Rome
Marilyn January 6th, 2005
ROME NOTES ON ACCOM, EATING & SHOPPING
Accommodation
Rome hotels are generally expensive, however, the following are in the trendy ‘Spanish Steps’ area , offer very comfortable rooms and are reasonable for what you get.
La Lumiere — www.lalumieredipiazzadispagna.com
Tel. +39 6 69380806
This very small hotel has large rooms and has recently been redecorated. The lobby is minute with a tiny lift but it is in a very good position and you can walk to good cafes and restaurants, plus excellent shopping. A large double room costs 225 euros.
Hotel Condotti — www.hotelcondotti.com
Tel. +39 6 6794769
Still small with 16 rooms, here the reception areas are larger. A standard double in high season costs 243 euros.
Hotel d’Inghilterra — www.hir.royaldemeure.com
Tel. + 39 6 69981204
Decidedly more splendid, this is a lovely boutique hotel with all the trimmings. A standard double in high season will cost 315 euros.
Restaurants
Il Pomodorino — Tel. 42011356 (Rome)
This is a taxi ride from The Spanish Steps area, but worth the trip. A large restaurant with a terrace, it specialises in real pizzas (not a bit of pineapple in sight), a huge antipasti table with regional specialties, and you can see them making pasta through a large glass window. Very genuine Roman food. Simple decor and full of locals.
La Cisterna — Tel. 5812543 (Rome)
They claim this is the oldest restaurant (still in the same family) in Rome. It certainly has some of the oldest waiters in captivity. One said that he had been working there since 1957! Ask for a table inside as the pavement terrace is pretty ordinary with no view. There is a series of inside rooms with murals and a cellar that was once a prison. The evening was a hoot with the waiters providing a good deal of the “entertainment” — and the food was very good.
Alo Carettiere
This is a Jewish/Italian restaurant in the Jewish Quarter. We did not have time to go, but it comes very highly recommended by friends who visit Rome frequently.
Otello Ala Concordia — Tel. 6791178 (Rome)
This casual trattoria became our ‘local’. It is in the Spanish Steps area and provided excellent food that was incredibly good value. It is very busy so book, or get there early — the Romans tend to eat after 8pm. Nice for lunch as they have a vine covered courtyard that is cool in summer.
Shopping
To make buying more attractive for tourists many shops offer ‘de-tax’ if you spend more that 150 euros in one shop. You must ask for it and they fill out forms that you present at Rome Airport on departure. VAT varies depending on what you buy, but leather for instance has 20% VAT, so it is worth while going to some inconvenience.
The system however is very bureaucratic and you must read the instructions on the form. We saw many very disappointed tourists being refused refunds at the airport. Basically there are three things to watch. The goods must be unused, put in your hand luggage for inspection at a special counter at the airport (expect to queue), and you must have the original of the form, not the carbon copy. It is worth getting it right because you can save hundreds of dollars.
Most shops do offer this service, except if goods are on sale. Although the area around the Spanish Steps is known for its designer fashions (at high prices), there are also many other shops that had lovely, stylish goods at quite reasonable prices.
Particularly good value are leather goods (Pier Caranti, Piazza de Spagna,43), North African jewellery (re-made into stylish designs) and elegant cotton and silk nightwear (Lara Lingerie, Via delle Carozze,21 and another opposite Pier Caranti in Piazza de Spagna — sorry, can’t give you the name but it looks quite old fashioned from the street). And lots more …
Marilyn & Francis June 2005
There is also a cool restaurant in central Rome. The place makes all kind of italian food, but their speciality is sea food.
Their name is Sa Tanca Crostaceria.
http://www.satancacrostaceria.com