schectec

We will be staying 2 nights in Rome before a cruise in late July. There is an $80 - $100 difference between the two hotels per night. Price at Senato compares to other hotels in the Pantheon area. Has anyone stayed at either to give me insight as to why Cesari is so much less than other hotels. Looking at pics on the web, it looks nice. Is this deceiving? Thanks for any input in helping me make a decision.

rex

I have stayed at both, though not since 2001. I think that in the past year or two, del Senato has been plowing at least some of their rather increased prices back in to a certain amount of refurbishing.

Cesari and del Senato used to be more similarly priced. Albergo del Senato has experienced the "demand exceeds supply" phenomenon which goes with becoming the "in" popular place to stay - - it inevitably results in the price going up, up, up.

You will like Cesari almost identically well.

Best wishes,

Rex

DonnieD

I only stayed at del Senato , but I can say that waking up, opening the large first floor windows and looking out at the Pantheon was priceless.

The rooftop bar is also a special place to be on a warm night in Rome.

They also allowed me to check-in early (11:30AM -ish), which was so necessary after an overnight flight (8:30AM arrival in Rome).

rex

I understand how you feel (felt), DonnieD - - but "priceless" is one of those words that is easy to throw out, but i tcan be hard to put your money where your mouth is.

At $80-100 per room per night (and if it's just for the one night), then only schectec can make that decision of what a buck is worth.

But a word like priceless suggests that the decision is the same at $800 difference per night, or $80000 difference.

DonnieD

rex

I don't disagree with you at all. For me, this was my first visit to Rome, and a very special occasion, and I don't regret spending the xtra $$$. The next time, it may be different for me also.

I did want to point out what features "might" make the Senato worth the $$$ for others.

walkteach48

We have only stayed at the Senato. Our stay was one of the highlights of our three week trip to Italy last July. Our room was spacious, my sister’s room overlooked the Pantheon, and she regularly remarked on the view the entire time we were in Rome. The staff was very friendly and helpful with restaurant, shopping, and sight-seeing suggestions. The view from the rooftop bar was wonderful…so were the cosmopolitans. When we arrived, our room was not ready, so we were not lucky enough to have an early check-in. Wherever you decide to stay, have a good time in Rome and on your cruise.

susanna

Having only stayed at the Cesari, I have to say that it is a very nice hotel that I would gladly return to, and have. There definately is not view from the rooms other than Roman life on the little streets, but a great location with a great staff.

daph

We stayed at the Caesari last August and September. We liked it as the room was large and they offer you free use of the lobby computer, which is very handy. The breakfast room is nicely decorated but way too small for the number of guests in the summer. The coffee came with chocolate [you had to ask the busy servers if you wanted plain]. Some canned fruit seemed spritzy, which can make you sick and the fresh fruit rarely was ripe. I finally took some to my room to ripen. We stopped in at the Senato but the upstairs bar with the view wasn't open yet.

LAwoman

del Senato is running $325 ($250 euro) per night now for a standard double room. Personally would rather stay somewhere cheaper nearby and view the Pantheon for free, or with my morning capuccino.

schectec

Thanks to all of you for your input. It has helped. For the end of July, I have a superior room facing front with small balcony at the Del Senato for 218.00 euro ($289.00). The rooms without balcony or view are 190.00 euro ($260). Cesari is 140.00 euro. Hearing what each of you said, and listening to my daughter who said, "don't go out for a few weekends and put that money to the trip and the room with the fantastic view is covered". So even though we will only be there for two nights prior to a phenominal cruise (I hope) and will most likely not be in the room that much, we are going with the Senato. The view, the rooftop (and I hear that the bartender is great up there) it sounds so great, and this is probably the only time we will visit Rome as there are other places we want to visit before we get too old to go. Again, I thank everyone for their input.