Pros and Cons of Booking a City Center Hotel in Rome
It’s no secret that I LOVE Rome - I lived in la cittá eterna during college with people that are my best friends to this day, and I firmly believe it’s impossible to see everything there is to see in this beautiful place EVEN IF YOU LIVE THERE.
A question I get often is if it’s really worth the increased prices to get a hotel in the city center of Rome, rather than staying outside of the center for less money.
You might be wondering this yourself!
Is it worth it to book a city center hotel in Rome?
Would you be better off saving some money and staying outside of the city?
When I visit Rome, I always stay in the city center (I really love the Piazza Navona area, and Vatican City as well) and I STRONGLY encourage my travelers to stay city center as well.
However, there are pros and cons to staying in the city center of Rome, and I’m going to break them down to help you decide which is the right choice for you!
Pros of staying in in Rome’s centro storico
The MAJOR reason I’m firmly in team City Center is TIME. You save SO MUCH TIME walking out of your hotel into the city, rather than having to get in a car, drive, and then find a parking space, or wait for a train and ride in to the city, get off at Rome Termini, and walk/cab/bike into the city center. Most of my travelers aren’t in Rome for an extended period of time, and I want to make sure they experience as much of this beautiful city as they can.
ACCESS is another major reason I recommend staying in the City Center. You have better, and EASIER, access to the major sites, like the Pantheon, Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Vatican, etc.
WALKABILITY rounds out my short list of reasons to stay in the City Center of Rome. There is something amazing about stepping outside at any moment, and seeing the Roman Forum just across the street. It is amazing to be walking to your favorite coffee shop and pass by ancient Roman ruins as casually as if they were a McDonald’s. This is immersion at its finest, and staying in the City Center of Rome means this is going to be your experience EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Cons of staying in Rome’s centro storico
The main pushback I get on this topic is PRICING. It is more expensive to stay in a quality City Center, absolutely. However, for the reasons listed above, I really think it’s worth the expense.
CROWDS are a point against staying center, especially in the busier seasons like summer break and the winter holidays. Staying out of the city center means you won’t have as many tourists to contend with. Some people argue it’s more peaceful to stay outside of the city, but I know of MANY lovely hotels tucked away that offer peace, quiet, and a calm oasis away from the business of the city.
NOISE is the final con I have to list when it comes to booking a hotel in the City Center of Rome. It is certainly a city, and city noise is inevitable. I like to travel with a white noise machine, and in a pinch I use my phone’s white noise setting to block it out if it gets to be too much. If city street noise is a problem for you, a good practice is to AVOID booking street facing rooms if you can and instead book a courtyard facing room.
If your goal is to see Rome, I HIGHLY advise you to book a hotel in the City Center. I believe it’s worth it to pay the extra to be IN the heart of Roma Caput Mundi (Latin for Rome, capital of the world), especially if you are only staying for a short time.
Wondering where else you should visit on your trip to Italy? Visit our destination inspiration page for Bella Italia!