Rome is, without a doubt, the crown jewel of Italy and one of the most breathtakingly beautiful cities in Europe.A lot of this beauty comes from the ancient Roman architecture that can be found throughout the city and famously grandiose attractions like the Roman Colosseum or the Pantheon.
The thing is, while Rome is known for its rich history and the monuments that stand as a testament to it throughout the city, that’s not everything that this city has to offer. There are places like the Via Cola di Rienzo where you’ll find boutiques all over the place, for instance.
But, with so much to see and do, how do you pick the right area to stay during your trip?
Don’t worry — we’ve rounded up what we consider to be the best places to visit in Rome, including the best hotels in each, to make planning your trip a little easier. Let us be your guide!
The Best Places to Stay in Rome
While it’s quite a large city, we think the best areas to stay in Rome include:
- Celio: Where you’ll find what is arguably the most historically significant monument, the Colosseum
- Quartiere III Pinciano: The best place to stay for families with kids
- Pantheon: More historic monuments, nightlife, great accommodation option — the tourist hotspot
- Prati: The best clubs and bars in the city but also the gateway to Vatican City
- Ripa: For the authentic ancient Roman experience on none other than the slopes of the Palatine Hill
Where to Stay in Rome: Best Areas & Hotels
In an attempt to answer both of the questions that we asked just a little while ago, we’ve gone ahead and outlined all the best activities in each section of the city that we go over, and we’ve also pointed out the best accommodation options in each price range and comfort level.
That way, you’ll be able to find something that matches the sort of accommodations that you’re looking for without having to pay exorbitant amounts for the room.
1. Celio
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We’ll start off our rundown of the best areas in Rome with the home of one of the most iconic landmarks in the entire city: the Colosseum.
As you might have assumed, this particular attraction draws in tons of tourists every day, and you can see why thanks to the enormity and majesty of this old building.
While most people are just content with snapping a few pics in front of the structure, you also have the option to book a tour and go inside to learn a bit more about the more important aspects of the landmark.
Expect to acquaint yourself with the most notable annals of Roman history and the sort of events that were organized at the Colosseum. The surrounding area also has a few parks that you can visit, all of which contain at least a few attractions that you might be interested in seeing.
A good example of this is Villa Sordi, which is the home of the famous Italian actor Alberto Sordi, and The Basilica of St. John at the Latin Gate.
Surprisingly enough, even though Celio is one of the major tourist spots in the entirety of the city, there aren’t that many restaurants, hotels, or other entertainment venues outside of sightseeing tours.
If you’re looking for a place where you can just sit down for a leisurely coffee, you’d be better off in another part of the city.
Celio Budget Hotels
- Marta Inn provides all of the guests with a room that comes with an LCD TV, as well as tea and coffee making facilities.
- Hotel Virgilio is located right next to the Colosseum, has satellite Tv and AC in all of the rooms, and provides a buffet breakfast every morning.
Celio Mid-Range Hotels
- Duca d’Alba Hotel has a reception desk that’s on-call both day and night, a Flat-screen satellite TV in every room, and free wifi throughout the property.
- DCBoutiqueHotel provides all of the guests with a continental breakfast every morning, as well as an LCD TV and free wifi in every room.
Celio Luxury Hotels
- Hotel Capo d´África – Colosseo comes with a fitness center that guests can use to work out for a bit, a roof-top terrace where guests can enjoy their complimentary breakfast in the morning, and a TV that comes with satellite and pay-per-view channels.
- Nerva Boutique Hotel has a front desk that’s always on call whenever you need anything, a wide selection of items for the breakfast buffet, and an in-house bar where you can get a drink and even a bite to eat until 01:00 AM.
2. Quartiere III Pinciano
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The Quartiere III Pinciano is essentially centered around the Villa Borghese, which is one of the most famous tourist sites in the region.
This is a landscape garden that contains a lot of great scenic views as well as the Galleria Borghese, which is a museum that contains a lot of interesting exhibits that range from paintings and sculptures to all sorts of antiques.
In this area, you’ll also find the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, which is famous for the Van Gogh and Modigliani paintings that are housed inside.
Families might also enjoy visiting the children’s museum since it has chemistry showcase events, giant canvases where kids can draw, and plenty of other fun and engaging activities for the younger participants in the crowd.
The huge park in this area is also a great place where you can just take a break and walk around near the small lake if you want to see the 18th century Temple of Asclepius.
You’ll also find that there’s also a zoo in the area as well as a zoological museum, which means you can both learn something about animals and take some pics of them as well.
This is a great area for parents that want to show their kids a good time, and while everyone can have fun at the museums and zoo, there aren’t really all that many nightclubs or bars.
If your idea of a vacation is having a party with your friends, then you might want to stay somewhere else and just stop by Quartiere III if any of the attractions that we mentioned interest you.
Quartiere III Pinciano Budget Hotels
- Olympic Charme provides guests access to a shared kitchen that everyone can use, as well as a flat-screen TV in every room and free wifi throughout the hotel.
- Residenza Flaminio Gaio provides all of the guests with free wifi, a private bathroom with free toiletries, and a hairdryer in every bathroom.
Quartiere III Pinciano Mid-Range Hotels
- Hilton Garden Inn Rome Claridge has a front desk that’s available 24/7, a 32” slat-screen TV in every room, and an in-house restaurant that specializes in Italian cuisine.
- Residence Hotel Parioli offers a pretty varied selection of pastries, cereal, juice, jams, and other assorted items that you can combine to make yourself a nice breakfast in the morning.
Quartiere III Pinciano Luxury Hotels
- Parco dei Principi Grand Hotel has an in-house restaurant, cocktail lounge, and poolside bar where guests can enjoy a drink while lounging in the sun, and you even get a fitness center and spa with another pool on the inside of the hotel.
- Hotel Lord Byron comes with an in-house restaurant where you can enjoy some Italian dishes, as well as a lounge bar that has a pretty impressive selection of different wines that you can enjoy at the end of the day.
3. Pantheon
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You probably won’t be all too surprised to find out that the main attraction in this area is the Pantheon. This attraction draws in tourists due to the giant fountain located outside as well as the skylight on the inside that illuminates certain the dome.
However, most people get their fill after around half an hour since this attraction isn’t particularly complicated and you don’t really need too much time to see it throughout.
The good news is that the Pantheon is as close to the center of the city as you can get, and there are plenty of things to do around here.
You’ll find plenty of nightclubs that you can visit if you’re in the mood for a party, bars where you can get drunk, high-end restaurants where you can try some of the local cuisine, and even plenty of cafes where you can just enjoy a cup of coffee.
However, the Pantheon area shares the same problem as most other common tourist hotspots in major cities, namely, the possibility of getting robbed, especially at night.
You should be just fine as long as you stick to the well-lit roads, but you still might want to make sure that your wallet isn’t in your back pocket.
Pantheon Budget Hotels
- The Vista Rooms & Terrace comes with free wifi throughout the hotel, as well as a flat-screen TV and an AC unit in every room.
- Hotel Le Clarisse al Pantheon provides a complimentary buffet breakfast each morning, an LCD satellite TV in every room, and the facilities to make a hot drink that you can enjoy on the terrace.
Pantheon Mid-Range Hotels
- Hotel Barrett comes with a coffee maker in every room, ingredients that allow you to make breakfast are delivered to your room every day, and the lobby also has cakes and fruits available each morning.
- Colonna Suite Del Corso comes with a flat-screen tv and AC unit in every room, free toiletries in the bathroom, and free wifi in every room.
Pantheon Luxury Hotels
- Albergo Abruzzi is situated immediately next to the Pantheon, with rooms that come with a daily buffet breakfast and a satellite flat-screen TV, while every guest receives a smartphone that comes with free internet and free phone calls.
- Singer Palace Hotel comes with a complimentary continental breakfast each morning, as well as a choice of seafood or traditional Italian dishes prepared by the in-house staff.
4. Prati
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Prati is a beautiful location during the day, especially if you take a stroll down the Via Cola di Rienzo and check out all of the shops there, but the place really comes alive at night.
You’ll see a sea of people moving through the streets, trying to find an empty seat in one of the many cocktail, wine, and rock bars. Either sit down for a nice leisurely drink or party until the sun breaks over the horizon — the choice is yours.
Right next to the busy nightlife district, you’ll also find the Castel Sant’Angelo, which was originally a mausoleum commissioned by the Roman emperor Hadrian where he and his family after him could be put to rest.
Nowadays, it’s a pretty popular tourist spot for anyone that wants to see what is essentially a castle built all the way back in 123 AD. Prati is also right next to Vatican City, and it’s probably the best place to stay if you want to be close to the gates.
You can’t come to Rome and not see the Holy See! The Vatican is where you’ll find some of the largest and most grandiose houses of worship in the world.
Even if you’re not religious, we’d still recommend visiting just for the marvelous architecture. Going back to Prati, it has plenty of entertainment venues, lots of hotels, and even a few historically significant sights that you can visit, which means that it’s essentially perfect.
The only issue is that there’s always a crowd, so you’ll really need to look before you can find a bar that’s not completely full so you can try and squeeze in.
Prati Budget Hotels
- Marvi Hotel comes with an AC unit in every room, free wifi throughout the property, and free toiletries in the bathroom.
- Vatican Charme provides free wifi throughout the property, as well as a flat-screen TV and an AC unit in every room.
Prati Mid-Range Hotels
- Hotel Diplomatic is located near both the Spanish Steps and Saint Peter’s Basilica, and all of the rooms come with a satellite TV and free wifi.
- Relais Cola Di Rienzo comes with a buffet breakfast each morning in the shared lounge that comes with fresh pastries, juice, yogurt, and cookies for dessert.
Prati Luxury Hotels
- Home at Rome Vatican Suites has rooms that come with a flat-screen TV and a microwave in every room, as well as a choice of an ala carte and a continental breakfast in the morning.
- Le Stanze di Elisa provides all of the guests with an electric kettle, an AC unit, a minibar, and a spa bath in every room.
5. Ripa
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The most important historical landmark in Ripa is the Circus Maximus, which used to be a chariot racing field back during Roman times.
Nowadays, it provides a window into the past that allows tourists to see glimpses of the sort of entertainment that people used to enjoy back in the day. This area is also close to Tiber Island.
This is the home of many festivals during the summer months and plenty of different events like movie nights, stage plays, live music concerts, and so on. Another interesting landmark that people are interested in is the Temple of Hercules Victor.
This isn’t a large church like you’d encounter in other parts of Rome, and it’s only slightly larger than a gazebo, but it serves as the home of the Mouth of Truth and the legends that surround it.
Finally, you can also go to Palatine Hill and see the location that was famed as being the political and religious center of the city during the time of the ancient Romans.
The historical monuments are interesting, and the concerts that are organized on Tiber Island are a great place for party-goers, but the truth is that there isn’t a lot to do in Ripa aside from that.
If you’re not a history buff or if there isn’t an event scheduled for when you’re visiting, you might want to stay elsewhere.
Ripa Budget Hotels
- Prince’s Colosseum Collection provides you with rooms that come with a flat-screen TV and an AC unit.
- Hotel Santa Prisca has a satellite TV in every room, free wifi throughout the entire hotel, and free parking for all of the guests.
Ripa Mid-Range Hotels
- San Anselmo provides you with a TV and a minibar in every room, as well as a garden where you can enjoy breakfast in the morning.
- Hotel Villa San Pio comes with access to wired internet, a satellite TV, an AC unit, and a minibar in every room.
Ripa Luxury Hotels
- Hotel Aventino provides all of the guests with a free continental breakfast that they can enjoy in the outdoor garden, as well as an LCD satellite TV in every room, in addition to the AC unit.
- Fauno Urban Resort also provides all of the guests with a free continental breakfast each morning, a seasonal swimming pool, and an AC unit in every room.
So, Where Should You Stay in Rome?
If you’re looking for a short recap, then we’d say that party-goers will probably like Prati since it has the most places where you can enjoy a nice cold drink at the bars at night.
Tourists that want to see some famous attractions won’t want to miss the Colosseum and the several arches and constructions from Roman times that the city is famous for.
However, if you’re undecided as to what you want to see first, then we’d recommend staying in the Pantheon region since you’ll be in the center of the city, and it’s very likely that you’ll have both interesting monuments and fancy restaurants around your hotel.
To recap, the complete list of the best places to stay in Rome is:
| 🏰 Most Historic Area | Celio |
| 👪 Best for Families | Quartiere III Pinciano |
| 💸 Most Budget-Friendly area | Pantheon |
| 🍷 Best for Nightlife | Prati |
| 🏹 Best for Cultural Experience | Ripa |
Ultimately, the answer to where you should actually stay in Rome is going to vary from one person to the next, but hopefully, our article has in some small way helped you to make a decision.