I should add we are two woman traveling.

If evening dining is important to you then this is an easy desicion-- chose the Trastevere apartment. A no brainer. You will need to use public transportation in Rome no matter what (you should!), so do your thing during the day and when it is time to unwind and dinner, then nothing better than been within easy access to the best food and restaurants in Rome....which they are in the Trastevere neighborhood. I have rented apartments in Rome and always end up in Trastevere for dinner. The neighborhood is also sublime for ambience.

The other factors that I will add, if it was me, is WiFi, cable TV, access, and A/C. The Attic one has no TV nor WiFi, so that would be out for me. The one by the Pantheon is on a 4th floor (5th per US standards) and no lift; Pass. The one in the Vatican has no past guest reviews, PASS. That leaves the Trastevere one.

I missed one! I have more than one n Trastevere and not sure which is better location. this is the other one...
http://www.sleepinitaly.com/rome/trastevere/apartment-santini-cesare?r=s

I don't see actual locations/maps listed on the sleepinitaly properties. Trastevere is a big area and you could be pretty far out depending on where the apartment is located (ditto for Prati).

On that website there is a button for map next to the photos..on the left

Actually, every sleepinitaly apartment has a very detailed map, including a street view; one of the best actual location/maps I've seen for Rome apartments...it was also based on the maps that I voted Trastevere...it is on the left screen side

Trastevere is passe when it comes to its reputation for better restuarants -- and the basis for its having such a reputation in the first place was always rather silly. It's recently become a big favorite of Rick Steves' tourists and many streets of the Trastevere have always been a magnet for young bar goers, who clog the streets and make a lot of noise, drinking and smoking, far into the night.

Rome is safe throughout, Rome has good restaurants throughout if you do just a few minutes of research in the right places.

There is no one location in Rome where you can "walk to everything" if you intend to go both the Vatican museums and sights of ancient Rome. However, Trastevere is particularly inconvenient to the majority of sightseeing in Rome unless you use public transportation every day.

For me, important features of a Roman lodging are air conditioning in warm months, QUIET (no location with a restaurant or bar underneath) and convenient to the area I most want to explore and enjoy in the evening and for morning coffee.

Also, just a general travel about planning a trip to Italy: If anybody tells you where you stay or what you do and see is "a no-brainer", run for the hills! The "no-brainer" tour of Italy can be awfully annoying and dissatisfying.

I have never seen or read a Rick Steeves book or show so I couldn't tell you what he recommends or not. I've been to Trastevere, liked it and I am neither a smoker, party animal, or drinker. Actually, a resident Priest took me to Trastevere the first time I visited. This last November was my 8th time in Rome and I still Trastevere is a great place to stay and eat.

goldenautumn-- I would "run for the hills" from anybody who PRETENDS to know more than what they OBVIOUSLY do...what a riot!! Talk about hot air....hilarious!

All of these places are well situated in terms of safety. We prefer the Piazza Navona and the Campo Dei Fiori areas, because they tend to be closer in terms of walking to the places we like to visit. Last trip to Rome, other than taking a cab to the Borghese, we walked everywhere from our apartment near the Campo. Our next trip we may stay in the Trastevere for a change of pace, or not.

So if we stay in Trastevere, which street is in the best area of these three?
vicolo del cinque, vicolo del cedro, and via cesare santini


and thank you SO MUCH for all the help!!

We spent days with the same question. All the apartments seemed to be a trade off between cost, size, quality location and outdoor terrace.

In the end we picked a medium sized apartment, next to the Spanish steps, with a terrace for a mid price.

We came very close to picking Trastevere which would have been less central but had larger apartments with larger terraces for the same prime.

The reviews of many agencies were not good.

SleepinItaly had a couple of poor reviews but a good many, including many posting here, positive reviews.

I would prefer Trastevere over the Prati location. The Prati apartment is behind Castel Sant'Angelo which has a lot of car/bus traffic.

The Cedro apartment is at the edge of the mainly pedestrian part of Trastevere. The Santini apartment is across the very busy Viale Trastevere. It's still very walkable to the pedestrian area though. It's also very convenient to catch the #8 tram which runs to Largo Argentina (close to Piazza Navona). At Largo Argentina, many things are walkable or there are dozens of buses you can catch there. The Vicolo de'Cinque location is good also.

Here's the tram map.
http://www.atac.roma.it/files/doc.asp?r=5

I would be fine staying with any except Prati. I think you should base it on the amenities you need along with location.

I stayed in a 'sleep in italy' apartment in Trastevere last Fall, but not the one you have listed. It was a wonderful area to stay. Lovely in it's own right and a quick stroll over the pedestrian only Ponte Sisto to the centre storico. We walked everywhere and found staying near the Tiber and a specific bridge helped us explore widely without fear of easily finding our way home.

Sorry, one addition. We found 'Sleep in Italy' a fine company to deal with and they will be the first I will look at for my next trip to Italy.