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Last Updated on December 15, 2023
There are many ways you can save on hotel costs, if you do your homeworkEstimated reading time: 11 minutes
By Jim Ferri
I spent a few years as the director of PR for the world’s largest hotel chain. Now years later, I can’t help but notice how some things really haven’t changed that much in the hotel industry.
For example, major hotel chains still advertise you’ll find the very lowest rate by booking directly through their website.
Want to know something? Don’t believe it. Because sometimes there are better ways to save on hotels. There are ways to hone in on a deal and save some money.
I’m not saying that hoteliers are lying. In fact, I think most of them are honest people, and are trying to give you the lowest price on their website.
The problem, however, is that no hotel brand has control over the Internet and its online competitors.
Let me give you a good example of issues one can have when booking a hotel.
I’m a member of the Marriott loyalty membership program, as well as that of many other hotel brands. Last month I needed a hotel in Amsterdam for one night. After checking the price on the Marriott website, I called the reservation number and asked for the “best price.” The agent looked at the hotel’s unpublished prices and quoted me an even lower price than on their website.
Sounds incredible, right? But the story doesn’t end there.
Before calling Marriott, I also checked the price on Hotels.com, a hotel aggregator. It’s price was lower than the two quoted to me by Marriott since it was providing a “holiday discount.” (Another good site to check is the award-winning Hotels Combined).
I told this to the agent, and she said that Marriott would issue a refund for the difference. I would, however, have to submit an online form and include the date and time I saw the price.
My point is that Marriott and other chains have no control over Hotels.com or other online travel agencies (OTAs). Hotels usually charge a few dollars less on their sites, but every once in a while an OTA drops the price. Double-check prices and you can benefit from it.
(You may wonder why I just didn’t book the room with the OTA and save time. The reason is that if you book through an OTA, a hotel brand will not award you points for the stay. On the other hand, many OTAs, Hotels.com included, have their own reward programs. But I wanted the Marriott points so I stayed with them).
There are numerous other ways you can save on hotels and maximize your savings while traveling. Here are a few tips that potentially can save you plenty.
1) The Best Initial Way to Save on Hotels: Speak To a Human
Prices at many luxury hotels can vary quite a bit depending on occupancy at the time. A property may be full one week because of a convention or holiday and nearly empty the next. If you’re looking at a hotel that has an on-site reservation desk, as many luxury properties do, call it. Inquire when the hotel forecasts it will have the lowest occupancy and lowest rates. Then ask if during that period would there be a chance they may upgrade you to a better room.
2)
Look For a Package Deal
to Save on HotelsHotels, especially upscale properties, like to keep their discounted rates out of view of the general public. They do this by bundling their room rates with airfare, disguising the discounted price. If you book through online travel agents (Orbitz, Expedia, Travelocity, Booking.com, etc.), you’ll often save on hotels by finding good discounts. Do the math first, however, to determine the total price if you bought each element separately.
And speaking of airfare, here are 18 tricks to save a bundle on airfare.
3) Stay in Extended-Stays
Extended-stay hotels have always had a lackluster reputation among many travelers. But if you’re traveling on a budget and are looking for real value they are a good way to save on hotels costs. Looking at the overall budget picture, they’ll save money if you use the in-room kitchen. But you’ll also find the rates are quite low on weekends when corporate travelers have returned home. Even Hyatt (Hyatt House), Starwood (its Element brand) and Sonesta (ES Suites) have gotten into the act.
4) Use Social Media
One sure way to tug at the heartstrings of a hotel – and save on hotels – is to use social media. Before you book, Tweet the hotel and see if they are offering any special deals (that are often broadcast on social media first).
Like them on Facebook. And perhaps send a Tweet ahead of your arrival saying how much you’re looking forward to staying with them. That may help you score an upgrade, but still, don’t forget to ask for one on arrival. Some brands award loyalty points to guests who promote the brand on social media.
5) Want an Upgrade?
A good way to increase your chances of getting a better room is to check in later in the day. That’s when a hotel has a good idea of available inventory for that evening. Also, another good way to save on hotels is to consider staying at newly constructed hotels. They have a greater incentive to court guests by providing an upgrade in the hope they will return another time. And, of course, become a loyalty-program member of that hotel. You may also want to ask for a corner room – corner rooms are usually larger than those down the hallway.
6) Save on Hotels by Traveling Off-Season
Hotels need to keep their rooms filled. In the off-season, after the crowds have either left or not yet arrived, they will often slash prices. Some will also provide added perks to lure your business. Such perks may include spa credits, discounted meals in the hotel’s restaurant and other incentives. Look also at business hotels for weekend stays, especially in such cities as New York and Chicago.
If you see a price for a hotel on the web, it sometimes helps to call the front desk and ask if they can provide a better rate. Also, inquire about other available discounts. Are you a member of AAA or AARP, a government employee, etc.? Check also if the company that insures your car offers discounts. USAA, Allstate, and other insurance companies offer discounts on hotels for their members.
Further reading:8)
Try Another Neighborhood
to Save on HotelsOften you’ll find better a better rate if you change the neighborhood in which you’re looking. If you’re driving a car, this often isn’t a problem. But if you’ll be flying into town you’ll need to do some planning. Just make sure there is sufficient local transportation to help you make the move. For example, many travelers who don’t want to pay the high hotel rates in Manhattan stay across the East River. There, in Long Island city, only two subway stops away, there are several other less-expensive brand hotels. The same is true in London and other major cities.
9) When Comparing Hotels Online, Check All the Costs
Whenever you book a hotel online, be certain to check additional fees. Although some websites may show a lower price, it may not include all of the taxes and miscellaneous charges like the obnoxious “resort fee.” The sites of many brand hotels will likely include all fees, but it never hurts to ask.
Keep watching a hotel’s rates even after you book since sometimes you’ll find a less expensive room at another hotel. If that’s the case, call the front desk and see if they’ll match the rate. Hotels would rather drop the cost of their room rather than lose you .
11) A Good Way to Save on Hotel Costs: Join Their Loyalty Program
If you participate in a hotel loyalty program, you’ll earn points towards future stays. But you’ll also get such perks as member-only sales, early notification of upcoming sales and discounts, and free WiFi. There are also other benefits. Elite members of Starwood’s Preferred Guest Program, for example, are offered bonus points, room upgrades, and late checkout.
12) Save on Hotels by Fighting Those Fees
Some hotels have become as fee-crazy as the airlines. But you can fight them and sometimes win, especially if you are a member of the hotel’s loyalty program. (In fact, if you are a loyalty program member you may not see them at all).
A rule of thumb is the more upscale a property, the more likely the chance for additional fees. So it’s always worth calling ahead and inquiring what they may be. Sometimes they’re willing to waive them, especially if you’re a frequent guest or a member of their hotel loyalty program.
13) Booking With Airbnb? Negotiate
Many people don’t realize it, but if you stay in someone’s home or apartment by booking through Airbnb, there’s nothing that says that you can’t negotiate a better rate. You might tell them that you love the looks of their place, but it’s a bit above your budget and ask if might they lower the price a bit.
14) Ditch the Hotel Altogether
Another way to save on hotel costs is to ditch the hotel altogether. Apartment rentals are a great option to a hotel room, especially if you have a group of people. My wife and I have stayed in rental apartments, and I love the experience, especially since we have plenty of room, as well as a washer and dryer (ensure the amenities and extras before you book, however). The best thing is that you can often learn from the owners where are the best “non-tourists” restaurants and things to do in the area. Try Airbnb or either of two TripAdvisor companies: HouseTrip , and FlipKey.
Also, consider staying at a hostel or in a college dormitory during summer vacation. Some colleges, such as England’s prestigious Cambridge University, also provide breakfast. Find your institution of higher learning at University Rooms.
15) Save on Hotels by Booking Blind
You can save on hotel costs by using sites such as Priceline’s Pricebreaker and Hotwire’s “Hot Rate.” They can provide some great discounts. What you’re giving up, however, is knowing what hotel you’re staying in until your bid is accepted. Overseas this can be a gamble if you don’t know the neighborhoods of the city. But if you do, you usually have a pretty good idea of the hotels you are bidding on. I’ve booked blind several times and have never had a problem.
You needn’t stay in the same hotel for your entire stay. If several consecutive days at your hotel are more expensive, change to another hotel on those days. The key is finding a comparable property. It’s an inconvenience, of course, but it will save money.
17) Ratchet Up Those Rewards
And another nifty trick: say you’re staying for five nights in a city and want to max out the points you’ll receive for your hotel stay. Some travelers switch to a different hotel every night. (You cannot check out and then check in at the same hotel, however).
Since many hotels are within an easy distance of one another this is easier to do than you may think. In fact, another hotel might be right next door or a short walk away. It will also get you free rooms five times faster.
18) Choose Your Credit Card(s) Carefully
In addition to giving points for your charges, some hotel credit cards also provide you a free night every year. These annual gifts are bestowed by Hyatt, Intercontinental Hotel Group, and Marriott, among others. Other hotels require a certain level of spending to qualify for any “gift nights,” so check before applying for any card.
You may also enjoy: 30 Great Budget Travel Tips / How to Travel About Scandinavia on a Budget for 2 Weeks / Enjoying Hong Kong on a Budget
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True budgeteers will appreciate the irony: The only Rome hotel to rival the five-star Hassler (atop the Spanish Steps) for "Best Room with a View" is Albergo Abruzzi, a backpacker's haven overlooking the incredible 1,800-year-old Pantheon. Few cheap sleeps are so well situated, but among the best of the best, each has its own charms. I recently toured more than 70 Roman inns where doubles cost under $80 before choosing 20 that offer some combination of a good location, solid comfort, a modicum of amenities, and helpful management that strives to make each guest's stay a memorable one. These Little Wonder Hotels run the gamut from spare hospices managed by nuns to a pensione serving kosher breakfasts, from international backpacker pads to classy joints where you'll have to snatch a room away from traveling Italian businessmen. Whether your dream address is a block from the Spanish Steps or from the ancient Forum, whether you want to crash around the corner from the train station or from the Armani showroom, you'll find the perfect room at one of these budget inns. The hotels are found in four well-known neighborhoods: Centro Storico, Termini, Prati, and Trastevere. The centro storico (historic center) is where most people want to be: Along the boutique-lined streets radiating from the Spanish Steps, or tucked into the knot of cobblestone alleys and antiques shops surrounding Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, and Campo de' Fiori with its morning market and nighttime bar scene. Rome's best bargains are clustered amid the Termini train station's nineteenth- century grid of bus boulevards, budget shops, and recent immigrants trying to scrape a living. Though central enough, this is Rome's least interesting neighborhood-dreary, dirty, and slightly disreputable (especially just south of the station), and a half-hour hike from the centro storico. I've pinpointed the shining gems of hospitality and stylish frugality amid Termini's sea of seedy flophouses and tour-bus chain hotels. Across the Tiber River are Prati, a great, non-touristy neighborhood that surrounds the Vatican; and, to the south, the restaurant- and pub-filled alley-ways of a gorgeous medieval artisans' quarter called Trastevere. Unless otherwise specified, all rooms come with private bathroom and telephone, credit cards are accepted, and the range of rates is seasonal; you pay top dollar roughly from Easter to October (but excluding August and sometimes July; rates used here based on E1=94¢). To call Rome from the United States, dial 011-39 before the numbers listed below. Centro Storico Pensione Panda Via della Croce 35, tel. 06-678-0179, fax 06-6994-2151, www. hotelpandaparadise.com. 20 rooms, 12 with bath. Double room E62 ($58) without bath, E83ÐE93 ($78Ð$87) with bath. 10 percent discount for paying cash. No breakfast. For the best balance of comfort, style, and price in the very heart of Rome, the Panda wins hands-down. The washboard-vaulted ceilings are frescoed (second floor) or trimmed in stuccoes (first floor) over terrazzo flooring, wrought-iron wall sconces, and firm new bedsprings. Even rooms without private bath have sinks surrounded by antiqued stone tiles. That cash discount keeps it under $80. All that and it's just two fashionista-teeming blocks from the Spanish Steps amid Rome's toniest shops. Hotel Smeraldo Vicolo dei Chiodaroli 9, tel. 06-687-5929, fax 06-6880-5495, www.hotelsmeraldoroma.com. 50 rooms, 44 with bath. Double room E68ÐE78 ($64Ð$73) without bath, E104ÐE114 ($98Ð$107) with bath. Breakfast E5ÐE8 ($4.70Ð$7.50). This is the first place in Rome I call for a room. You just won't find a better place at these prices in the very heart of Rome. You get burnished chestnut veneers, stone-tile floors, marble sinks, and all the electronic comforts of home (satellite TV, hairdryers, even A/C). The price for rooms with full bath rises above our $80 ceiling but all rooms have sinks and bidets. The industrious owners have also just renovated the old Hotel Piccolo (it's now called Hotel in Parione; tel. 06-6880-2560, fax 06-689-2330) across the street. Casa Kolbe Via San Teodoro 44, tel. 06-679-4974, fax 06-6994-1550. 63 rooms. Double room E80 ($75). Breakfast E6 ($5.60). Those rooms that don't open onto the peaceful courtyard's palms and orange trees look instead across a little-trafficked street onto a romantically overgrown, semi-excavated portion of the ancient Palatine Hill. The Roman Forum entrance is just a few hundred feet away. The Kolbe exudes that somber quiet that only a former mon-astery can muster, but it's comfy enough. The built-in units are austere, with heavenly orthopedic beds sporting blankets in the most hideous shades of brown and yellow the 1960s had to offer. Hotel Mimosa Via di Santa Chiara 61, tel. 06-6880-1753, fax 06-683-3557, www.hotelmimosa.net. 11 rooms, 7 with bath. No phones. No credit cards. Double room E67ÐE83 ($63Ð$78) without bath, E83ÐE98 ($78Ð$92) with bath. Breakfast E5ÐE6 ($4.70Ð$5.60). Tucked into a golden location between the Pantheon and Piazza Navona, the family-run Mimosa has somehow been overlooked by Rome's tourism machine, happily continuing to offer simple but sizable, clean, and comfy rooms at laughably low rates. Largish rooms one, two, and three were recently redone with quirky touches: wrought iron or brass bedsteads, sinuous mirrors, Oriental rugs, giant ceiling beams, or brilliant blue curtains. Only one room has A/C (an extra E10/$9.40). Fraterna Domus Via Monte Brianzo 62, tel. 06-6880-2727, fax 06-683-2691, domusrm@tin.it. 18 rooms. Double room E78 ($73); students E30 ($28) per person. Breakfast included. If you don't mind monastic simplicity, tiny bathrooms with curtainless showers, and a decor that begins and ends with a small Crucifix nailed above the bed, this hospice just north of Piazza Navona run by a lay sisterhood may be the ticket. The beds are firm, the tile floors kept next-to-godliness clean. The bad news: An 11 p.m. curfew (but you might get a front door key if you stay a week). They also offer excellent full meals for a paltry E12 ($11), as I recommended in "The Little Wonder Restaurants of Rome" (Budget Travel, July/August 2000). Albergo Abruzzi Piazza della Rotonda 69, tel. 06-679-2021. 28 rooms, none with bath. No phones. No credit cards. Double room E95 ($89). No breakfast. The Abruzzi is $9 over our limit, but what's a few bucks more when you can open your bedroom window and practically poke the Pantheon with a stick? Of course, there are no private bathrooms (each five-room floor shares just one and a half baths), no amenities whatsoever, no backbone to the mattresses, and no double-glazed windows to keep out the considerable pedestrian noise from this popular piazza. It takes a die-hard architecture buff and/or Rome aficionado to appreciate the Abruzzi's charms. For me, it's worth the annoying, late-night din for at least one morning of waking up to that view, which is best from the large corner doubles with windows on two walls. Pensione Jonella Via della Croce 41, tel. 06-679-7966, fax 06-446-2368. 4 rooms, none with bath. No phones. No credit cards. Double room E52ÐE68 ($49Ð$64). No breakfast. Think of this as your budget penthouse: Way up on the fifth floor with no elevator and no reception desk (call when you get to the station and they meet you with the keys), but a killer location between the Spanish Steps and the Corso. The rooms are spacious and fitted with framed Roman prints and wonderful old Deco armoires and mirrors. Room 1 has an elegant bedframe and a balcony; enormous Room 4 fits four beds and a dining room-type table with plenty of room to spare. If you hear a message in Italian when you phone, stay on the line; it's just call-forwarding. Residenza Brotsky Via del Corso 509, tel. 06-361-2339, fax 06-323-6641. 24 rooms, 19 with bath. Double room E50ÐE70 ($47Ð$66) without bath, E60ÐE90 ($56Ð$85) with bath. Breakfast E5 ($4.70). A boarding house straight out of a Fellini film-dusty and worn at the edges, but full of character and astoundingly cheap for its prime location on Rome's main passeggiata (strolling) street. A melange of worn old furnishings and oil landscapes crowds the spacious rooms, and bathrooms were overhauled in 2000. Brotsky's saving graces are the creaky parquet-floored breakfast room, narrow Room 10 with its Corso balcony, and the roof terrace's personable panorama of Roman rooftops, the Villa Borghese's umbrella pines, and St. Peter's dome beyond a thicket of TV aerials. Termini Hotel Des Artistes Via Villafranca 20, tel. 06-445-4365, fax 06-446-2368, http://www.hoteldesartistes.com/. 45 rooms, 32 with bath. Double room E45ÐE100 ($42Ð$94) without bath, E98ÐE179 ($92Ð$168) with bath. Breakfast E7.75 ($7.25). Discounts of E5ÐE15 ($4.70Ð$14) if you pay cash (usually). Paintings and prints brighten this frugal haven where some of the large rooms can sleep up to six (perfect for families). The beds are orthopedically sound and the arte povera furnishings are among the nicest I've seen. Rooms with stylish private baths come with A/C (bathless ones get a fan). The entire hotel-including the TV/chess/Internet terminal lounge-is nonsmoking, save the sunny roof terrace, where you can breakfast in summer. The price range reflects complicated seasonal variations; except during the busiest spring and fall periods, you will likely get a room with bath for under $80, especially if you pay cash. Check the Web site for deals. Hotel Papa Germano Via Calatafimi 14A, tel. 06-486-919, fax 06-4782-5202, www.hotel papagermano.com. 17 rooms, 7 with bath. Double room E52ÐE68 ($49Ð$64) without bath, E68ÐE83 ($64Ð$78) with bath. Bed in shared room without bath E18ÐE21 ($17Ð$20). No breakfast. Gino believes that being a host involves more than just providing beds. Most small hotels suffer from a drafty, dreary feel, but Papa Germano is perhaps the most comfortable, cozy hotel in its category. First take a powerful mix of double-glazed windows, bright lighting, and richly patterned fabrics and futon chairs. Add modern climate control, amenities such as TV and hairdryer, and a relaxing lounge with Internet stations. Finish it off with those low rates and the warm welcome of the impressively friendly, hyperhelpful Gino, and you can understand why Papa Germano books up early. Fawlty Towers Via Magenta 39, tel. 06-445-0374, fax 06-4938-2878, www.fawltytowers.org. 16 rooms, 5 with bath. No phones. No credit cards. Double room E62 ($58) without bath, E67 ($63) with sink/shower, E77 ($72) with bath. Bed in dorm E18 ($17) without bath, E23 ($22) with bath. No breakfast. Early flight? Try crashing around the corner from the Termini station at this easygoing hotel that emanates that youthful, friendly, backpackers-of-the-world-unite hostel ambience-but without the dismal dorm atmosphere or party-hard agenda. Rooms are basic, but the mattresses are new. About half the accommodations are private; half are shared, hostel-style (but with only four cots each). The (generally) young guests hang out in the TV room, solarium (microwave, fridge, Internet station), and flower-filled terrace, trading travel tips and often heading out as a group for pizza or a pub crawl. Hotel Tizi Via Collina 48, tel. 06-482-0128, fax 06-474-3266. 24 rooms, 10 with bath. No phones. No credit cards. Double room E52 ($49) without bath, E62 ($58) with bath. Breakfast E7 ($6.60). The Tizi family actually lives here, so you'll find them and their purring Persian perennially hanging around their kitchen/ dining room across the hall from guest-room doors. Rooms enjoy fresh wallpaper and Murano-style chandeliers, and old blankets stretched across firm beds. Second-floor rooms sport swooping metal bed frames, high stuccoed ceilings, and older baths, while ground-floor accommodations are larger but more dismally furnished. They are renovating another ten rooms in the building. Hotel Fenicia Via Milazzo 20, tel./fax 06-490-342, www.hotelfenicia.it. 14 rooms, 1 with toilet in hall (shower/sink in room). Double room E75ÐE85 ($70Ð$80); discounted in winter. Breakfast available during some months upon request E7 ($6.60). A gem amid a slew of budget dives, offering one-star prices for three-star comfort-including TV and A/C (which costs an extra E10/$9.40 to turn on). Spanking new modular units and firm beds rest on modern parquet floors surrounded by matching fabrics. The bathrooms are (for Rome) remarkably spacious. The hotel is spread across three elevatorless floors: The first (standard rooms), second (classiest digs), and fourth (older, and generally smaller, rooms-except rooms 18 and 20, which are big and newly refurbished and have tiny balconies). Most cheap hotels yell at you for doing laundry in the sink; the Fenicia provides retractable clotheslines in the baths. Suore di Santa Elisabetta Via dell'Olmata 9, tel. 06-488-8271, fax 06-488-4066. 35 rooms, 25 with bath. Double room E51 ($48) without bath, E66 ($62) with bath. Breakfast included. Kindly Polish nuns have welcomed guests to their convent just south of Santa Maria Maggiore for more than 100 years. The rooms are spare and simple, but comfortable, with a painting or two in addition to the requisite crucifix. Like a prudish 1950s sitcom, the narrow twin beds are kept strictly separated in all rooms. Baths are old, but well cared for, and a few rooms have terraces. Guests can wander the panoramic roof terrace and the peaceful palm-shaded garden of orange trees, roses, and kiwi-vine arbors. Kids under 12 stay at a discount. The big drawback: An 11 p.m. curfew. Book well in advance. Hotel Katty Via Palestro 35, tel. 06-490-079, fax 06-444-1216. 23 rooms, 15 with bath. Double room E26ÐE51 ($24Ð$48) without bath, E39ÐE77 ($37Ð$72) with bath. If you pay by credit card, add 3 to 5 percent to these prices. No breakfast. It's a bit of a walk from the station, but the kindly owner, bargain-basement prices, and quirky decor of the large, spare rooms earn the Katty a place amid Rome's budget bests. Rooms without bath are kitted out with battered modular furnishings but fantastic floors of chipped-stone mosaics. Private-bath rooms are brand new for 2002, with shiny tile floors, nice built-in units, A/C and minibar (in some), and double-glazed windows. A few have balconies on the courtyard. Rooms 203 (a triple) and 206 (a quad) sport frescoed ceilings. TV available upon request. Across the river (Prati & Trastevere) Hotel Colors Via Boezio 31, tel. 06-687-4030, fax 06-686-7947, www.colorshotel.com. 7 rooms, 1 with bath. No phones. No credit cards. Double room E68 ($64) without bath, E78 ($73) with shower/sink, E83 ($78) with bath. Bed in co-ed dorm without bath E20 ($19). No breakfast. The folks who founded Fawlty Towers (above) now run this fifth-floor walk-up near Vatican City. It's a few blocks from the best food shopping in Rome-indoor and outdoor markets, plus Franchi and Castroni, two renowned grocers-so you can put the communal kitchen and small shared terrace to good use. The simple, spacious rooms are vibrant in a supersaturated, whimsical, accident-at-the-Crayola-factory way. Only one room is shared dorm-style, and the largely young backpacking clientele tend to be of a more reserved, mature stripe. The washer/dryer costs less than a laundromat. Locanda Carmel Via Goffredo Mameli 11, tel. 06-580-9921, fax 06-581-8853, reservation@hotelcarmel.it. 11 rooms. Double room E80 ($75) without bath, E85 ($80) with bath. Breakfast included. What very well may be Italy's only officially kosher hotel lies in a quiet corner just two blocks from Trastevere's daily market on Piazza di San Cosimato. In 2001 they spread wonderfully colorful quilts over firm new mattresses, and finally soundproofed the doors and windows. A battered wooden chair and bedside table constitute "furnishings," but all rooms have A/C, an (unstocked) mini fridge, and a TV. The solarium of squishy couches opens onto a lovely, plant-filled terrace shaded by vine arbors. Pensione Lady Via Germanico 198, tel. 06-324-2112, fax 06-324-3446. 8 rooms, 4 with bath. Double room E85 ($80) without bath, E100 ($94) with bath. No breakfast. Staying here, in the heart of Prati, feels a bit like moving into an arty friend's apartment: There's the homey living room with its deeply cushioned couches and exposed wood ceilings (a feature that graces about half the rooms), a mix of Liberty and unfinished country-style furnishings, and framed prints on the walls. Only the bathless rooms fall into our price category, but all have sinks (one even has a shower). Pensione Joli Via Cola di Rienzo 243, tel. 06-324-1854, fax 06-3600-6637, jolihit@yahoo.it. 18 rooms. Double room E83ÐE93 ($78Ð$87). Breakfast included. The drab entrance on a bustling middle-class shopping boulevard gives no hint of the lovely hotel high above, where spanking new furnishings and firm beds (personally tested by the staff) rest on polished plank floors. The Spartan baths, however, are overdue for an overhaul. In front rooms, you can hang out the window to glimpse St. Peter's dome; from those on the courtyard you can spy Rear WindowÐstyle on the Italian neighbors. TV is free for the asking. The moderately classier Hotel Florida (tel. 06-324-1872, fax 06-324-1857), taking up the three floors below, charges E70ÐE75 ($66Ð$70) for a double without bath and E93ÐE110 ($87Ð$103) with bath. Pensione Paradise Viale Giulio Cesare 47, tel. 06-3600-4331, fax 06-3609-2563, www.hotelpandaparadise.com. 10 rooms, 8 with bath. Double room E50ÐE60 ($47Ð$56) without bath, E75ÐE83 ($70Ð$78) with bath. No breakfast. The Paradise doesn't enjoy the location or style of its sister Panda, but it's right at a Metro stop and only a few blocks from St. Peter's. Mirrors help open up the smallish, minimally furnished rooms. Still, the beds are new-and, in singles, wider than usual-and the sparkling baths sport heated towel racks (great for drying laundry). They're installing TVs this winter.
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