don’t get too hung up on one street, there are many many other quiet streets there. for more than 2 nights I would prefer an apartment any day, especially if you plan to enjoy the markets.
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If you’re considering an Airbnb, read the reviews and look at the photos very carefully. There are a lot of buildings that are hundreds of years old that can have odd issues. Also, you might learn more about Rome’s garbage crisis than you care to.
Couldn’t agree more
What does this mean?
Yah, I typed in Via Margutta in the Airbnb app and some really nice looking places came up. Two problems
- They don’t give the specific street so I’m messaging hosts to see if they’re actually on Via Margutta.
- If that particular street is unimportant as you say, how does one figure out which of the other streets are just as nice & quiet without knowing the area? Trust the proprietor?
Thanks!
i suppose read the review, descriptions, ask for the address, do google street view.
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To figure out if a place is quiet, read the reviews.
Garbage sometimes piles up. You take a bag down to put it in the can and the can is overflowing. The collectors don’t come, or they come but don’t take it all. It’s weird.
Good idea.
This too.
What on earth? That’s so backwards. It looks worse than the streets of a so-called third world country.
Romans are so good at making bureaucracy dysfunctional it’s amazing they ever accomplish anything.
Yeah, I’m shocked.
Roma is particular well known for being dysfunctional (but by far not the only “special” city in Italy) regarding even some “basic” public needs in an already quite dysfunctional (but still very nice to visit) country.
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When in Rome, stick to hotels. The garbage thing is real, and plumbing can also be a big problem. Oh, and most apartments do not have proper stand up showers, so hopefully you enjoy baths. And the convenience of having a concierge book restaurants for you is priceless - so many restaurants don’t even answer their phone. You never know when you’ll need the help of the front desk – I left a black cashmere shawl (expensive) at a restaurant, who told me they didn’t find it when I went back (twice) to look for it. But the hotel was (miraculously) able to recover it for me.
I did love my hotel, and looked at Margutta19 which is super hip and lovely (although double the cost of Manfredi), and I’ll book there next time.
One of my favorite restaurants in that area (and walking distance from via Margutta) is Dilla. My favorite in Rome is La Taverna dei Fori Imperiali, requires a MyTaxi (Italy’s uber) to get there.
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This has my favorite market, suppli, and wine bar, so I’d guess her other recommendations are solid.
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Along the lines of a market with a fabulous restaurant with great pizza (and organic!), I absolutely love Hosteria del Mercato, just near the Spanish Steps.
http://www.hosteriadelmercato.it
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Thanks for the shower tip and restaurant recs @yogachik!
There are definite advantages to hotels. We’ll probably stay in a hotel in Florence. We were total hotel dwellers until we had to move out of our home for 7 months a couple years ago. We’re now Airbnb converts. You have to be more diligent in your research but imo get more for what you pay. Vacation apartment rentals are private, roomier, w/kitchens or kitchenettes, hotel-style amenities and a host to rely on. Airbnb’s Rome pages have some fly spots with all the modern bells & whistles and extensive amenity lists, including whether or not they’re equipped with fire & carbon monoxide detectors. Airbnb biz is super competitive and the hosts all want to be designated “Super Hosts”. This depends upon good customer ratings & reviews. We once received a free night and 10% discount for writing what the host called a “Jonathan Gold type review”. Music to a FTCers ears! 
Speaking of reviews - they’re very helpful about location, cleanliness, noise, stairs, plumbing, host responsiveness, etc.
You’re welcome Airbnb. I’ll take my fee in U.S. dollars, please. 
Roscioli
Antico Forno Roscioli for pizza bianca, absolutely.
Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina at off hours to get stuff to go, yes.
Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina for lunch or dinner in a cramped, tourist-filled space sitting on uncomfortable patio furniture, hell no. Go to Emma instead. Same owners, overlapping but larger menu, beautiful and comfortable dining room.
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Not sure when you are going and how this is impacting areas like Rome and Florence. Hopefully this will lead to a less crowded touristy stay but not negatively impact your dining experience.
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With the current development I think it is not unreasonable to think that it will be quite hard to travel to Italy in May (or come back without a longer quarantine)