Best places to stay in Rome
The magical ‘City of 7 Hills’, Rome promises to enchant you with its deep history, heritage monuments, world-famous landmarks, delectable cuisine and aromatic cafés. It’s quite possible to become happily lost in the winding streets and piazzas at every turn, when exploring the ‘Eternal City’. If you are visiting for the first time, try to pick your accommodation in the central areas that are home to most of the popular tourist attractions.
Centro Storico (Ancient Rome or Historic District)
The magnificent city centre neighbourhood is home to several tourist attractions, such as Palatine Hill, the Forum Romanum, and the Michelangelo-designed Piazza del Campidoglio. In the heart of Centro Storico, just steps away from the Piazza del Popolo, stay in the plush rooms of Hotel De Russie, the city’s first designer hotel. You can also consider the Hotel Indigo Rome – St. George that offers contemporary rooms decorated with legendary art.
Monti
Monti is a hip neighbourhood full of narrow streets packed with bars, eateries and cool boutiques. The Via Nazionale is one of the busiest retail streets in the area and home to several historic attractions. Amid the trendy shops and restaurants in Monti, stay at The Residenze Argileto, a modern guesthouse that offers hotel-like accommodation and features a gorgeous terrace with panoramic views across the city. Enjoy luxurious accommodation at Villa Spalletti Trivelli, an elegant villa-hotel overlooking the Quirinal Palace gardens, offering opulent rooms furnished with antiques and art.
Celio
Out of the 7 hills in Rome, Celio is nestled around the Caelian Hill, and is home to the iconic Colosseum. This is primarily a residential neighbourhood lined with fascinating churches, lively restaurants, and the city’s most vibrant gay bars. Enjoy the bright, airy rooms with old school décor and charming balconies in Hotel Lancelot, just a 6-minute walk from the Colosseum. You can also look at the lavish rooms of Hotel Celio, set in a grand 1870s mansion, with wood panelling, Venetian glass and period wallpaper interiors.
Spanish Steps
With a high density of designer boutiques and high-street shopping, the Spanish Steps neighbourhood encompasses ‘the trident’ of 3 streets – Via del Corso, Via di Ripetta and Via del Babuino. A short walk from the Spanish Steps, stay in style in the luxurious suites of Portrait Roma and experience the exclusivity of this 5-star accommodation. Surrounded by designer fashion shops and historic monuments, consider the Crossing Condotti hotel which offers enchanting rooms with antique furnishings and modern amenities.
Pantheon and Piazza Navona
This neighbourhood is full of art-filled churches, delightful restaurants, shops and sophisticated bars. The Piazza Navona is a dazzling example of Baroque drama with Bernini’s Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Four Rivers fountain) set in the middle of the square. Try the Relais Palazzo Taverna, a boutique hotel set amid the antique shops of Via dei Coronari. The hotel features spacious rooms with bold wallpaper. You can also stay at the classic, antique-filled, traditional Roman hotel, Albergo Del Senato, situated in the Piazza della Rotonda, directly in front of the Pantheon.
Fiori and Farnese
Fiori has an old-world charm, and plenty of smart boutiques that attract elderly ladies with sharp bargaining skills. The Piazza Farnese impresses with Rome’s largest Renaissance palace, Palazzo Farnese. These neighbourhoods are also home to artisan workshops and a large ghetto where Rome’s Jewish community still thrives. Stay at the Campo de’ Fiori, an eclectic boutique hotel with opulent, individually decorated rooms set in a Baroque building, just around the corner from the Campo de’ Fiori square. On the cobbled streets of Via Giulia, you have the Hotel Relais Giulia, set in a 16th-century palazzo and featuring stylish rooms with a minimalist décor.
Trastevere
Across the Tiber River, on the right bank, the Trastevere district has 2 halves. West of Viale di Trastevere, you have picturesque alleys, a stunning square, an ancient church, and scores of bars and restaurants. East of the divide is a relatively quiet area with beautiful churches and historic palaces. Enjoy the harmonious balance of vintage Italian and Spanish interiors, and elegant rooms and suites of the Gran Meliá Rome hotel set on the banks of the Tiber river. Or consider the bright and comfortable rooms of Hotel Santa Maria set in a renovated 16th-century cloister within a short walk from popular sites and attractions.
Cheap hotels in Rome
In the heart of Piazza di Spagna, where you have Rome’s fashion triangle and Spanish Steps at your doorstep, you can stay at the Mario De’Fiori 37 hotel set in a charming 17th-century townhouse. Close to the Colosseum and Piazza Venezia, you can look at the stylish rooms of Nerva Boutique Hotel. In the Aventine Hill neighbourhood, consider the family-run Hotel San Anselmo with Art-Deco interiors. The unique rooms here are inspired by epic tales of love and poetry. Amid the shops and restaurants in Monti, you can look at the warm traditional rooms of Hotel Rosetta. Or try the family-run Albergo Nord Nuova Roma hotel set in a historic 1937-built building just a minute’s walk from the Museo Nazionale Romano (National Roman Museum).
