One more Rome Hotel question

[zaban3]

We are looking to spend 3 days pre-cruise (July 2 Celebrity Med. Cruise). After spending many hours online I am considering these three hotels: Lancelot, Raffaello and Hotel Canada. Any thought?

 

Is it accurate when the sites say "only 1 room left". Do hotels really fill up one year in advance?

 

What is the "safest" way to book - through the hotel's web sight? email? through a sight such as Venere.com?

[readboat]

I have booked through the hotel websites also Venere and Expedia. They were all good. I would go for the best price. We will be going back to Italy and I booked 4 hotel through there own web sites and one through Best Western hotels. I also look the up on trip advisor ahead to see what review are given. This is an excellent site and I have always found the information to be true. It has kept me from making some big mistakes as far as quality of the hotels.

[kuldalai]

Some European Hotels are very small with a limited number of rooms. Word of mouth referrals from others stimulate demand for many of these excellent properties way in advance . So yes they can book tightly well in advance .

 

Experience suggests that if you can book direct on the Hotel's website you have two advantages :

1. You often find rooms where as web agents show as booked out.

2. Booking through a web agent usually incurs a higher price as they are building their commission into the room price . No such thing as a free lunch !

[ksps cruise fan]

We are looking to spend 3 days pre-cruise (July 2 Celebrity Med. Cruise). After spending many hours online I am considering these three hotels: Lancelot, Raffaello and Hotel Canada. Any thought?

 

Is it accurate when the sites say "only 1 room left". Do hotels really fill up one year in advance?

 

What is the "safest" way to book - through the hotel's web sight? email? through a sight such as Venere.com?

 

When a booking site says that there is only one room left, it means that group of rooms which the hotel has given them permission to book is almost exhausted. There may be rooms available at the same hotel through other booking sites and, of course, through the hotel itself. No hotel is going to give up control of all its rooms to third party sites. (If you're familiar with Open Table for restaurant reservations, the principle is the same. Each restauranteur sets the percentage of tables it is willing to book online and the rest of the table must be booked the old fashioned way with a phone call.)

 

Since you're getting messages saying "one room left" it's clear that the hotel has set its far-in-advance prices. My husband and I try to book our hotels as soon as we buy our airline tickets. However, Italy moves at its own pace and in small towns or at smaller hotels, the management may not establish prices 330 days in advance, the airline threshold.

[letsgo39]

I've reserved hotels in Rome in several different ways depending on who has the best price. I recently reserved my 3 nights next May at the Hotel Depetris directly thru the hotel website.I had also checked rates with Venere dot com and booking dot com but the hotel website actually has the best price as they offered an additional discount for 3 days and early booking. I always check out anything on Trip advisor including hotels,restaurants and tours.You can get a pretty accurate picture by throwing out the best and the worse reviews. If I use a 3rd party to book I always check the booking directly with the hotel to make sure they got it. I also reconfirm my booking just before my trip.

[texancruzer]

I know on our first trip to Europe we couldnt book our first choice of hotels because a group from a cruisecritic roll call had completely booked it full !!!! So, yes, word of mouth will fill a small Rome hotel. And as others have said, the booking engines only get a certain number of rooms to book. I have found you can sometimes get an even better price by calling the hotel directly and offering to pay cash..... green still talks !

 

In retrospect I am glad we took our second choice. Better location and a bit nicer, altho a bit more $$

 

If you don't mind putting up a security deposit (which is fully refunded at checkout) you might want to consider renting an apartment for 3 nights. We are doing so in November. I would not do this if staying less than 3 nights but it can be soooo much cheaper and give you more room and a kitchen for coffee, breakfast or whatever if you chose to do a bit of eating in to save even more $$. Meals are EXPENSIVE in Rome !

 

check out www.rentalsinrome.com They have all price ranges in all areas of Rome.

 

Just something else to add to the mix ;)

[letsgo39]

I checked out your 3 hotels and I prefer the location of Hotel Lancelot because the other 2 are near Termini which is a really iffy neighborhood and Yes, I have stayed in that neighborhood with a Globus tour.Not nice at all. I much prefer hotels located between Trevi,Pantheon,Campo De Fiori and Piazza Navonna.This is the old historic section and by far the most desirable area to stay in.IMHO.You can walk to all the most famous places to see. We have stayed at the Hotel Smeraldo near Campo de Fiori and will be staying next year at the Hotel De Petris which is near the Trevi Fountain.There is a great rate on booking dot com for the Hotel De Petris of 460 euro for 3 nights. Can't beat that. We actually booked directly thru their web site and got a even cheaper rate for our 3 nights in May. I'm not sure if the rates would be higher for your time.

[cruisemom42]

Lancelot is a small property with only a few rooms and definitely can book up early.

 

I've usually found the best way to book a room in Italy is to go directly through the hotel. I will generally email and ask for their best rate for the type of room and dates I need. Often but not always I will get a better rate than advertised on the hotel's own website.

 

This isn't true of all countries, but seems to be pretty common in Italy.

[Netta7]

We were on the July 30 Noordam cruise and stayed at Hotel Lancelot for 2 days pre-cruise. We booked directly with the hotel, emailing them for rates through their website. We are a family with 2 kids. We had a family room with a large bed for us and 2 twins for the kids. It was the perfect space for us, especially since connecting rooms are hard to find in Rome.

 

The hotel staff was very helpful. They arranged a driver to pick us up a the airport, had our room ready early and also arranged transportation to the ship. We liked the driver so much that we booked him to pick us up at the end of the cruise and take us to the airport. Breakfast was included in the room price, and it was good. During the stay my husband lost his reading glasses and the owner gave him a new pair as he keeps extras on hand for himself! In the evening there is a little bar where you can have a drink or a glass of wine and take it outside or up on the roof.

 

Great family hotel with the nicest staff.

[Cruzinbabe06]

We are looking to spend 3 days pre-cruise (July 2 Celebrity Med. Cruise). After spending many hours online I am considering these three hotels: Lancelot, Raffaello and Hotel Canada. Any thought?

 

Is it accurate when the sites say "only 1 room left". Do hotels really fill up one year in advance?

 

What is the "safest" way to book - through the hotel's web sight? email? through a sight such as Venere.com?

 

We're sailing on the Navigator in October and have the Hotel Rafaello booked.

 

It is within walking distance to the Colliseum, Trevi Fountain, etc., restaurants, free breakfast in the morning and it gets good reviews on tripadvisor. Rooms are a nice size and pictures are nice also. I did a lot of investigating comparing hotels and the Rafaello won.

 

We booked directly from their website. I booked 3 rooms, all held with my credit card and we pay when we get there.

 

I'm very happy with my choice. Have a good trip.

[CathyCruises]

We got the very best rate at Raffaello by communicating directly with them via email--way better than what the website was showing. It is about 6 blocks from Termini and also from the Colosseum. It is not the greatest hotel in the world but is very economical, comfortable and friendly and we enjoyed our 5 night stay.

[Marysunshine]

I have been looking at Stay Inn, Hotel Grifo and Hotel Centro Rome. Has anyone heard anything about these? THe search function not working is making any research difficult.+

[letsgo39]

I have been looking at Stay Inn, Hotel Grifo and Hotel Centro Rome. Has anyone heard anything about these? THe search function not working is making any research difficult.+

 

The best place for hotel research is Trip Adviser, the sister of CC. Have you checked there?

[letsgo39]

For Mary Sunshine,

 

I checked out your hotels on TA. The rates at booking dot com are excellent.I like the first 2 but do not like the location of the Hotel Centro Rome. It is close to the train station which is a sketchy neighborhood. Also take a look at the Hotel De Petris. We have reserved a room there for 3 days next May. Another hotel we have stayed at in Rome is the Hotel Smeraldo.We liked it a lot too but decided to try something different this time.

[texancruzer]

Actually, venere.com is where I always start. Their search function allows you to put in a number of different "wants".......

 

I usually find 2 or 3 or 4 and then head over to Tripadvisor. Read the reviews for them there.

 

Then I come here and ask away :)

[samavarcruiser]

Check also Albergo del senato

[texancruzer]

Check also Albergo del senato

 

This hotel will be quite a bit more $$$ than the ones the OP was looking at.

But it is really nice and in the best location -bar none !

[letsgo39]

Check also Albergo del senato

 

Very nice hotel but way to much $$$$ for me.

[Marysunshine]

thanks for the info, but I'm on a budget, so after hours and days of research I am staying at Hotel Grifo. Good reviews for the money. I prefer to spend it on the sightseeing and souveniers my granddaughter will want.

Now next: does anyone know if I take the Sitbus from the airport where will it leave me in Rome?

[euro cruiser]

The Sitbus stop at Termini is located on Via Marsala (#5), on the north side of Piazza del Cinquecento (just in front of Termini station). The map below is from the Sitbus web site (http://www.sitbusshuttle.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemid=57&limitstart=1&lang=en).

 

 

The easiest way to get to your hotel from there is to take the Metro, line B, from Termini one stop to Cavour and walk from there.

[sail57]

I will be in Rome for 3 nights in November.I am looking at Residenza Farnese or Albergo del Senato,has anyone stayed at both of these hotels

[letsgo39]

I will be in Rome for 3 nights in November.I am looking at Residenza Farnese or Albergo del Senato,has anyone stayed at both of these hotels

 

I have been reading great things about the Albergo del Senato for years and really wish it was not way out of my price range. It is.I am sure you can't go wrong with that hotel as the location is also perfect and the reviews excellent. I don't know anything about Residenza Farnese.I have only just heard about it. Wherever you decide to stay you can find very reliable reviews on booking dot com and venere dot com and of course Tripadvisor.

 

If you'd rather save some money we have stayed at the Hotel Smeraldo and will be staying at the Hotel DePetris this year.They are much more reasonable price in good locations and are fine with us.

[texancruzer]

I will be in Rome for 3 nights in November.I am looking at Residenza Farnese or Albergo del Senato,has anyone stayed at both of these hotels

 

I have not stayed at both. To find someone here that has stayed at both might be quite a challenge. There are thousands of hotels in Rome......

 

but Albergo del Senato was wonderful ! We arrived late (supposed to land in Rome at 7 am and instead arrived at 4:30 pm due to plane problems) so I was NOT particularly happy on arriving. Missed a whole day in Rome :( but at check in they gave us room 204 ..... opened the door and it had the most wonderful balcony on the front of the hotel. Only one with a balcony on the front. I could almost reach out and touch the Pantheon :D Top notch location, staff and would stay again in a heartbeat. Would again in November but traveling with another couple so we rented an apartment right down the street from Albergo del Senato and much cheaper when splitting with others. You cannot go wrong with the location.

[griffy116]

Anyone know any good, bad or otherwise on Hotel Forte? We have booked with credit card deposit, but still open to alternates or any information.

Thanks in advance for any info you can offer. We needed 2 rooms, each with 2 twin beds.

[letsgo39]

Anyone know any good, bad or otherwise on Hotel Forte? We have booked with credit card deposit, but still open to alternates or any information.

Thanks in advance for any info you can offer. We needed 2 rooms, each with 2 twin beds.

 

I have not heard of it but the reviews on Trip Advisor are good, with only a few negative comments.