Hello everyone. I'm new here and just beginning to plan our first trip to Italy for late fall. I'm looking for an Apt. between Piazza Navona and the Pantheon. I have read numerous reviews and looked at every Apt. rental site online . . and I'm very overwhelmed! Our budget only allows us to spend up to $200 dollars per night. I would love to be on a beautiful quiet street such as Via Dei Coronari. Can anyone please recommend "specific" Apts. they have stayed at and LOVED that might also meet our criteria. Thank you so much!

Also, would anyone know which Apt. is located at Piazza Della Rotondo 70? I read an online review where the lady described loving this Apt. very much and looking out the window with a direct view of the Pantheon. Can't find the posting or the Apt. anywhere though.

Welcome to Slow Travel and to Slow Talk, Grace!

I assume you have read also our members' reviews of Rome apartments. But did you look up our vacation rental listings for Rome?

Another suggestion is to use our search function. Click on the Find button at the top of this page and key in the words "apartment Navonna" and "apartment Pantheon" respectively. This will give access to our previous discussions on apartments in the two areas mentioned. You may find some ideas there.

As to the Piazza della Rotonda 70 apartment, on which website did you find it? I did a google search but could not find anything on it, except your Slow Travel post above . It may appear on a website with/under a different name.

quote:

Apt. is located at Piazza Della Rotondo 70

An Apt on Piazza Rotunda directly might be beautiful, but unlikely to be quiet. This is a picture of Piazza rotunda in the evening in Dec. it is likely to more crowded and busy in the tourist season
http://www.slowphotos.com/phot...photo=32692&cat=4024

This apartment is not in your target area - but seems to be within your target price.

We stayed there 18 months ago - it was fabulous, great owner, quiet on a street with lots of eating options. Rome is a fairly small city so getting from spot to spot is really easy once you know the buses etc.

Natalia, the owner, met us at the apartment and spent an hour with us, booking reservations, advising us on transit etc.

Check her out - she comes highly recommended.

www.dolceroma.it. She has 4 apartments - we stayed in the Roman Forum one.

Your target area is a small goepgraphical area. It does seem like you want to stay at a place with a view of the Pantheon.
If you are flexible, I am sure there are many of us that could make specific recommendations. Are there just5 2 of you traveling? What other requirments: how many flights of stairs will you climb?, How im[portant is the kitechn to you?, How important is the furniture (If there is a bed, I am happey with Ikea or boxes), are you going to walk everywhere or would you use public transport?

I'm not set on having a Pantheon view, just read a few posts where people raved about the views from their Apt. or B&B of the Pantheon. Saw some photos and the views were indeed incredible. I also understand many of the Apts. have the bedroom in the middle or back so noise was not a problem. Many of the Apt. rental sites list the same properties under different names and prices making the choice very confusing!

We do really want to be between Piazza Navona & Pantheon so we can walk to as many sites as possible. Views would be a plus. We can only spend $200 dollars per night. Some criteria we are hoping for include . . . .

60 sq meters or more with roman character (high/coved ceilings, wood floors)

1 bedroom (double bed or larger), no mezzanine lofts with stairs to bed

1 Bath (with window hopefully), Small Kitchen to prepare breakfasts

Large Windows that open, lots of light with a view of something other than a wall

Air conditioning in at least the bedroom

Can only go up 4 flights of stairs without lift

Wi-fi/TV preferred but not necessary

Terrace or any outdoor space if at all possible

I would be very grateful for any specific Apt.recommendations that come close to our criteria.

Check these apartments.... stayed there May of 08 and thought the apartments and location were great. http://www.palazzo-olivia.it/

Tim

I would second that the Palazzo Olivia is a great location near Piazza Navona. I've posted reviews of 2 of the apartments (the Berta and the Rosina). There are other reviews posted as well. The apartments may not have all the aspects you are looking for but are in a great location at a reasonable price and are quiet.

You do realize that you are talking about an area that is at most 4 blocks wide and 6 blocks long. The area includes major government buildings.

Another areas that are just as walkable and virtually tourist central would be campo fiori. Not on the campo (which is noisy) but off it on Via Chiavari, or even farther east toward the Palatine hill. Views of the Pantheon are expensive and can be noisy even with a back bedroom.

Thank you for recommending the Palazzo Olivia. The Rosina looks like a possibility. The location is great and I like that it has two small balconies overlooking the street. Can anyone tell me about the Via dei Leutari? Also, I could not find the size (sq meters) of the apts. Would anyone know?

Via dei Leutari isn't a particularly charming street - nothing of any interest on it. It is narrow as you can see from the photos out the window on the website. Your view wouldn't be all that interesting in that you face the building on the opposite side of the narrow street. The little balconies in the Rosina are not really big enough to sit out on. The location, condition and management of the apartments is the big plus in my opinion.

Have you checked out this review from the main Slowtrav site?

Yes, I'm familiar with the Rondanini Apt, the furnishings caught my eye. It was on my short list, however I eliminated it because it looks dark to me (none of the photos show windows). Lots of windows/high ceilings/outdoor space is important as we're both claustrophobic and prefer fresh air coming in. My short list now consists of the following Apts. Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

II Terrazzo-Via dei Pastini 133 - 1st floor. Patio is a plus. Not sure of Apt. size?
http://www.holiday-velvet.com/.../24-07-2010/adults/2

Pantheon View-Via Minerva - 1st floor. 3 windows in living area is a plus. Not sure of Apt. size?
http://www.holiday-velvet.com/...pantheon+view/id/192

The Tito-Via della Palombella - 3rd floor, no lift. 860 sq ft. Decent size. Patio is a plus.
http://www.friendlyrentals.com...artment-2510-220.htm

Via de Coronari 47- 1st floor. 900 sq ft. Nice size. Windows in every room is a plus. No guest comments concerns me.
http://www.vrbo.com/277341

Another question regarding the Pantheon View/Minerva Apt. above . . Does anyone know the correct address? Sleepinitaly.com shows it on Piazza Della Rotonda, while Holidayvelvet.com shows it at the very end of Via Minerva. I've found many websites list the same properties but with completely different specs!

http://www.holiday-velvet.com/...pantheon+view/id/192

http://www.sleepinitaly.com/appartam.php?map=70

If you give up on the apartment idea, consider the Hotel Navona. It's right there. We reviewed it on SlowTrav. We liked it and its in your price range.
Good luck. I too would always prefer an apt. but it might be hard to find with your criteria. Whatever you do, you'll have fun.
Linda

I had the Minerva on my list too, for location, light airy living room and the open kitchen.
But somewhere, possibly on a Fodors Forum trip report, I read that the bedroom was cavelike, i.e. lacking natural light.

The bedroom appears to have a window (looks like drapes) but the person talking about it mentioned it didn't have one.
They also mentioned that, even though it is over a busy street, the bedroom was in the back so noise wasn't a factor.

If you are claustrophobic I would suggest you contact one of the rental agencies representing this apartment and clarify the bedroom window situation.

As for the location, you can clearly see the Pantheon from the windows. I think it's a beautiful apartment at what seems to be a great price.

My husband and I stayed in the Minerva apartment for a week this past year and while the apartment was very nice we will not return for the following reason. The bedding situation is not at all condusive to a good night's sleep. Saying the mattress is old, thin and in terrible condition is doing it justice as well as the bed linens which did not fit the mattress and were very worn from previous use.It is unfortunate as the owner has told me she will not replace the mattress so we have found other accommodations on our trip to Rome in the next couple of months. But, if a decent mattress is not high on your list of preferences then by all means stay here as it is perfectly situated.

I'm really disappointed to hear about the bed in the Minerva Apt. Everything about it appeals to me and it's been my number one choice so far! However, a good bed is pretty important so its definately something to consider.

I had to take a week off from looking at apartments as it just became too overwhelming with all the choices. So, I'm back at it again and thinking alot about the Pastini Apt. . .

http://www.sleepinitaly.com/in...m.php?id_appartam=33

There are a few people on TA that will be staying at this apt. soon so I'm anxious to hear their comments when they return. These are also still on my radar, with Pantheon views, if anyone has any comments . . .

http://www.romesweethome.com/a...tylish-apartment.asp

http://www.romesweethome.com/a...entral-apartment.asp

http://www.friendlyrentals.com...artment-2589-220.htm

Hi Grace,

I rented Apartment Pastini from Sleep in Italy for 4 nights at the end of May last year. It had its pluses and minuses, but it certainly meets your stated criteria:

--high/coved ceilings, wood floors
--1 bedroom (double bed, no mezzanine lofts with stairs to bed)
--1 bath with window
--Small kitchen to prepare breakfasts
--Large windows that open, lots of light with a view of something other than a wall
--Air conditioning in at least the bedroom (Not sure about this...check with the agency)
--Up 2 flights of stairs
--No Wi-fi, but it has a small TV
--Terrace

The sizable terrace has a table and chairs, which is nice, but it's an internal terrace surrounded by multistory apartments--lots of sounds of Rome daily coming from those apartments, which we actually found interesting.

The front room overlooks the incredibly busy Via Pastini. We arrived there on Saturday, and Saturday night on the pedestrian-only street was SOOOOO noisy. Have you ever been serenaded by opera singers and acordion players all night? We were! Quite an experience. The other nights were far quieter. Fortunately, the bedroom is in the middle of the apartment, and it has doors so you can close off a lot little of the noise. Unfortunately, our son and his friend were (not)sleeping on the couch in the living area, so they weren't so lucky. If there are only two of you (recommended), it will be OK, I think.

It looks pretty much like the pictures on the agency websites, though they do make it look a little bigger than it is. The furnishings were adequate.

The bathroom was small but serviceable, and the kitchen was all we needed since we only used it to prepare breakfasts and a la carte meals we prepared from produce bought at the markets and ate on the terrace.

The best part of the apartment, aside from the terrace, was the fabulous location within steps of the Pantheon and convenient to everything else we wanted to do in Rome. We had stayed in the Termini area on another trip--the Pantheon area was far, far better. By the way, it was great fun to walk between the al fresco dining tables along the street and open the front door to the apartment while the diners watched. Felt kind of special!

Would I return to the Pastini apartment? Probably not, but only because I've stayed there already--I'm always up for new adventures.

That's my two cents.