Rome hotels and restaurants

While in Rome, ITALY, in late October ’07, we experienced these hotels and restaurants.

• Zoli Massimo B&B (Via Tommaso Campanella, 21, Rome; phone +39 733 063, www.zolit.com/eng/benvenuti.htm) — with its proximity to the Vatican museums, a very good deal.

Mr. Zoli rents a single and a double room in his apartment a few blocks north of the Vatican museums entrance and also a 2-bedroom apartment two blocks away. The double cost €90 ($137), and that is also what we paid when he put two of us in the quiet apartment nearby, which normally may rent for more.

With an equipped kitchen, the apartment was on the seventh floor (there was an elevator to the sixth floor) and had a pleasant terrace with a view of St. Peter’s.

Breakfast, at Mr. Zoli’s, was simple but sufficient — bread, boiled eggs, juice, coffee and tea — accompanied by advice on what to see and do, where to eat, etc.

• The restaurant Osteria dell’Angelo (Via Giovanni Bettelo, 24, Rome; phone 06 37 29470) —

frequented by locals. Rustic atmosphere. Plenty of decent food. Fixed-price full dinner at €25 ($38) with a choice of four items for each of four courses, plus dessert.

• Hotel Milani (Via Magenta, 12, Rome; phone +39 06 44 57051, fax 44 62317, www.hotelmilani.it) — an easy walk from Stazione Termini, Rome’s central train station.

A double room with a king-size bed and a bath was relatively small but quiet and comfortable. €105 ($160) included a relatively simple breakfast.

• Ristorante Regina (Via dei Mille, 46, Rome; phone 06 44 53834) — two blocks from Hotel Milani and within walking distance of Stazione Termini.

Fifteen or so tables complete with fabric napkins and tablecloths. Most of the diners were Italians. We ate there twice.

They serve a variety of tasty food — about half seafood, half meat — at moderate prices (for Rome). We shared a 4-course meal (the portions were big enough for two) plus one glass of wine and two desserts for €41 ($62).

I thought their white tartufo (a frozen hazelnut/white chocolate concoction) for dessert was delicious, as were the mixed vegetables. I suggest skipping the “roast lamb” since there was little meat on the ribs. No complaints about the other food. The red house wine was good, as was the service.

PATRICIA MINAMI

Rockville, MD