Looking for experienced opinions. Marriott is telling us that we need 2 rooms for our staying in August for myself, husband and children (ages 4 and 6 years). How can this be possible? I have looked at the website and it is not much help! When I put 3 people in the search, I am only given the suite as an option. I do see a king size bed (we have a king bed at home), which I can tell you we all have slept in on numerous thunderstorm evenings! I do not want to use 50,000 Marriott points for 2 rooms unless necessary. What do you all think?
It's highly possible. When we stayed at the airport Hilton in Rome, we needed two rooms (technically) because they were only allowed to put 3 people into a room. I think it may have had something to do with local regulations (licensing and such) but can't remember for sure. Luckily, our aunt was traveling with us, so we just had one of our daughters "sleep" in her room (she actually ended up back in our room on the floor with some extra blankets).
My cousin and I stayed at the Courtyard in October. We had one room with two beds but they were twins, not two full/queen beds like you'd find in the States.
If you can sleep with one child in a king size bed and one on a cot you should be able to do it but only, it seems from their web site room description, if you go for a "junior suite" and pay an extra 50 Euro for a rollaway bed. At that point it might be cheaper to get two rooms.
Have you checked the Hilton at the airport? Unless it's significantly more expensive I'd head there. The Marriott is a ten minute (and 7 Euro) shuttle ride away, the Hilton is a short walk from the terminals.
ellen
Posts: 2896 | Location: mahwah, new jersey, usa | Registered: 10 December 2003
The Marriott is a ten minute (and 7 Euro) shuttle ride away
So does that mean that I would have to pay 7 Euro to get to the Marriott after I drop off my rental car at the airport, and another 7 Euro to get to the airport for my morning flight?
Yep. And be sure to reserve it in advance because it was full the day we used it and last minute walk ups were told they had to wait 40 minutes until the next one.
ellen
Posts: 2896 | Location: mahwah, new jersey, usa | Registered: 10 December 2003
I probably have a "cultural difference" problem understanding this... as someone said, if the hotel provides extra beds and cots you can try that, otherwise a room with beds for two is usually rented out to two people. This sometimes does not work in Agriturismo, B&B etc. and you can ask to share a bed with your children.
So does that mean that I would have to pay 7 Euro to get to the Marriott after I drop off my rental car at the airport, and another 7 Euro to get to the airport for my morning flight?
This is another one of those "cultural differences". When an Italian hotel says it has a shuttle to the airport, Americans just automatically presume this means free shuttle to the airport like in American hotels. In Italy it means that there is a shuttle but it is presumed that it costs to take it. I figured this out reading reviews for Venere.com for Rome airport Hotels. I was thinking of staying at FCO hotel and meeting my daughter the next day. People complained about the cost of the shuttle in the reviews.
I also figured out that some Airport hotels have shuttles that run only during business hours which negates some fo the reasons for staying at a hotel near the airport for a very early flight leaving FCO.
I figured out that because Fiumicino is outside the legislated taxi zone, that some Taxi drivers charge more for a short taxi ride from an airport Hotel to the airport than the Leonardo express or a taxi ride form central Rome which is regulated to something like 45 euros.
All of this means that you have to be careful with just presuming anything just because that it is the way you think it should be becaseu that is THE way it is at home. It can end up costing you a bundle more.
Posts: 3627 | Location: St Paul, MN | Registered: 10 February 2006
Thanks. But I am not presuming anything here as an American. If a hotel advertises "free shuttle", I would only then assume the shuttle is free. I learned decades ago to check the small print. That's how I survived to get this old
Thanks for all the responses! I cannot even think about paying for 2 hotel rooms in Rome, hence why we are trying to use Marriott reward points. I just wanted to make sure that I was doing this correctly, trying not to assume anything! Marriott was questioning the computer system as well, so I thought you all would know AND you did! I guess my husband will take a child & me the other...doesn't seem very family friendly!
Cindi, we stayed at the Marriott Courtyard in June. We had a standard double room with a king size bed and it was not a large room. There was no space in that room for a cot. In fact our luggage took up pretty much all the floor space. The hotel was renovated and everything was new and clean. The bathroom was a nice size.
When you pay your bill make sure they are billing you the correct rate. We reserved at the rate of 180 euros and were charged 200 euros. I got the lower rate by calling Marriott directly instead of booking on the Internet. Thankfully, I had my confirmation as verification and it was a good thing I noticed it when we were still at the hotel. There is still some confusion with our bill and we're not sure exactly what they did until we get our AmEx statement. The girl at the desk was totally clueless. Also, make sure you book the shuttle the night before because the 7:40 shuttle was full.
Make sure you have specific directions to the hotel. Our driver rode around for two hours looking for it and everyone he asked gave us different directions or didn't know where it was. This was on a Sunday late afternoon and the traffic was virtually at a standstill on all roads around the airport. The airport is near beach areas and everyone was leaving the beach on single lane roads.
The hotel was formerly Rome Airport Hotel and that name is still on their sign. The Marriott took it over three years ago.
Carole
Posts: 1070 | Location: Laguna Beach, CA | Registered: 09 February 2006
The issue here goes beyond cultral and straight into legal. A Double room in italy doe snot mean it has two beds, it means it's structured to host two people, and so far it's cultural. yet, the room is also legally allowed to host no mroe than two people. Regardless of age, the number of people who can legally be hostged in that room must not surpass two. This is a measure to both protect the tourists from scams (a large number of people hosted in a too small room paying too much) and to make sure that in case of accident the number of people in the hotel and their "disposition" can easily be checked. So, if you are renting a double room, no more than two people (adult or children) can sleep in it.
But they might have a room or connecting rooms that legally sleep 2 adults and 2 children and cost less than 2 doubles. I'd ask (not a message board, but the hotel staff).
Hi Cindi, Do you really need to stay in a chain-hotel? We stayed at http://www.navonagallerysuites.com/ and paid half of a price for the best location in Rome, all accessible on foot. There are numerous B&B with family rooms or suites and a small kitchen. Another good option is to rent an apartment. For a family it is really the best and can be as luxurious, with authentic feel of Rome.
Another airport suggestion if that's the location you need would be the Hilton Garden Inn. It's further from the airport than the Hilton, but it's reasonably close and it has a free shuttle to the airport.
since you are using points, you *could* chance it since your children are small...I have done this before with Starwood properties (Sheraton, etc.) in Rome - they charge 100 Euro/night for a roll-away bed/cot -doesn't matter how old the child is (and I was really not going to pay an extra 100 euro for a 3yr old. sorry) BUT, Starwood policy (and I assume Marriott), is that children under 12 stay free "in existing bedding" - so, it is not a problem if you are willing to put the kids in bed with you or on the floor ;-)
we are "gold" members, so we usually get upgraded to a suite anyway and they've never charged me for letting my child sleep on the sofa-bed since it is "existing bedding" -don't GET me started though in the Europa and Regina in Venice though...was even willing to pay the 150 extra for the darn cot last year...had a reservation in writing for 3...arrived with a 7yr old and they told me no cots avaialble (?) and put him in our bed or find another hotel (obviously, I got on the phone with corporate and they somehow managed to locate a cot for my kid!)
also...many hotels, even in the same chain, have different child policies - for instance, they will give you a cot for free and with no problem at the Sheraton in Florence ;-)
Persoanlly, the kiddies are 4 and 6? forget it. show up and throw them a pillow and blanket on the floor :-) (and, I'd BET, if there's a suite available, they will take pitty on you at reception when you show up with the kids and give you a larger room with a sofa anyway)
I didn't read through all of the posts, but I have run into a similar situation. Essentially, only a certain number of people are permitted in a room. It was explained to me as being determined not by size, but by "heartbeats." There may be an option for a cot, but I would be sure to arrannge and confirm that in advance, and you will probably be charged for it, but at least it should be less than a second room. We did this when it was just me and the kids, same ages. When my husband arrived however, we had to get a "family roon" which I suppose was a junior suite, and was again cheaper than a second room. Have you spoken with Marriott directly, or just checked online? Hopefully someone could help you figure it out over the phone.
Thanks everyone - your collective thoughts and ideas are helpful! I have just now spoken to Marriott at their 800# (not the actual hotel location in Rome). They claim it is for fire safety standards in Italy. HAHAHAHA!!! Fire safety standards in the U.S. possibly, but in Italy? Italians LOVE children and I cannot imagine that they are going to think splitting us up is a better idea! My Italian relatives were mortified when I told them this...they asked why I had been so forthright? They would have just shown up with a reservation for 1 room and either put kids on floor or if someone at the hotel had a larger room available, they probably would have moved us into it!
I'm "slightly surprised" by the idea that some people here have about Italy... Even if it might sound weird to you, Italy does have laws and regulations and there is people respecting them, if a room has been designed and permits have been given for accommodating 2 peple, you're supposed to put there only 2 people, on the other side loving children to some people also means giving them a normal accommodation and not have them sleep on the floor and maybe someone would consider not acceptable if you just show up with 2 kids, a dog and a parrot if you booked a double room. Sorry if this sounds too harsh but sometimes this kind of prejudice (it is prejudice) makes me crazy, but maybe I'm the one who is convinced that this country is not the way you think and I'm the one being wrong.
I would add that on many security issues (particularly food and water) Italian laws are much stricter than US ones! Believe it or not there are civilized countries outside the US.
(By the way, that a doubel room could not by law hold more than two people was already written on the thread: buy me. If you just took time to read instead of scorning Italy you would have known.)
Slow Travel Talk 
