shawnpalko2804

Hi all,
I will be traveling to Italy for the first time as a solo traveler. I have never been to Rome. I am going to study Italian in Siena for two weeks, but will first enjoy a few days in Rome. Do you have a favorite pensione, airbnb, boutique hotel that you would recommend for a solo female traveler? I would prefer to stay in a walkable neighborhood near some of the attractions. I have heard the Piazza Novona, Fontana di Trevi, Colosseo areas would be a good place to look. Any recommendation on actual lodging?

Grazie!
Shawn

FTOttawa

Hotel Pensione Barrett on the Largo di Torre Argentina is certainly central, safe and welcoming; also an opportunity to practise your Italian as not all the staff spoke English. Those that did had great sightseeing advice. Nor will it break the bank. The reviews on Google accurately describe its pros and cons. My daughter claims the 3-D cherubs sprouting from pepto bismol pink walls gave her uncomfortable dreams, but I quite like a place that cannot be confused with a Holiday Inn. Now that at least one of my knees has been repaired, I might well brave its majestic staircase again.

Jean

It would help to know your budget.

Traveler_Nick

South of the Colosseum will be cheaper. To the west and north of the Vatican will be cheaper.

From a general touristy point of view the other two the OP mentioned are "better". Better in the sense of less walking. But anywhere tourists are going to stay tends to be walkable. It's not like you're renting a place out at the beach hoping to walk into the centre. The centre itself is relatively compact.

But ya let your budget guide you.

bvlenci

Last spring, I stayed at the Domus Paolina, an apartment a little southwest of Piazza Navona. It's near the Tiber bridge Vittorio Emanuele II, an easy walk to Castel Sant'Angelo and the Vatican. It's very convenient for transportation, because it's near a bus depot, and many lines pass by the nearest bus stop. It's not at all a touristy neighborhood, which has the downside of not many restaurants nearby. However, there are tons of restaurants as you walk towards Piazza Navona, which is a 10-minute walk from the apartment.

We never saw the proprietor; we had a key code to get the keys, and we left them inside the apartment when we left. It is in a building with residential apartments, and there was no sign, just a little label next to the bell.

We had originally planned to stay at La Maison dell' Orologio, a little closer to Piazza Navona, but we had to change our date of arrival, and they were full on the new date of arrival. La Maison looked very nice.

Both of these apartments are within walking distance of nearly everything most visitors want to see in Rome.

We found both of these on booking.com

TDudette

If money is no object, shawnpalko2804, take a look at Raphael:

https://www.relaischateaux.com/us/hotel/hotel-raphael/

Many years ago, we liked Hotel Isa for its proximity to Pizza Cavour where there were buses and taxis. Do double check what's current:

https://www.hotelisa.net/en/

SusanP

I have spent a great deal of time in Rome as a solo traveler. I like the Piazza Navona area, especially for a short stay, because it's in the center, so close to a lot of sites, lots of restaurants, good bus connections in both directions. I've stayed at numerous apartments over the years but a couple of hotels more recently.

In June, I stayed at Palazzo Lupardi Relais on Via del Governo Vecchio, just west of Piazza Navona, a good choice. It's one updated floor in an old building, has an elevator (a little funky, but fine), breakfast included. Doesn't have someone there 24 hours, but they are there early morning until 1:00 pm.

shawnpalko2804

Your daughters comment is too funny. Thanks for the recommendation.

studenttobe

Shawnpalko, Agree with others about the Piazza Navona area for a short stay by a first time visitor, though I don’t have a hotel to recommend (but look like you have great suggestions). I’d definitely stay in a hotel or B&B with a 24 hour desk (rather than an apt or any sort of lodging w/o an attended front desk). I travel alone a lot (and am a woman) and I just feel a lot more comfortable (and safer) with this sort of lodging, especially for short stays and in cities I don’t know well, such that I’ll want advice by stopping down to the front desk, occasional help grabbing a taxi, asking about public transport, etc.