Where to Stay in Rome: Best Neighbourhoods & Hotels

Planning a trip to Rome and wondering where to base yourself? This guide covers our top picks for neighbourhoods and hotels across the city.

By: Paul Healy | Last Updated: February 21, 2026

Rome is relentless.

You turn a corner expecting a back street and find yourself face to face with a 2,000-year-old temple. You sit down for what you think will be a quick espresso, and an hour later, you’re still there, watching the whole city walk past.

Some neighbourhoods are all ancient ruins and tourist queues; others are quiet and residential, full of trattorias where the menu is handwritten, and the house wine costs almost nothing.

Wherever you stay, you’re never far from something extraordinary.

But the neighbourhood you choose still shapes the experience significantly — and Rome is big enough that it’s worth thinking carefully before you book.

We’ve been to Rome many times over the years, so this guide is our personal recommendations for the best areas in Rome to base yourself.

Table of Contents show

restaurants rome 1 — Rape of Persephone Sculpture by Bernini

rome borghese 4 — Rape of Persephone Sculpture by Bernini

Quick Recommendations

Best for First-Time Visitors: Centro Storico
Best for Atmosphere & Nightlife: Trastevere
Best for History & a Hip Edge: Monti
Best for the Vatican & a Quieter Base: Prati
Best for Food Lovers & Local Life: Testaccio

Map: Rome Neighbourhoods

All the hotels in this guide are plotted on the map below, organised by neighbourhood. It’s a good way to get a feel for how the areas relate to each other before you decide where to base yourself.

Click on the top right corner to open our map in your Google Maps app. Click the star next to the title to save it to your Google account.

Where to Stay in Rome

1. Centro Storico (Best for First-Time Visitors)

If it’s your first time in Rome and you want to be close to everything, Centro Storico is the best choice.

This is the historic heart of the city with a maze of cobbled streets, Baroque piazzas, and ancient buildings that you are probably picturing when you think of Rome.

You’ll be within walking distance of the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, the Trevi Fountain, Campo de’ Fiori, and Castel Sant’Angelo.

The downside is that it’s the most crowded and most expensive part of the city.

Restaurants directly on the main piazzas tend to be overpriced and underwhelming. But wander a street or two off the tourist trail, and you’ll find much better options.

We also stay in Centro Storico because it’s easy to walk everywhere.

Our Centro Storico Hotel Picks

Eitch Borromini (€€€€€) — A spectacular five-star hotel set inside a 17th-century palace designed by Baroque architect Francesco Borromini, overlooking Piazza Navona.

Hotel Raphael (€€€€) — An iconic ivy-clad hotel just steps from Piazza Navona with a rooftop restaurant serving biodynamic cuisine and sweeping views over the Roman skyline.

Relais Orso (€€€) — A sleek, contemporary hotel converted from a 17th-century townhouse on a quiet cobbled street, just steps from the Pantheon and Piazza Navona.

Le Clarisse al Pantheon (€€) — A well-regarded three-star boutique option with rooms that, in some cases, overlook the Pantheon itself. Excellent breakfast and exceptional value for the location.

early morning at the spanish steps in rome — Dawn at The Spanish Steps

2. Trastevere (Best for Atmosphere & Nightlife)

Trastevere is just across the Tiber from the historic centre, and the difference in atmosphere is immediate.

The streets are narrower, the pace is slower, and lantern-lit piazzas give it a warmth that the busier parts of Rome can’t quite match.

The basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere is on the neighbourhood’s main square. From there, you can spend hours wandering in any direction and find something worth stopping for.

After dark, the bars and trattorias fill up, the piazzas buzz, and the whole neighbourhood feels like an outdoor living room.

The trade-off is that there’s no metro station, so you’re looking at a 20-25 minute walk or a short tram ride into the historic centre.

Our Trastevere Hotel Picks

Donna Camilla Savelli (€€€€) — A former 17th-century Baroque monastery, operating as a four-star hotel with elegant suites, antique furniture, and a beautiful roof terrace.

Horti 14 Borgo Trastevere (€€€) — A sleek, contemporary hotel in a quieter pocket of Trastevere, with rooms featuring original artworks by Roman street artist Lucamaleonte.

Hotel Santa Maria (€€€) — A peaceful hotel set around a beautiful orange-tree courtyard in the heart of Trastevere, just steps from the basilica.

Buonanotte Garibaldi (€€) — A charming three-bedroom B&B with elegantly colour-themed rooms, antique furnishings, and a lovely courtyard for breakfast.

3. Monti (Best for History & a Hip Edge)

Monti is one of Rome’s oldest neighbourhoods and also one of its most interesting places to stay.

It occupies the land between the Colosseum and the Termini area, and it has a dual personality that makes it genuinely compelling.

On one hand, you’re within a few minutes’ walk of the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Imperial Fora.

On the other hand, the neighbourhood itself is a lively, bohemian village of cobbled streets, wine bars, vintage boutiques, and artisan workshops.

The social heart of Monti is Piazza della Madonna dei Monti, where locals gather from late afternoon onwards, with an aperitivo in hand.

Hotel prices in Monti are generally better value than the historic centre, and the neighbourhood’s metro connection (Cavour station) means you can reach the Vatican and other far-flung sights with relative ease.

Our Monti Hotel Picks

Palazzo Manfredi (€€€€€) — A five-star hotel in a 17th-century villa directly across from the Colosseum, with jaw-dropping views from its rooms and the Michelin-starred AROMA restaurant terrace.

Inn at the Roman Forum (€€€€) — A beautiful 14-room guesthouse positioned a short walk from the Colosseum, with its own ancient Roman ruins on the property and a rooftop terrace overlooking the Forum.

The Fifteen Keys Hotel (€€€) — A stylish four-star boutique hotel in the heart of Monti, with a lovely garden terrace and elegant rooms. Well-reviewed for its warm service and smart design.

Nerva Boutique Hotel (€€) — A well-run family boutique hotel right next to the Roman Forum, praised consistently for its excellent personal service. Simple, comfortable rooms and an unbeatable location.

views from the via dei fori imperiali in rome — Via Dei Fori Imperiali

4. Prati (Best for the Vatican & a Quieter Base)

Prati occupies the right bank of the Tiber, just north of Trastevere and directly adjacent to Vatican City.

It’s very different to the other neighbourhoods in this guide with wider streets, elegant Art Nouveau buildings, a more residential feel, and fewer tourists.

St Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums, and the Sistine Chapel are all within easy walking distance. Castel Sant’Angelo and the bridge of Ponte Sant’Angelo are also close.

The neighbourhood has good independent restaurants, proper coffee bars, and bookshops. The main thoroughfare, Via Cola di Rienzo, is one of Rome’s better shopping streets.

Prati also tends to offer better value for money than the historic centre.

Our Prati Hotel Picks

Hotel Dei Mellini (€€€€) — A sleek, well-regarded four-star hotel just steps from Castel Sant’Angelo with stylishly furnished rooms and a rooftop terrace with views of St Peter’s dome.

NH Collection Roma Giustiniano (€€€) — A polished and well-located hotel close to Castel Sant’Angelo and the Vatican, with spacious contemporary rooms, a fitness centre, and an on-site restaurant.

St Peter Twelve (€€) — A comfortable, well-reviewed budget option just 400 metres from Ottaviano Metro Station and the Vatican Museums.

5. Testaccio (Best for Food Lovers & Local Life)

Testaccio is Rome’s most authentic neighbourhood and the one that feels furthest removed from the tourist version of the city.

It sits just south of the Circus Maximus and Aventine Hill, and for most of the 20th century, it was a working-class district known for its slaughterhouse.

Today, Testaccio is one of the best places in Rome to eat. The neighbourhood market — Mercato di Testaccio — is a genuinely excellent food market, with stalls serving some of the best street food in the city.

There’s a small but growing hotel scene here, and accommodation prices are noticeably lower than in Trastevere or the historic centre.

The Piramide metro station puts you on Line B, from which you can change at Termini for the Vatican or other parts of the city.

Our Testaccio Hotel Picks

Hotel San Anselmo (€€€) — A romantic and elegant hotel set in a 19th-century villa on the peaceful Aventine Hill, just above Testaccio, with beautiful gardens and stylishly decorated rooms.

Seven Suites (€€€) — A well-reviewed boutique option in the heart of Testaccio, with modern, comfortable rooms and a location that puts you within easy reach of the market.

Sonder Testaccio (€€) — Stylish, apartment-style rooms with balconies in a well-located building in the neighbourhood. A good option if you want more space and a self-catering option.

trastevere food tour rome — Spirito Di Vino

What Now?

Once you’ve decided where to stay, our other Rome guides will help you make the most of the city.

Things to Do in Rome covers the best the city has to offer — from the unmissable ancient sites to the neighbourhood spots most visitors walk straight past.

Our Rome Itinerary maps out how to structure your time in the city, including the best order to tackle the major sights and how to avoid the worst crowds.