Roman hotel dilemma!

[NH Cruiser]

On April 2, I booked the Locanda Orseolo for October 13-16, 2007 (Deluxe room).I sent the request using their Web site online reservation form. I had an almost immediate response from them, and then a follow-up message providing information I requested on a water taxi from the airport to the hotel. You can always call a hotel to inquire about reservations and specials they may have for your dates.

[MVPinBoynton]

You did good Jean! It sounds like a great place to stay. I am very pleased with the one we got, but yours sounds like it has a great breakfast.

[perceptual therapist]

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[perceptual therapist]

These are the incredible hotels we stayed in:

 

De La Ville IC (Intercontinental)on the Via Sistina-ph.39-06-673311

at the top of the Spanish Steps and convenient, easy walk to Via Veneto, The Trevi Fountain, Via Condotti, the mall, and many illustrious stores and shops, and piazzas. Like a glorious marble palace, elegant, intimate, great, but expensive food, as are all the hotels--eat in private restaurants or at the Trevi. There is a little store near the Trevi where we bought salami, bananas, sweet rolls, etc and just had coffee sent up. Wonderful!

 

Hilton Cavalieri-101 Via Cadlolo-ph. 39-06-35091 on the top of Monte Mario and has a free shuttle that takes you to the Via Veneto and then you can walk to the other places mentioned.

This place was elegant, priceless paintings, huge! Beautiful grounds to explore, overlooks the city and st. peter's bascilica. Beautiful room with sitting area marble everywhere. Be sure to read shuttle schedule carefully and do not wait unless last shuttle or you will be taking a taxi! Extremely expensive breakfast, lunch, dinner, but dress up and go up to the top restaurant for a drink and overlook the city at night! beautiful!

 

Evidently, the IC is the only hotel in Rome that has its a.c. still on in November! HaHa! Even the nicest 5 stars turn off the a.c. in Sept or early Oct.! It was scorching hot when we were there in Nov., but they will not turn on the a.c.!!! thank goodness it sort of cooled off at night! I guess it was worth it for the Cavalieri because the rooms are monstrous, elegant and the view-breathtaking. Also, we liked the free shuttle.

It was so very hot, but the Italians were dressed to the "nines" in their winter black suits and high, high heels! I was dressed in very nice causal clothes and felt very out of place. They dress in Europe! Especially, Italy! Remember the Vatican and Sistine Chapel are NOT air conditioned! Brother!

Wish we were going again! Have an incredible time!

[joan24]

When I saw your post about Locanda Orseolo I contacted them. We stayed with them for four nights last May. I never thought to book this far ahead for October, 2007. When I heard from them, I found out that our "old" room, #14 was booked and we gave them two sets of dates, because at this point we're flexible, since it's a non-cruise vacation. The first floor is actually one flight up, so you may want to check on the floor your room is on. The hotel is wonderful, but there are no elevators. Staying at the Locanda was one of our best hotel stays anywhere and you'll love the staff. Have fun.

Joan

[localady]

Okay what gives? On Monday I booked our Mediterranean cruise (Yeah!) on the Oceania Regatta for September 2007. I then went to this very board to start the fun researching hotels as we plan on staying 3 nights pre-cruise in Rome and 4 nights post-cruise in Venice. The cruise itself is a 10-day, from Rome to Venice ;) .

 

First I noticed a name for a place in Venice and went to check it out on Tripadvisor. I saw wonderful reviews and emailed the hotel for it's prices for all catgories and gave them my dates. They came back and said that the deluxe category was already booked! I am now the proud owner of a superior double reservation at the Locanda Orseolo in Venice! I grabbed that right away. My cruise booking wasn't 8 hours old!

 

Then I started looking at the posts for suggestions for Rome. What is confusing to me is what area to stay in. If anyone has any suggestions I would really appreciate it. I tried pricing different hotels by either emailing them directly or through a website called Romeby.com. Romeby.com also sends your requests to other hotels that might interest you and they respond to you. (I don't really want to stay in the hotel that answered me that they were giving me a break from their cheapest rate of euro 565 to euro 385 and then charging me euro 25 for a continental breakfast and euro 40 for an American breakfast!!) My four top picks so far have been -

 

Nicola Inn

Hotel Santa Maria

St Regis

Residenza Cellini

 

They all came back saying they were fully booked! for September 2007!! So back to my original question - what gives? And can I please have some suggestions. I have some bites on places that responded saying they had room, but I'm just not sure about them. When I go to Tripadvisor the "problems" were either small rooms, small/inadequate bathrooms, mustiness, bugs, location, etc...

 

HELP! thank you!

 

Kath-

I was able to book the Hotel Santa Maria for September 2006 in January 2006 no problem. It may be that at least at the Santa Maria, they may have mis-read your date, assuming it was this year. I would try again. We are staying there in September for 3 nights at $220 E per night.

I have found that with many of the travelocity type booking programs that many hotels can't be booked until less than a year before the trip date. They come up fully booked, when it should say not open for booking.

You can get around this and book with the hotels directly over a year before the reserved date sometimes. Also I was able to book via venere dot com more than a year out!

Good luck!!

[JohnL1935]

To CruisinGracie: I've been searching for several weeks for a hotel for the pre cruise this October. Checked out the Palatino and was impressed with the view from the "Executive" rooms. Got our confirmation back this morning and we can't wait. Now to get a bed for the end of the cruise... Thanks for your suggestion and we splurged for the 290 Euros.

 

John L.

[ajpack]

You're going to love Locanda Orseolo. We stayed there in October. The people who work there make you feel like a member of their family. They just renovated some of the rooms...not that they needed it. They were beautiful.

[joan24]

We're returning to Venice and Locanda Orseolo in October, '07. How was the weather? Did you have any flooding? When we were there last May, San Marco had partial flooding a couple of times.

Joan