Rome Hotel & tips for nervous senior? Thanks!

[Truluv]

I've booked my Fall, 2019 bucket list RCL cruise to the Greek islands to celebrate my retirement (widow with some arthritic mobility issues), leaving from Civitavecchia.  One of my sons has agreed to accompany me.  He's pretty adventurous, but he's a medical professional who won't have time to help me plan.  I'm usually NOT adventurous at all, but this is the one trip outside the US that I've always dreamed of taking.   We will arrive in Rome on a Tuesday, and our cruise departs Civitavecchia on Sunday.  Can anyone give some Rome hotel suggestions and any travel tips for a nervous, inexperienced traveler?  Are mid-size cabs easy to get at the airport and at the hotel to travel to the pier, including transportation of large suitcases, or do you recommend a car service?  (My son is 6'6")    Do you tip the driver?  We don't speak Italian - will language be a problem at all?  What is best way to get from Rome to the cruise terminal?  How far in advance do you recommend booking the port transportation & hotels?  I was thinking about purchasing tours of Rome online before the cruise.  Is that feasible, or should we plan on needing time to adjust to the time difference?  Are there any packages with transfers, hotels & tours that would simplify this?  Quaking in my shoes at being outside my comfort zone, but determned to have an adventure!!!    I'll be reading as many revews as possible for tips too.  Thank you!

 

[Karae]

We love the Quirinale Hotel, the rooms are large and the hotel is full of character, and it is close (walking distancw from the train station).

Cabs are easy to get from the airport, just remember to get in line and wait your turn as they have a system.  We always tip the cab drivers, and yes, I would book my hotel early.  I think as far as getting to the cruise port, I would do a private transer.  You can research this yourself, but if I am not mistaken, there is a service called Stefan...As far as language, most people you encounter speak English, especially in Rome. I have always purchased my tours for Rome for the important sites on line before leaving.  Have fun planning!

[cruisemom42]

The best preparation may be reading this forum -- there's lots of information and wisdom that's been shared. I also recommend getting a guidebook specifically for Rome. It will give you answers to some of your general questions and should help you figure out what you want to see and do.

 

Taxi from airport:  There is a fixed fare from the airport to central Rome that any official taxi will charge -- 48 euro. Give 50 euro and it's fine, no big tips expected in Italy.  Taxis are usually plentiful but they are not huge. Two people with normal bags should be fine (e.g., a suitcase and carry-on each).

 

Hotel:  Stay in the historic center, since you will be there for several days. I consider the areas bounded by Trevi Fountain on one side and Piazza Navona/Campo di Fiori on the other to be the most desireable. I've stayed in a number of hotels in all price ranges near the Pantheon -- what kind of budget do you have?

 

Language:  Will probably never be a problem in Rome; the city gets millions of tourists every year and most Italians that you will deal with (e.g., in the hospitality or tourism industries) will speak enough English to be able to communicate with you.

 

Rome to Port:  It is a long-ish drive and probably better to arrange a service rather than just take a taxi. Several private services are frequently recommended here. Instead of a private driver I usually use a shared shuttle service, which is somewhat less expensive but you probably will share a small van with 2-3 other sets of passengers.  (I use Romashuttle.com; they have been reliable for me and for other family members.)

 

Tours:  Since you have several days, you may want to take it easy on your arrival day (Tuesday) but it's a good idea to stay up as long as you can in order to get on local time.  Many people including myself also find it helpful to just get outside and walk around -- somehow the sunlight helps your internal clock adjust.  For the major sites, it's probably better not to tackle too much in one day.  See the Vatican museum, Sistine chapel and St. Peter's basilica on one day, and do the Colosseum/Forum/Palatine hill on one day. Take breaks and enjoy just being in Rome!

 

 

 

[awatt]

Loved the Hotel Dei Borgognoni. Fantastic location close to Trevi and Spanish Steps. Lovely rooms. Excellent staff. They will call a cab for you wherever you want to go in Rome.

 

whatever hotel you book, make sure they have an elevator if you have mobility issues. Some of the smaller or cheaper hotels don’t have elevators.

 

i would book airport and port transfers in advance. We used Romecabs and they were great.

[Truluv]

Thank you for your help!  These answers were great and I'm definitely going to pick up a few Rome travel guides to read based on the suggestions.  My budget is as cheap as possible for a nice hotel, which I know isn't helpful at all  My own nervous tendency is to look for an American chain.  (My kid would look for something exotic and uniquely Italian.)   I'm hoping to find a compromise.  I definitely would need an elevator, so that eliminates the smaller hotels.

 

This is a dream trip, but I'm becoming sensitive to being on a fixed income now that I'm retired.  My kid surprised me by buying & upgrading our plane tickets, but he's only 30 -- I don't want him contributing towards hotel or excursions for my dream trip, although he can pay for his own booze LOL.  My goal is to spurge more on excursons than on the hotel.

 

Another general question is how many Euros do you suggest bringing?  My banker told me that they will exchange currency for no fee for me if I order the Euros one or two weeks in advance (PNC).   Does Romecabs take Euros or credit cards? 

 

Do you tip the maid in the Rome hotel?  Thank you!  Off to Barnes & Noble for those travel books :-).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Karae]

We never take more than a few hundred euros.  We use out debit card and credit cards.  Just make certain when using debit card to do it at a bank.  Also don’t forget to call at least a week before departure to let these banks know your destination and time frame....or surprise...they won’t work.

[CruiserBruce]

Again...some reading on the board would be very beneficial. For example, be leery of the "no fee" exchange operations, their exchange rates can be pretty poor. ATM in country is almost always the best rate for exchange.

 

How many euros you need is up to you. Credit cards will be excepted virtually everywhere in Rome, except for small purchases (like under 20 euros). We don't know your spending habits. 

[cruisemom42]

I usually leave a euro or two per night for the maid in Italian hotels. I'm a solo, not in my room much, fairly tidy and usually have zero extra requests.

 

As for hotels, I really recommend looking beyond American chains. Most of them are not conveniently located. Most people like to stop by the hotel at some point during the day, whether for a quick rest, to change shoes, drop off purchases or whatever. Also, it's much more interesting to be somewhere in the evening where you can walk to a number of good restaurants, and the monuments and buildings are all lit up. Strolling before and after dinner is very popular and very safe in Rome.

 

Decent hotels in the center don't come cheap in Rome at any time of year but if your cruise is later in the fall, you may find somewhat better rates than in the peak of summer. Here are a few possibilities near the Pantheon (which I consider 'ground zero' for sightseeing and best location) to check out:

 

Hotel Santa Chiara -- located right behind the Pantheon, large hotel with elevators, nice rooms and bathrooms and included breakfast

 

Hotel 9 Cesari -- a bit more modest, some areas could use a refurb, but well located between Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon. Great included breakfast served in their rooftop restaurant

 

Don't stay near the Vatican, as it is an outlier in terms of location. 

 

Note:  Room sizes are generally small in Europe, whether you stay in a chain or a European-style hotel. Do not expect the same kind of space you might get in the US.

 

 

[SoccerMom#3]

Another vote for Hotel 9 Cesari.  We stayed there in October before our transatlantic cruise.  Great location and staff, a bit dated but definitely fine for a few nights.  There is an elevator too.  Ask for a room not on the street side if possible.

 

We used RomeCabs to take us from Rome to the port.  Great service and reasonably priced.

 

We used ItalyTours.eu for a one day tour of Rome. We had them get us skip the line tickets for both the Colosseum and the Vatican.  Highly recommend Italy Tours.

 

And as other said, use these boards to get more info and suggestions.  I found all the above places by reading these boards.

 

[slidergirl]

From another "senior" woman.  Rome, to me, really is not as intimidating as it seems.  I've always been here by myself.   It is a beautiful city and worth just walking around and being excited at what you find around the corner!  I've never done a tour in Rome, so I cannot recommend for you.   If you do a plan for one "area" a day, like cruisemom said (she's the BEST for info here!!), it makes it easy to do things on your own if you want.  It is pretty easy to get tickets in advance for the "attractions" on your own online (lots of advice on the board here on how to do that).  Then, you have time to relax, watch Roman life around you, sit, sip a wine.  

For those "American hotels", I am with cruisemom (of course) on trying a non-American property.  BUT, if you really cannot get out of that particular comfort zone,  I would say to look at the Westin.  I've stayed there twice (as a Starwood employee).  The building is right across from the American Embassy up on Via Veneto.  Old Italian building, but with some typical service you would expect from an American chain.  It is just a few minutes from the train station via taxi. It is a 5 minute walk to the Via Barberini Metro stop, or a 15 minute stroll (downhill) to to the top of The Spanish Steps, and another 15 to The Pantheon area.  Those are according to Google Maps - it didn't seem that long to me (I walked that way every day), but there was so much to look at as I strolled that I wasn't paying attention to the time. I stayed at the Grand Hotel de la Minvere, right behind the The Pantheon.  Great hotel, but expensive (it was a post-divorce "gift" to myself for a weekend).  After staying there, the Pantheon area was the best area - great evening walking and a 2 blocks from my favorite restaurant and 2 blocks the other way to my favorite espresso and granita shop...

 

One thing I always do with traveling solo in a country where I do not speak the language: I make little paper "business cards" that have the names and addresses of my hotels and any restaurants I have reservations for - it makes it easy for a taxi driver to know where I'm heading.  Not knowing the language has never been an issue for me, be it Italy, Germany, France, Czech Republic... - just learn a few things "excuse me", "thank you" and those have served me well.

 

Enjoy the trip!!!

 

[GeezerCouple]

You didn't give us a budget, so it's hard to know which "category" to suggest.

However, when we were in Rome about 3 years ago (keep in mind, hotels can renovate or change, so double check, etc.), we somehow found what we considered a real treasure:  Hotel Majestic.  It's right in the middle of things, near Piazza Barbarini (also near the Spanish Steps).  It's right on Via Veneto, along with some much fancier hotels.  Easy walking to Trevi Fountain, etc.

 

It was not as modern/upscale as we had somehow expected, but it was absolutely charming, and all of the staff were wonderful.  There were "old fashioned" touches, so if you are really accustomed to "modern American-style hotels", this might not work.  But if you want to *know* you are in Rome, this fits the bill 

There was a sandwich shop almost next door, so we also saved money by just bringing in something for meals when we didn't want to splurge.  And the hotel recommended a marvelous little restaurant nearby, on a non-commercial street, and we seemed to be the only "outsiders".  But the hosts made us feel totally welcome, and went out of their way to describe any dishes we asked about.

 

There is a lift, and it's one of those quaint, old-fashioned ones, sort of a wrought iron cage, and the curved staircase goes around it all the way up (about 5 or 6 floors).  Yes, there is a level landing along the actual "floor" level (one doesn't step off onto a staircase!).

 

We were there before and after a few days in Florence.  We had planned to stay elsewhere on the return stay, but we cancelled that, and returned to the Majestic.

But there are a few steps at the front door of the hotel.

 

GC
 

 

[VMax1700]

On 12/16/2018 at 2:06 PM, Truluv said:

Does Romecabs take Euros or credit cards? 

 

 

RomeCabs takes Euro cash only.  

 

On 12/16/2018 at 2:06 PM, Truluv said:

Do you tip the maid in the Rome hotel? 

Tips are not expected in European hotels.  If you wish to give money then do, but it is not necessary.

[Karae]

We have always paid in Euros...

[MCazer]

We stayed in a nice Guest House. Similar to a hotel, we had our own room, with bathroom.  There was an elevator as well.  We were around the block from the Colosseum.  There were many restaurants around as well.  We walked everywhere from there.

 

the name was Al 325 Rooms ai Fiori, Via Cavour 325, Rome

 

i found it on TripAdvisor as it had very good reviews.  No need for a fancy place.  We loved it. Felt that we were part of Rome as opposed to a visitor

 

it was about $116 a night October 30-Nov 1 of this year

[bespin]

If you have an interest in the Vatican, there is a B&B, A View of Rome/A Touch of Rome/A Peace of Rome (all owned/operated by the same people) just across the street, at Piazza Risorgimento.  We stayed there a few years ago, and will be back in July 2019. 

 

St. Peter's is a 5-minute walk, to get around the Vatican walls to St. Peter's Square.

 

The hosts are very accommodating, very helpful in terms of recommending how to get to whatever places you're interested in. The Piazza is a transportation hub - lots of buses, cabs, and in walking distance of the Metro (a few blocks).

 

There's a Hop On Hop Off bus that stops at St. Peter's - it can take you to the major attractions like the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, etc.

 

Since you'll be in Rome for a few days, check the Roma Pass online (http://www.romapass.it/). It's good for up to 3 days, includes access to the public transportation, and includes discounts for several places, and even includes free admission to one or two of the more popular places.

 

We especially enjoyed the Borghese Gardens and museum, which is northeast of the Vatican area. 

 

If you'll be in Rome on a Wednesday, there might be a Papal Audience - free, but you need a ticket, and outdoors, in St. Peter's Square.  (Which is HUGE, by the way. There are big video screens set up to each side, so that the folks in the back can see what's happening waaaay up front, on the platform where the Pope and other priests are sitting.)

 

A guidebook that I recommend is by Rick Steves. (www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy/rome) He also has a smartphone app that includes audio do-it-yourself walking tours of the most popular sites.

 

We had no issues with the language - everyone who interacts with tourists is quite fluent in English, and even in the mom&pop restaurant we preferred to eat at (Da Vito e Dina, a few streets north of the Vatican), the menu had both English and Italian descriptions of the food, and we had no problem ordering.

 

We arranged a pickup from the airport through the B&B, and we shared a van to the port with other CC'ers who were on our roll call.  (If you haven't yet, please sign up for the roll call for the dates of your cruise.  The posters there will have plenty of information to share, and you could find folks willing to share rides and/or tours.)

 

We absolutely love Rome - even if you don't do everything, go everywhere, you're sure to enjoy whatever you choose to do, and if you want to, you can always go there again. :)

Edited December 22, 2018 by bespin
spelling and minor edits for clarity

[Markanddonna]

Be sure to get Rick Steve's book on visiting Rome. In addition to the usual advice, we enjoyed the National museum (near the train station) and took a day tour out into the country to visit the catacombs, the Roman Aqueducts and the old Appian Way.

 

Use Rick's book for visiting the Vatican. We used his app for the Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. So much better than hovering around a tour guide.  Also, get your tickets to the Vatican museum before you go.  I couldn't believe the long lines that we just whizzed past!  It is obvious that most people don't do any research!  We arrived early and they exchanged our paper voucher for immediate entrance.

[roothy123]

We just got back from Rome on our own for two days, then boarded a cruise.  I don't speak Italian, but found the people there to be very, very helpful and gracious, and many spoke at least some English.  In Naples, the subway stop I needed was not printed on the sign boards in the subway, and I got concerned.  Four people came to my aid and figured things out for me.  The subway company hadn't put the latest (year old) stop on their electronic sign boards yet.  

 

One thing we did to make us feel more comfortable was that we each purchased a SCOTTeVEST to keep our valuables safe.  They aren't cheap, but are well made (order a bigger size if you're in between sizes) and have many inside pockets.  Rome can be a fruitful place for pickpockets, and wearing the vest made me feel safer.  

 

If you stay in one of those places that have a kettle used to boil water, beware - it can boil over really quickly!!  It's best to take an adapter and converter so you can charge cell phones, etc. without fear of problems due to 110 vs 220 volts. 

 

Don't worry about tipping - seldom done (cabs, meals, hotels).  Do worry about stamping/validating bus or train tickets if you should happen to use a bus or train.  Keep in mind that in restaurants, if you ask for water, you'll likely want "still" (non-bubbly) and it will come in a glass bottle, not as tap water.  You probably only need to order one water for two people.  

 

We stayed in the Hanky Suite; loved it, but there were 4 steps up. 

 

Be prepared for people smoking EVERYWHERE in Italy. 

 

Obviously, you should wear comfortable shoes - lots of cobblestones in Rome!

 

Don't worry; you'll be fine, and you'll love Rome!

Edited January 13, 2019 by roothy123

[bennybear]

 

We have used Stefanos Rome cabs many times for transfers and have been very pleased.   We prefer the area around Campo di fiori for ease of walking to the sites.  We really like the Hotel residenzia in Farnese, it has elevators, a roof top garden and  wonderful Italian  breakfast.   It is across from the French embassy, the palazzo Farnese partially designed by Michelangelo.    We did not like the area near the train station as parts of it are quite gritty.   Suggest you book ahead to see the amazing sculptures in the borghese gallery.   Enjoy wandering and trying out the gelato!   

Wear a money belt and you will have no worries.

Edited January 18, 2019 by bennybear

[Alaskanb]

On 12/21/2018 at 11:43 PM, bespin said:

If you have an interest in the Vatican, there is a B&B, A View of Rome/A Touch of Rome/A Peace of Rome (all owned/operated by the same people) just across the street, at Piazza Risorgimento.  We stayed there a few years ago, and will be back in July 2019. 

 

St. Peter's is a 5-minute walk, to get around the Vatican walls to St. Peter's Square.

 

The hosts are very accommodating, very helpful in terms of recommending how to get to whatever places you're interested in. The Piazza is a transportation hub - lots of buses, cabs, and in walking distance of the Metro (a few blocks).

 

There's a Hop On Hop Off bus that stops at St. Peter's - it can take you to the major attractions like the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, etc.

 

Since you'll be in Rome for a few days, check the Roma Pass online (http://www.romapass.it/). It's good for up to 3 days, includes access to the public transportation, and includes discounts for several places, and even includes free admission to one or two of the more popular places.

 

We especially enjoyed the Borghese Gardens and museum, which is northeast of the Vatican area. 

 

If you'll be in Rome on a Wednesday, there might be a Papal Audience - free, but you need a ticket, and outdoors, in St. Peter's Square.  (Which is HUGE, by the way. There are big video screens set up to each side, so that the folks in the back can see what's happening waaaay up front, on the platform where the Pope and other priests are sitting.)

 

A guidebook that I recommend is by Rick Steves. (www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy/rome) He also has a smartphone app that includes audio do-it-yourself walking tours of the most popular sites.

 

We had no issues with the language - everyone who interacts with tourists is quite fluent in English, and even in the mom&pop restaurant we preferred to eat at (Da Vito e Dina, a few streets north of the Vatican), the menu had both English and Italian descriptions of the food, and we had no problem ordering.

 

We arranged a pickup from the airport through the B&B, and we shared a van to the port with other CC'ers who were on our roll call.  (If you haven't yet, please sign up for the roll call for the dates of your cruise.  The posters there will have plenty of information to share, and you could find folks willing to share rides and/or tours.)

 

We absolutely love Rome - even if you don't do everything, go everywhere, you're sure to enjoy whatever you choose to do, and if you want to, you can always go there again. 🙂

So good to see your recommendation for the View of Rome B+B . We have booked with them, post cruise, for November 2019. Would you share details of the elevator, rooms, breakfast etc.? Thanks so much. 

We plan on an early entry visit to the Vatican museums etc. 

[Sunny SA]

Check out the Boutique Hotel Campo de Fiori. Stayed there in December 2016 and loved it.

[bespin]

3 hours ago, Alaskanb said:

So good to see your recommendation for the View of Rome B+B . We have booked with them, post cruise, for November 2019. Would you share details of the elevator, rooms, breakfast etc.? Thanks so much. 

We plan on an early entry visit to the Vatican museums etc. 

 

The elevator is "vintage" - one of the metal cage types, slide-the-door-shut, rattle-and-shiver your way up to the 6th floor (depending on whether you count the ground floor separately from the 1st floor).  It's not big - we had three adults, four suitcases and at least two carry-ons, and it was a tight fit, plus a dance to get everything through the fairly narrow door.  But that's all part of the charm. 🙂

 

When you get off the elevator, it's a small, bare hallway with a large double door opening into the B&B. (You'll get keys to that door, and another key to your bedroom.)  The door opens into the lobby/dining area, and there's a hallway with the bedrooms. Each room has it's own bathroom.  Our bathroom had a toilet, bidet, sink and shower.  

 

Our room was quite large, for two with, one big bed, lots of space, not a lot of furniture, but there's a desk, wardrobe closet, bedside tables and lamps.  I understand that other rooms have more beds, or can have rollaway beds, for families, The photos on the B&B website and on TripAdvisor are quite accurate. The windows open right out onto the piazza in front of the building - it's a great view.  There are no window screens, but we didn't have a problem with bugs or flies. We didn't hear any noise from the street when the window was closed, and we barely heard any of the other guests when our bedroom door was closed.

 

Breakfast is whenever you're ready, during the times the hosts have set for breakfast.  You can have made to order eggs or omelets, or pastries, fruit, etc.  The hosts will ask you the day before what you'd like to have, and they'll do their shopping accordingly.  There's a grocery store a couple of blocks down the street.  As I recall, there's a small fridge in each bedroom, so you could have snacks or cold drinks, etc, whenever you want them.

 

The hosts are happy to recommend places to eat, and the best places to view the sunset. They arranged our tickets to the Papal audience, and made our reservations to the Borghese Gallery (highly recommended!)   You'll be literally across the street from the entrance for the Vatican tours - that's something we plan to do while we're there in July.  Very handy for the early entry, before the crowds get there. 🙂 

 

It was late October/early November when we were there - it can be cold and rainy.  At the first drop of rain, umbrella sellers pop out of the thin air, happy to do business with you.  The B&B also had several umbrellas available for guests to borrow.  

 

I'm sure you'll have great time.