Hotels in Italy

[SuziQ1]

Hi y'all.  We are booked on the Italy Intensive this October.  We are planning on arriving in Florence and staying 4 nites, then rail to Venice for 3 nites before boarding ship  After cruise we plan to stay in Rome 4 nites.  We desperately need help in finding hotels.  The hotels our TA suggested are all running $1000 per nite and up.  Is this normal? (but then again these arent normal times).  Usually stay Marriott executive suite or similar for no where near this price. Want something near center of things but hate to think this is the expected rate.  Any help is appreciated!  Thanks

 

[takemewithyou]

We stayed here in Rome:  https://www.albergodelsenato.it/

 

We loved the location.  Right across from the Pantheon.  Near Piazzo Navona

Edited May 10, 2023 by takemewithyou
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[Ithikan]

I envy you your problem, SuziQ1!

Regarding Rome, we once stayed three nights at the San Francesco Hotel, Trastevere, following an Azamara cruise.  We were delighted with the room, the breakfasts, and the location.  This was a few years ago but I cannot imagine that the price has soared to $1000/night!

[mchell810]

24 minutes ago, takemewithyou said:

We stayed here in Rome:  https://www.albergodelsenato.it/

 

We loved the location.  Right across from the Pantheon.  Near Piazzo Navona

 

Another vote for Albergo del Senato. 

 

I also suggest you check out the ports of calls page for Italy where you will get a broader audience and a lot of options.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/464-italy-ports/

 

[terry&mike]

We stay in the Trastevere neighborhood in Rome, and always select a well rated Airbnb. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

I will leave this thread here because you are getting good answers, but you might get even more good answers if you post in the Italy Ports forum.

[smj]

We stayed at Barocco Hotel in Rome just a few months ago. You may want to look at it.

[Host Jazzbeau]

We stayed at Residenza Cellini in Rome in 2016.  It's not near the big tourist sites, but is very close to Roma Termini train and metro stations which gives you easy access to all tourist sites in and near Rome.  It's like staying in your Italian friend's palazzo!

[fruitmachine]

I'd highly recommend staying in one of the hotels close to the train station in Mestre.  The access to Venice proper is incredibly easy, frequent, and inexpensive.  If you intend to take the Vaporetto in Venice, a day-ticket includes the train in from Mestre.

 

You also remove any worries about hauling large luggage over Venice bridges or on and off the Vaporetto.  If you want to catch a cruise-provided transfer, that transfer is likely to run from Tronchetto or similar, but you can get there easily by public transport.  If using a private transfer (we shared a mini-van to Chioggia organised through our roll-call) then you can have the door-to-ship experience that is impossible if you stay in Venice itself.

 

We were at Stay City Apartments and very happy with it, but there are a number of hotels in the area.

[crzrr]

I recommend Crossing Condotti in Rome.  Small hotel in a great location.

 

[lisiamc]

One of my favourite hotels in Florence is Garibaldi Blu, comfortable, centrally located, and a bit eccentric. They have palm trees made of recycled tires in the lobby, with a life-sized Alfred, Batman’s butler, lurking there, and Marvel action figures dotted here and there in the corridors. https://www.hotelgaribaldiblu.com. I’m seeing rooms from €325/night in October. For those staying in hotter seasons, the air conditioning can cool to American standards. 🥶
 

in Venice, we’ve stayed at the Hotel American Dinesen and liked it. It’s not expensive by Venice standards, and is a short vaporetto ride from most things, and only a short walk from the Peggy Guggenheim collection.  https://www.hotelamerican.it/en/rooms/

Edited May 11, 2023 by lisiamc

[Sleep7]

Hi!

We recently were in Rome and stayed at the Doubletree Monte.  It's a nice hotel in a good location and you can use/earn Hilton points if you want to.

[LT Hambone]

Ciao!

 

 

We stayed at the Hotel Santa Maria  in the Trastevere neighborhood of Rome, absolute amazing experience! It's an old convent, all of the rooms open onto a courtyard filled with lemon and lime trees. Service is A+++, includes an amazing breakfast, and is in a quiet part of Trastevere. A very unique hotel !!!

 

 

[jasardeax]

16 hours ago, SuziQ1 said:

Hi y'all.  We are booked on the Italy Intensive this October.  We are planning on arriving in Florence and staying 4 nites, then rail to Venice for 3 nites before boarding ship  After cruise we plan to stay in Rome 4 nites.  We desperately need help in finding hotels.  The hotels our TA suggested are all running $1000 per nite and up.  Is this normal? (but then again these arent normal times).  Usually stay Marriott executive suite or similar for no where near this price. Want something near center of things but hate to think this is the expected rate.  Any help is appreciated!  Thanks

 

There are many very nice places to stay in the cities you are planning to stay at much cheaper prices. 
There are lots of place to peruse on the popular travel websites. These are our recommendations;

 

Florence:

Corte de Sogni Hotel

Great location, great staff, very nice breakfast, elegant rooms 
About $1300 Total for 4 nights in October

 

Venice

Hotel Aquarius Venice

Part of the Ascend Hotel Collection 

About $1000 Total for 3 nights

Great Venice location. Well maintained property with nice bathrooms. 
 

If you are going to Venice, stay in Venice. Venice is truly magical at night. Don’t be tempted to stay in Mestre. 

 

Rome

Hotel Artemide

Great location, large rooms,

attentive staff 

Anout $1700 Total for 4 nights

 

 

[wjfan417]

1 hour ago, LT Hambone said:

Ciao!

 

 

We stayed at the Hotel Santa Maria  in the Trastevere neighborhood of Rome, absolute amazing experience! It's an old convent, all of the rooms open onto a courtyard filled with lemon and lime trees. Service is A+++, includes an amazing breakfast, and is in a quiet part of Trastevere. A very unique hotel !!!

 

 

We also stay there when we’re in Rome and really like it! 

[wjfan417]

In Venice, we like Hotel Giorgione.

[cruisemom42]

There's a long post on the Italy Forum called "Hotels in Rome" to which I've contributed a lot of suggestions -- have stayed many times in Rome. Like others, I adore the Albergo del Senato not least because it's in one of the most central, walkable areas and has plenty going on in the evenings -- restaurants, gelateria, strolling people.  While I find Trastevere charming for a ramble, it is a bit out of the way if you're in Rome to see the main sights.

 

In Venice, hotels are generally more expensive but I agree that you should stay IN Venice proper. My favorite hotel is located about midway between the Rialto and Accademia bridges, right on the Grand Canal and has both a vaporetto and Alilaguna stop just a few (flat) steps from the front door -- you can't imagine how ideal that makes it in Venice terms; no lugging baggage over bridges and yet a more central and more charming area than the Piazzale Roma (near train station and buses but short on character).  The hotel is the Sina Palace Sant'Angelo. It can get pretty pricey though....

 

 

[LouChamp]

Aloha. We regularly stay at the Cipriani in Venice. Westin Excelsior in Florence. Enjoy!

[travelberlin]

On 5/11/2023 at 1:43 AM, SuziQ1 said:

Hi y'all.  We are booked on the Italy Intensive this October.  We are planning on arriving in Florence and staying 4 nites, then rail to Venice for 3 nites before boarding ship  After cruise we plan to stay in Rome 4 nites.  We desperately need help in finding hotels.  The hotels our TA suggested are all running $1000 per nite and up.  Is this normal? (but then again these arent normal times).  Usually stay Marriott executive suite or similar for no where near this price. Want something near center of things but hate to think this is the expected rate.  Any help is appreciated!  Thanks

 

I see you have got good suggestions. Unfortunately the prices of the hotels in Italy have jumped up. I was trying to book a hotel for Rome for two nights before my cruise and several hotels are fully booked or are very expensive. Because of that, and having been in Rome several times for extended periods of time, I have decided to book at an airport hotel (Hilton)  and transfer from there to Civitavechia. Even that hotel, which has quite disappointing reviews is selling at high prices. Supply and Demand 😔

 

Ivi

[Mrmatt]

We stayed in Venice after a cruise last year at Hotel Moresco in Venice.  It was one of the best hotels we have ever stayed in. Small boutique style with a lovely outdoor garden for breakfast and free evening snacks. 
 

[MTemple212]

We used Hotel Traiano in Rome the last time we were there and it was a great location. We were a short walk to the colleseum and also Trevi Fountain. Price was very reasonable. There is also a Hotel Traiano near the port as well. In Venice, we stayed outside of Venice in Mestere, right alongside the railway that goes into Venice. Very Convienent indeed.

[wannavacay]

I will definitely check out the other forum for hotels in Rome, but since I'm here... for those of you who stayed in Trastevere, did you walk to the primary sights?  Or did you catch a train or cab?  Seems like a pretty hefty walking distance, especially if they weather is ugly.  TY!

[terry&mike]

9 hours ago, wannavacay said:

I will definitely check out the other forum for hotels in Rome, but since I'm here... for those of you who stayed in Trastevere, did you walk to the primary sights?  Or did you catch a train or cab?  Seems like a pretty hefty walking distance, especially if they weather is ugly.  TY!

We stay in Trastevere, we are among those who walk everywhere. On a rare occasion, we may take a taxi back to our lodging from dinner late at night (but likely would still walk). Depending on where we are wandering to, it's anywhere from a 5 minute walk (places in Trastevere) to a 30 minute walk (places farther away), so not too bad for us. I will mention that at home we are daily walkers, usually walking 4-6 miles per day at a fast pace. 

[nordski]

11 hours ago, wannavacay said:

I will definitely check out the other forum for hotels in Rome, but since I'm here... for those of you who stayed in Trastevere, did you walk to the primary sights?  Or did you catch a train or cab?  Seems like a pretty hefty walking distance, especially if they weather is ugly.  TY!

You have certainly received lots of good advice.

 

We would concede that, while we enjoyed our stay there, Trastavere is not the most central location for some of the sites.

 

Host Jazz Beau made an excellent suggestion about staying near Termini. Fairly central, access to transit, and lots of small and inexpensive family-run hotels. See Rick Steves books for suggestion. That was our first location and one of the best.

 

If you are willing to pay for a unique experience, then Cruise Mom42’s suggestion of the Aubergo del Senato is spot on. Top-rated on TripAdvisor and we were lucky to receive a free upgrade.

 

Thus, Tratavere wouldn’t be our first choice given your parameters.

[cruisinsusin]

We recently stayed at the Hotel Navona and liked it a lot- just a block or two from the Piazza Navona and the Pantheon- very walkable and in an historic building.