If you’re planning a trip to Rome, Italy then I’m sure you’ve checked out hotels there.  You’re probably baffled by the number of hotel and rentals available in the city, trying to located them on a map,  and  trying to fit hotel rooms in to your travel budget.  Rome is definitely not lacking in hotel rooms and the prices can be pretty high, even for a 2 star hotel in the city center.

I know, I’ve spent hours comparing rooms, prices, and locations.  I remember finding this task daunting on our very first vacation in Rome over 10 years ago.  That time I choose to stay in the outskirts of Rome.

My reasoning being I would get more room for my money.  We stayed at the Eurostar Roma Congress, a 4-star hotel on Via Prenestina, about 30 minutes from Rome’s city center.  At the time the hotel was pretty new.  The room was good size with modern furnishings, most importantly it was less expensive than any of the 4 star hotels in the city.

The hotel offered guest shuttles to the city center for about €12 round-trip per person.  The shuttle ran on an hourly schedule starting at 9:00 am with the last one leaving the city about 10:00 pm.  Sounded good, but in reality it didn’t turn out so well.  If you needed to catch a train before the first shuttle or needed to return to the hotel later than the last one  taxi fare ran almost €50 each way.

In the end the cost of ground transportation when added to the daily room rate ended up the same or more than a hotel in the city would have cost.  Not to mention the inconvenience and exhaustion!  Because the hotel was so far away we’d end up spending the entire day in the city, going back and forth was not only costly, it was time consuming.  So we’d leave the hotel on the first shuttle and would catch the last one back only to fall into be exhausted!  Of course we also had to make sure we had dinner before returning, the hotel’s restaurant was quite expensive and the food terrible.  And there weren’t any restaurants nearby.  In the end staying in Rome’s outskirts didn’t save us any money.

Anyway over the years and after several more trips to Rome we’ve tried many other hotels in the area. Through trial and error we’ve finally found the right fit for us, the Bettoja Hotel Mediterraneo on Via Cavor.

The Bettoja Mediterraneo has become our go to hotel when we need to stay in the city.  We’ve stayed there many times and always recommend it to friends and family.  Here are the top 3 reasons why the Bettoja Mediterraneo is our #1 hotel choice in Rome.

Located on Via Cavor, the Bettoja Mediterraneo is  one block away from Roma Termini, Rome’s main train station, the Metro, and the stop for all the Hop On Hop Off buses that circle the city.  This makes getting around the city and the country for that matter very easy.

If you’d rather walk the hotel’s central location makes in within walking distance to many of Rome’s attractions.  It’s about a 15-20 minute stroll to the Colosseum,  30 minutes to the Pantheon or Piazza Navona, and about 40-45 minutes to the Vatican. There are also many places to eat nearby.

( The train station is the white building on the right)

Price

The Bettoja Mediterraneo is moderately priced.  Rooms start at about $150 per night depending on the season.

Free wi-fi is available to all hotel guests.  You can get connected in the hotel lobby or in your room.

By the way the lobby and rooms are furnished in art deco style.  There are lots of comfy sofas and chairs around the lobby.

 

We usually book room with a bed and breakfast rate.  This comes with a hot buffet breakfast.

The buffet’s hot selections are scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausage.  The cold choices include deli meats, cheeses, breads, cereal, yogurt, and fresh fruit.  It’s not breakfast at Tiffany’s but it’s filling and adequate.

 

 

And you can have all the cappucinos, lattés, coffee, and hot chocolate you can drink!

Comfort

Standard rooms at the Bettoja Mediterraneo are good size, clean, and comfortable. Each room has private baths that are modern, clean, and stocked with amenities including shower cap, sewing kit, and shoe shining cloth.

The staff is very friendly and helpful.  Whether you need dinner recommendations, walking directions, or a taxi the staff is always available to help you.

The hotel lobby as I’ve mentioned is furnished with lots of chairs and sofas.  And the hotel has a roof top bar and restaurant that has a nice view of the city’s rooftops.  On a clear evening you can even make out the lights of St. Peter’s.  It’s a great place to unwind with a glass of wine after a long day of sightseeing around town.

The Bettoja Hotel Mediterraneo is a great choice for families.  We stay here whenever we have the kids and grandkids with us.  It’s a good choice for couples and singles too.  It’s the perfect hotel if your plans include taking the trains to other cities in Italy.  This country has a great rail system that connects all the major cities with highspeed trains.  (To learn more about seeing Italy by train check out my post!)

A couple of tips about Italy Hotels:

1. Most hotel rooms in Europe, Italy included, are smaller than the average rooms in other countries.  Their hotel standards and ratings are slightly different as well.  If you’re looking for total luxury then be sure you book at a 5-Star LUXURY hotel, not just a 5-star rated hotel.
2. In the city don’t be surprised if the “hotel” you booked is located in a building it shares with other “hotels”.  There are buildings that have different hotels on each floor.  The “hotels” will range from 1- 4 stars and are owned and operated by different people.  Once such example is the Roman Residence on Via Cavor.  It’s one of 4 or 5 “hotels” in the building located at #47 Via Cavor.  It’s on the 4th. floor and can be reached by climbing the marble staircase or riding the tiny ancient elevator that is shared by all.
3. If you are staying with in the city limits a city tax of €10 per night per room is charged at check-out.  This is paid directly to the hotel and is not including even if you pre-paid your stay online.