What is your budget? And what time of year will you be in Rome (which can have a significant bearing on prices!)
I don't know this hotel, but I must say I always argue for staying as close in to the historic centre as possible; especially for a woman traveling on her own, and especially if it's her first trip.
I feel Rome is very safe, but in any city that you're just getting to know, it's always worth paying a bit more to be in the very centre and able to walk around in the evening without worry about finding the way back to the hotel on unfamiliar buses or streets!
I am traveling with a friend mid-late June,but I have not visited Italy before. Our budget is to keep the hotel to as inexpensive as possible. This hotel (Fiume) seems priced right and near the Spanish Steps, but that doesnt mean anything to me. So looking for some input from those who know.
Our budget is to keep the hotel to as inexpensive as possible. This hotel (Fiume) seems priced right and near the Spanish Steps,
The hotel gets pretty good reviews on TripAdvisor but the cost for a room for next week is WAY above what I would pay for a place to stay in Rome.
However, when I put in some dates in June, the price seems reasonable for that location. Since the price is so much lower in June than it is now, I wonder whether it has A/C. (I haven't checked) Perhaps it is just that they are booked up this month.
Perhaps stating what's important to you about your hotel choice would result in some more useful replies.
Bill
Posts: 2730 | Location: Texas | Registered: 18 March 2006
In looking at the location map of Fiume Hotel, I would not consider it close to the Spanish Steps. I'm with Sandra on this, for your first trip to Roma, with or without a friend, I would try for something closer to the Centro Storico.
I always stay in apartment rentals, so I'm sorry I can't recommend any budget hotels for you. The one time I needed a hotel in Roma ~ it was for one night only as I passed through ~ I stayed at Hotel Modigliani on via della Purificazione, which is very close to the top of the Spanish Steps. It was small but lovely. I don't remember the cost but it must have been reasonable because I was not splurging.
Good luck! Heidi
Posts: 107 | Location: West slope, Sierra Nevada, CA | Registered: 08 July 2010
Thanks everyone for your help. I have booked the Fiume as it was recommended by someone I know, there were good reports on trip advisor and it is within my budget. It is certainly closer to the center than my first choice which was a retreat center. I will certainly be asking more questions however about what to do in my 4 days/nights in Rome! And about how to get around in general.
I stayed a couple of nights in that neighborhood a few years back. Quiet, "up-scale," not too much of anything historic, as it is a 19th century development. I don't have my bus map where I can get it, but you should be handy for several bus lines going into the historic center, including the 116 electric bus. Most of the historic center of Rome is in the area to the west of the via Corso, in the bend of the Tiber. Probably 20 minutes or so by bus from the Fiume.
Let us know your interests and what you feel you have to see, and if I can I'd be happy to make a few suggestions.
We stayed at this hotel on our first trip to Rome. We'd booked at the Hotel Borghese and they "bumped" us there.
The Pluses: It's in a good neighborhood if you want to see "real" Rome, with local restaurants and shops. (I highly recommend Osteria dell'Arco). It's clean and the staff was very friendly.
The Minuses: It's not really "near" the Spanish Steps, it's a bit of a walk. It can be a little daunting to figure out the buses when you're tired after a day of sightseeing. A big minus - there's a movie theater below and there was a lot of noise from people outside before and after the shows. We were there in March, with the windows closed, but was still rather noisy.
What price range are you looking for? We have a few favorite budget-y priced places in Rome but not sure what *your* budget is!
I agree with Fibonacci...the price seems way out of line. There are literally dozens (maybe "dozens of dozens") of good hotels at lower prices, much closer to the ancient center of Rome.
Hopefully I won't contribute to the ruination of a wonderful small hotel when I say this, but I'll suggest one possible alternative: Hotel Teatro de Pompeo. We've stayed there many times, the price is much lower than the rates quoted at the Fiume, and the location is much more central...right behind the Campo dei Fiori, in the middle of everything...13 rooms, very nice people, and it's clean, safe.
I am a bit confused because I just looked at Campo di Fiore and its nearly double the price of Hotel Fiume. I was able to book a double room for four nights for 583Euros same double room at Campo is 1046euros.
I don't know, Lorraine. The standard rate at the Teatro in high season is 220 euros per night for a double, so I don't know why you were quoted 1046 for 4 nights.
I didn't contact your hotel to get a firm price, I just plugged in some high season dates on their website and it brought up much higher prices than you were quoted. So anyway, 583 euros for a four star hotel (the Teatro is a very nice 3 star) sounds very reasonable, and if you're happy with the location, you'll be fine...and you'll love Rome!
