or organisations in Rome? Do you have directions to information or a web site of the organisers?

So that you won't think I have only questions and no advise , I will try to contact somebody who knows Rome well and is in the hospitality indutry, to see whether you can get some suggestions from there.

In the meantime, I am sure other members will chip in.

Hi Matt - My condolences . For something this size and of this nature you would probably do well to contact an American travel agency that specializes in scholastic trips. Given your budget, the ages of the participants, etc., I think that working with a consolidator might be the most economical way to go. My best advice is DO NOT TRY TO DO THIS ON YOUR OWN - particularly if you are not experienced in working in Italy. Let an agency do this for you. You collect the money.

Convents and monasteries that have residences are often geared to taking large groups (on courses, retreats, etc.) and are inexpensive. Despite the image that the words "convent" and "monastery" might elicit, many of the residence halls are in large, modern buildings, and really are more like student residences or basic conference centers that are run by religious orders but are open to all. I don't have any specific recommendations, since I've only stayed in a smaller convent in Rome, but I just wanted to suggest them as a practical solution.

I agree with KT. Start checking the places listed on this web site. One other benefit to a "chief chaperone" is that most of these places have curfews! They are also about the lowest cost placse to stay in Rome. We have stayed at Casa Il Rosario. It's like a small hotel.

These places are prone to fill up so don't delay in finding a place.

Bill

Also another way to save on the cost per person is to plan carefully for your local transportation. The FM-1 train from the airport to downtown Rome (Ostiense, Trastevere, and Tiburtina stations) is half the price of the Leonardo express to Termini, the largest station.

But with 52 people and their luggage and instruments., you might be much better chartering a bus.

Good luck.

One monastery stay that is not listed on the Santa Susanna Web site is Casa Kolbe, Via San Teodoro 44, tel. 06-679-4974, fax 06-6994-1550.
It's larger than some of the others.

Or you could look at what is on offer at Monastery Stays.

The Rome tourist board has a huge searchable list of convent accomodations here. (Don't be misled by the heading "Holiday Homes.") I assume that it includes everywhere that's registered with the tourist board. There are loads of these places that are off the tourist radar, but 1) it's not easy to tell which are more in the nature of long-term residences for students, and 2) many, if not most, don't have websites. If you're feeling ambitious and want to see websites, you can start by using the tourist board list and then going to the sites of those places that have them. I know that when I was searching a couple of years ago I did find websites of quite a few large places in the areas closer to the Vatican.

Matt, something of which I should have thought earlier: our main website, www.slowtrav.com, has an excellent guide for planning a trip for large groups.

While some points may not apply to your specific situation, I recommend you read it; you can use it at least as a checklist and possibly also as the planning guide it is meant to be.

Hello Matt,

Get in touch with the folks over at Gateway Music Festivals & Tours from Monticello, MN. www.musicfestivals.com

I am sure they can also refer you to some fundraising organizations.

The New Year's Day Parade in Rome is very colorful and includes a blessing by the Pope in St. Peter's Square. The organization of the event is well into the planning stages, so please don't wait much longer.

Enjoy your trip to Rome.

Hi to all from Rome! (And especially Doru!!!)
Yes, on the website of Roma Turismo there is an exaustive list of the "Case per ferie" (religious pensions in rome). The link to the website is http://alberghi.romaturismo.it/romatiaccoglie/langIndep...CV&lingua=1&area=RTA.
As I'm involved in a concert society we often contact some of these Holiday Homes. If you like I can call those we already knows and ask for the costs and the availability. Just inform me about how many girls and boys (I presume they must have different rooms) and the dates of your travel in Italy.
Some years ago we hosted a concert with an American Orchestra (from the University of Boston)and at that time they came in Italy with a travel agency specialized in this kind of trip, it was the eis (european incoming service), if you want I can look for their phone number. I remember that there is also an agency located in New York....mmmmh I have to search the name in my memory!
Let me know if I can help!
Lia

Thanks everybody for all of the great suggestions!

We are working with a travel company in Illinois and they are doing a great job, but I am trying to help them find some great lodging. We are also trying to find some great performance venues in Rome and Florence. I want to give my students a unique experience in that I'd like to share a concert with a band from Italy. In a perfect setting, they would perform the first half, we would perform the second half, and then we would perform a piece together. What a great lesson to teach the kids, that music is universal and that even though they may not be able to communicate in words, they can work together to perform music!

Here are the numbers:
16 boys, 12 girls, 19 family members, and 2 staff members. We'll need about 18 rooms if it's 3 or 4 beds, and 26 rooms if it's 2 beds.

Our schedule is
Sunday, December 28, 2008 - Florence
Monday, Dec 29 - Spoleto
Tuesday, Dec 30 - Porto San Giorgio
Wed, Dec 31 - Rome
Thu, Jan 1 - New Years Day Parade! Rome
Fri, Jan 2- Rome
Sat, Jan 3 - Rome
Sun, Jan 4- Rome

Thanks again for all of the help. You can also reach me at [email address in profile]

Thanks
Matt

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Colleen,

Hi Matt,
thank you for your reply. I could try to contact some italian bands (I will send to you an email about it). Do you have any curriculum of your band to send me? Do you already know where do you perform in Rome? Excuse me for my questions, it's just to try to find the right group to share this performance! I will ask also for prices and availability of some religious hotel, and will come back to you when I get more information!
Lia

Lia,

Thanks for your help! I'm not sure where exactly or even when we will perform in Rome, our itinerary is still being put together.. We would definitely work around the availability of any groups you could find.

My band will be made up of middle school and high school students. If there are any community or city bands I think that would be our best bet. I think it would work out best if the band already had something planned for a concert and allowed us to play a few songs on the stage with them. Does this make sense?

You can also email me at garza@cyoband.org

Grazie!!!

I don't know if you received my mail, so...
I don't know if you already know Italy and its scholastic system...We do not have bands like yours, the main bands are from the Italian Army (also the City of Rome has one but I never heard them playing around!!!). However I'm checking with a friend of mine who conduct one of the army bands to know if they will perform in those days and if they could host your performance. In alternative I could call the main school of music in rome (a non-professional one, not the Conservatory) and ask about the school band...
What about the accommodation? Still looking for or already done?
Lia

Mister Matt,
I spoke to the conductor of the Army Band, and he said to me that in those days the musicians of his band are on vacancies (Christmas Holiday). He suggested to contact the bands of the cities in the neighbourhood of Rome, such as Albano, Castel Gandolfo etc.. just 30 km from Rome. Please can you provide me with your repertoire?
Is your performance included in the Vatican Parade?
Lia

My advice would be to start booking out entire dorms in youth hostels. Use a website like Hostel Bookers or Hostel World to see what is available. If something looks good on the website, but doesn't let you do enquiries for 52 guests, then phone them up.

Just as an example, I found PLUS Camping Rome, which is like a mini-resort and allowed me to search for 55 guests. It looks like you can have accommodation in triple rooms, with ensuite for as little as 15E per night. The camping ground is fully self-contained with all sorts of sports and recreational facilities, restaurants, cafes, mini-supermarket, internet point, laundry etc. You could also be assured of a family atmosphere in a place like this - unlike most regular youth hostels where your kids would most likely be exposed to older people and alcohol.

The only downside is that the camping is about half an hour outside of Rome, but I'm assuming you'll have a bus (or maybe two with 52 travellers plus instruments) to take you around easily and cheaply.

Anyway, you get the idea. Like others have said, start booking now! Don't delay! Rome will be busy over the Christmas/New Years period.

Buon viaggio. Claire.

Matt,
It looks like you are getting a lot of help with the planning of the trip.
Now, I'd like to offer you a suggestion for fundraising.
I'm the CRM for a Barnes & Noble Store. We do in-store fundraisers for arts and literacy organizations all the time. I just had a very successful one for a high school art club that was raising money for a trip to Florence.
Here is a link to the directory information on the store nearest you: http://storelocator.barnesandnoble.com/stores.do;jsessi...C98C57A304FB846FE875
We call them "bookfairs", and the way it works is your supporters shop in the store on the day of your bookfair and you get a percentage of all of their purchases.
If you can schedule a holiday time fundraiser bookfair in the store for your trip, you can raise a lot of money because people are Christmas shopping anyway.

I've no help fr the rentals :-( but, when I traveled with a choir as a student throughout Eastern Europe and then China, we contacted all the music schools and they set up performances for us at their venues and we had many wonderful joint masterclasses. It was a wonderful experience and we got to know so many other musicians in other countries! A few even set up some joint concerts and we performed together -which was really fun!