help me choose an apartment in Rome

[Sandrac]

Hi Jan, I will look more closely at all of these links but at first glance, I like the first Monti apartment (funky purple bathroom and all!)

I now live in Testaccio - which I love -- but most of my first 5 years living in Rome were spent in Monti and as Anne says, that location is great. Very very central, lots of great little shops, close to all kinds of transportation (metro, bus).

The second Monti apartment that you mentioned, " historic center: new, modern and quiet close to the Colosseum, Forum ..." looks lovely but I'm a bit less keen on the area. It is Monti but at the very edges, almost at Termini and/or Piazza Vittorio Emanuele. Nothing wrong with that, but I think a bit gloomier, grubbier even. Something to consider.

I hope this helps and I'll look more closely at the other links soon
Best
Sandra

 

[Sandrac]

Also, the flipkey apartment "Residenza Mellini 34" opposite Ara Pacis is in a really residential area that I think would be a bit remote from everything you want to see.
Best,
Sandra

 

[Valerie]

I like the first one, with the barrel vault ceilings and atmosphere, it's nice. Plus the terrace, is a huge plus!

 

[Tery]

I've decided to spend a few more euros. I kinda have my heart set on staying in Monti. (We stayed a week in Campo di Fiori in 2012) so here is my latest possibility:
https://www.vrbo.com/1463038a?utm_c...term=20170626&utm_source=SYS&utm_medium=email

Any thoughts on this one?

Jan - this is the exact apartment we just stayed in earlier this month!

It is fabulous inside, great bathrooms and wonderful air conditioning. It's on the 5th floor, but there is a little elevator. And, there's a roof terrace you can access!

It's very convenient to many things also - 2 min. walk to Sta. Maria Maggiore, 5 min. to the nearest Metro stations (Vittorio Emmanuele), 10 mins to the Colosseum and Forum. La Forchetta d'Oro trattoria is just across the street and it was so great, we ate there all 3 nights we were in the apartment. Book it now, if it's available for your dates.

And, feel free to ask me any questions about the apartment!

 

[Tery]

I like the first one in Monti too. Nice furnishings and that roof terrace! I love the outdoor furniture made from packing slabs (or whatever you call those things). Isn't that first review from @Tery ???

I can't figure out the second one. Where is the living room? Might that street be noisy?

The third one looks like it might be dark.

Yes, Pauline - that is my review of the Casa Monti apartment! We loved it!

 

[Tery]

H
The second Monti apartment that you mentioned, " historic center: new, modern and quiet close to the Colosseum, Forum ..." looks lovely but I'm a bit less keen on the area. It is Monti but at the very edges, almost at Termini and/or Piazza Vittorio Emanuele. Nothing wrong with that, but I think a bit gloomier, grubbier even. Something to consider.

I hope this helps and I'll look more closely at the other links soon
Best
Sandra

We just stayed in that Monti apartment June 7-10 this year, and we found the neighborhood to be just fine. In 2011, we stayed in a B&B in the building right next door to the apartment ind we did find the neighborhood a little grubby back then.

But, there's been a lot of renovations going on in the neighborhood since then and we found it much nicer this time. We especially walking down the lovely tree-lined Via Merulana, just past Via Giovanni Lanza (Via Merulana is one street over from Via Domenichini, the street the apartment is on. The area around the Museo Nazionale d'Arte Orientale is really nice now.

 

[jan]

Where is your review? I looked around the site but I didn't find it.How was the noise level? Was there a lot of traffic or street noise, Tery? Thanks

 

[Pauline]

This link should go to the reviews.
https://www.vrbo.com/1463038a?utm_c...70626&utm_source=SYS&utm_medium=email#reviews

 

[jan]

This link should go to the reviews.
https://www.vrbo.com/1463038a?utm_c...70626&utm_source=SYS&utm_medium=email#reviews

Oh, I thought there was a review here on SE. sorry.

 

[misstravelbug]

I love the look of the Monti (historic centre) with the rooftop terrace. Old buildings are so beautiful and make me feel like I am somewhere ancient.

 

[Tery]

Where is your review? I looked around the site but I didn't find it.How was the noise level? Was there a lot of traffic or street noise, Tery? Thanks

Jan, the apartment has windows to 2 interior courtyards (one on each side of the apartment. So, we didn't notice any street noise at all. But, there are also no views from the windows (other than to other apartments or the courtyards). However, we didn't mind because we would hang out on the roof terrace or just in the apartment itself.

The air conditioning in the apartment worked REALLY well. So well, in fact that we were cold the first night!

B.J. remarked on Facebook that there is no oven in the apartment and this is true. But, we generally never use an oven in any of the places we rent in Italy so that does not bother us.

The wifi in the apartment is great and superfast. I was finally able to post some of my photos from Puglia after we got to the Monti apartment. We only had satellite-based wifi at our rental trullo in Puglia and it was very slow. The only time I was really able to post photos or get on Facebook there was between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m.!

The neighborhood for this Monti apartment is pretty eccletic - lots of different places to eat. Just around the corner is the Druid's Den, an Irish pub and there are several Chinese restaurants close to the apartment. We loved going out and walking around every evening after dinner and we felt perfectly safe and comfortable in the area around the apartment.

 

[jan]

Well, Ken and I had, what we call in the South, a "come to Jesus" meeting last night and we are going to rent the very first one, near the Pantheon. It came down to that one or the Casa Monti. He is in love with the Pantheon and the thought of passing by it regularly is a big turn on to him.
I am giving up my Monti desire to defer to his Pantheon love. Win/win.

Thanks SO much for indulging me and responding!

 

[Pauline]

We were in an apartment near the Pantheon for 2 1/2 weeks about 12 years ago and I loved walking into the Pantheon every day.

 

[jan]

Allora...
I wrote to the first one to book it and the owner says that her son may be moving into it!
I found this one:
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/272401...in=2018-04-06&check_out=2018-04-13&s=X49uzmLc

Do you think it is too far out?

 

[jan]

I ended up booking the monti one with the purple bathroom--third one in my original post.
Man, Home Away and VRBO are tacking on fees and making it much harder for the apartment owners. Too bad!

 

[Anne]

I ended up booking the monti one with the purple bathroom--third one in my original post.
Man, Home Away and VRBO are tacking on fees and making it much harder for the apartment owners. Too bad!

I like it - funky! (I'd be fondly channelling my grandmother...her bathroom was purple and more purple!)
I didn't realized HA and VRBO had started adding fees...that's so disappointing. Are there any non-fee rental sites left?

 

[Pauline]

HA and VRBO are the same company. I think these fees make it easier for the owner. Previously they paid a high yearly rate to list. Now they only pay when a booking is made and we pay part of that with the booking fee. At least that is my understanding of it. Similar to how Airbnb charges.

 

[Anne]

Yes, I think Expedia bought them both out a couple years ago? Changing from annual rates to booking fees makes sense, thanks for that explanation. (I don't use Airbnb so wasn't able to make that connection.)