4 Sleeping - Rome - page 634

sphere or friendliness. Most hotels in Rome's city centre tend to be three-star and up. As a
rule, a room in a three-star hotel will come with a hairdryer, minibar (or fridge), safe and
air-conditioning. Many will also have satellite TV and internet connection.
A common complaint in Rome is that hotel rooms are small. This is especially true in
the centro storico (historic centre) and Trastevere, where many hotels are housed in
centuries-old palazzi (mansions). Similarly, a spacious lift is a rare find, particularly in
older palazzi, and you'll seldom find one that can accommodate more than one average-
sized person with luggage.
Breakfast in cheaper hotels is rarely worth setting the alarm for, so, if you have the op-
tion, save a few euros and pop into a bar for a coffee and cornetto (croissant).

B&Bs & Guesthouses
Alongside the hundreds of traditional B&Bs (private homes offering a room or two to
paying guests), Rome has a large number of boutique-style guesthouses that offer chic,
upmarket accommodation at midrange to top-end prices. Note also that breakfast in a Ro-
man B&B is usually a combination of bread rolls, croissants, ham and cheese.

Hostels
Rome's hostels cater to everyone from backpackers to budget-minded families. Many hos-
tels offer traditional dorms as well as smart hotel-style rooms (singles, doubles, even fam-
ily rooms) with private bathrooms. Curfews are generally a thing of the past and some
places even have a 24-hour reception. Many hostels don't accept prior reservations for
dorm beds, so arrive after 10am and it's first come, first served.
For information on Rome and Italy's official Hostelling International hostels, contact
the Italian Youth Hostel Association MAP GOOGLE MAP (Associazione Italiana Alberghi per la Gioventù;

06

487 11 52; www.aighostels.com ; Via Cavour 44) .

Religious Institutions
Unsurprisingly, Rome is well furnished with religious institutions, many of which offer
cheap(ish) rooms for the night. Bear in mind, though, that many have strict curfews and
that the accommodation, while spotlessly clean, tends to be short on frills. Also, while
there are a number of centrally located options, many convents are situated out of the
centre, typically in the districts north and west of the Vatican. Book well in advance.