Rome - Crown Plaza ? - Best Private Tours?

[ehaas]

Any information on the Crown Plaza Hotel. We are there two nights pre-cruise.

 

Any ideas on best private tours? I hear private tours get you closer than buses and you can see twice as much by going on a private tour.

 

380,00 Euros is about how much in U.S. dollars?

 

We were offered this price for an 8 hour private tour in a nice mini van or limo.

[Joanne G.]

We stayed at the Crowne Plaza St. Peter's one night pre-cruise and one night post-cruise last summer. It was fine. It was attractive, though I wouldn't describe it as fancy or luxurious. The rooms were big and had little balconies. Bathrooms were spacious and very nice. It didn't have any particular Italian charm; it looked pretty much like any mid-range American hotel. The front desk staff spoke English well. The grounds were attractive, with a big pool.

 

The on-site restaurant was very expensive for dinner. (Unless you are from New York or San Francisco, in which case nothing ever seems expensive. ;) ) We discovered a delightful, modestly priced restaurant, named Arturo's, within walking distance. But that appeared to be the only alternative to the hotel dining room. We didn't see any other options nearby. Our package included a breakfast buffet, so I can't comment on the price of breakfast. But I would guess it would be expensive.

 

The location isn't the most convenient; it's not near any of the major tourist sites. We didn't see anything of interest within walking distance. It was in sort of a business/commercial district. Not an bad area, just not a tourist-friendly area. They have a free shuttle to the city center, but it only runs a couple times a day. The times never worked out for us, so we took taxis for sightseeing. There was a taxi stand on the hotel grounds where one or two taxis were always waiting. It cost about 8 - 10 euro with tip to go to St. Peter's Square or the Colloseum.

 

There's a free shuttle to and from the airport. I had emailed them in advance asking when and where to find the shuttle at the airport. They responded promptly. But when we were at the airport, waiting in the appointed spot at the appointed time, we never saw the shuttle. We ended up taking a taxi - about 50 euro, if I recall correctly, with tip. We may have missed it, not knowing exactly what to look for. We were looking for the type of logo-marked van that US hotels typically send back and forth to the airport, and it appears this hotel contracts for a generic big bus with a cardboard sign in the window. We'll never know for sure if it was there or not when we were waiting. But we did use the shuttle to get to the airport at the end of our stay.

 

Would I recommend this hotel? For a couple nights before or after a cruise, it was fine. It offered the comfort factor of an American chain - no surprises. It's reasonably priced for Rome. But for a longer stay, I would want to be closer to the main attractions and in an area with more options for dining and shopping nearby.

 

The only tour we took in Rome was through Celebrity, so I can't comment on private tours.

 

380 euros is currently about $462.00

[cccruiser59]

If it's busy, no matter how private you tour is -- you wait, unless you're a head of state. Maybe then you can jump the line.

[virgenia]

We stayed overnight at the Crowne Plaza after our cruise and agree completely with the poster above. We could have been in the US except for the foreign language on the TV. And if you have never been in a European hotel and you get to your room and the lights won't come on, look for a little slot inside by the door to insert your room key. That turns them on and assures your will turn off your lights when you leave the room. First time we had run across this and wondered why all hotels don't do that to save on electricity.

 

Agree also about the restaurant on site. Mediocre food, big price. There is a restaurant right off the grounds, but it did not open until 7PM and we were hungry sooner. We did not care about it not being in the thick of things because we had toured all day and just wanted to relax before our flight out the next AM.

 

The tour guide we used was Claudio at limoinrome.com. He was wonderful and I highly recommend him. He picked up four of us at the port in Civitavecchia and took us on a whirlwind day tour. Saw lots and lots of places and Claudio shared many stories with us. He is a native Roman, loves his city, and is an archaeolgy and history buff. So, while he is not a tour guide, he knows just as much. He will walk with you thru some of the buildings, drop you off at other places such as the Vatican, and share some of his favorite and not so famous squares and churches. I think he charged 500 Euro for the four of us.

 

You can convert any currency to another at the useful website http://www.xe.com

 

Ginny

[cberge]

The CP is really not the best location for walking around Rome per se,but it is close to the Vatican if that is your main sight to see.If you don't want a private guide you can do the 110 bus for sightseeing or you can get to the top of via del Corso by the "wedding cake" or Victor Emanual monument and walk to the Colosso and the ruins from there with lots to see on the way.With a good guide book you can really see a lot on your own. You can pick up a guide at the Colosso and then walk over to Palentine and then the ruins of the Forum.Really easy to do.