Charming 2-story apartment in Rome

For a visit to ROME I tried renting an apartment for the first time, as I was traveling with my son and his family and we needed accommodations for six. I was very fortunate to find a charming 2-story apartment at No. 45 Via Labicana through VRBO International, LLC (Vacation Rentals by Owner) (9800 Buccaneer Mall, Ste. 1, St. Thomas, USVI 00802-2409; visit www.vrbo.com).

Our apartment was listing No. 32035. The location was ideal for walking to Roman sites and to public transport, and we found a wide variety of food shops and restaurants in the area.

The apartment was every bit as attractive as advertised, with a beautiful view of the Colosseum and the Vatican from the upper-story terrace. It was located on the sixth floor and to the rear of an apartment building, so there was little street noise. The elevator, though small, worked efficiently.

A major plus in renting this unit was getting to know the owner/architect, Pietro Ferri, and his partner, Marina. They arranged for a van to pick us up at the airport and then met us at the apartment to show us how everything operated and walk us around the neighborhood. We didn’t take advantage of their offer to serve as tour guides to Rome.

Thanks to their splendid reputation, their rental calendar fills months ahead, but there may be a little time here or there for a last-minute traveler. At the time of our trip in April ’05, the place rented for €1,200 ($1,401) per week for up to four people, or €1,350 ($1,576) for four to six. The rental per night varies from €180 to €200 ($210-$234), depending on the number of people and the number of nights.

For a family group, an apartment like this one adds immensely to the enjoyment of Rome.

JOAN REED
Arlington, VA