Most people planning a trip to Rome come from confused by the number of accommodations available there. They attempt to locate the city’s hotels on a map, determine their budget, and fit the rooms into their itinerary. The city boasts an oversupply of hotel rooms at high prices— even for a two-star hotel in the center.

I spent hours comparing rooms, costs and locations when planning our first vacation 10 years ago. I chose a location outside of Rome, but I still compared rooms and prices.

I chose this hotel based on its proximity to Rome’s downtown — 30 minutes away from the Eurostar Roma Congress. It’s a 4-star hotel on Via Prenestina. Compared to other hotels in the city, the new hotel’s rooms were comparably larger and had modern conveniences. Additionally, the cost was much lower than any of the 4 star hotels.

A round-trip bus transportation service from the hotel to downtown costs €12 per person. The service runs on an hourly schedule, starting at 9AM and ending at 10PM. Calling taxis cost nearly €50 each way. So if you needed to catch a train before the first shuttle or needed to return to your hotel after the last one, you’d need to call one. That’s why people believed this plan sounded good.

A hotel stay in the city would’ve cost much less than the cost of transportation and daily room charges. Plus, this choice would’ve saved travelers time and energy. Because the hotel was so far away, travelers would spend a whole day traveling back and forth between it and the city. And this additional expense wouldn’t even change the final price. Before catching the last hotel shuttle, we had to make sure we ate dinner. Doing so on a budget was difficult because the hotel’s restaurant was very pricey and the food was awful. Then, we’d catch the first hotel shuttle and leave the hotel on its return run. When we arrived back at the hotel, we’d be completely exhausted. No nearby restaurants meant our Rome travels didn’t save us any money.

After many trips to Rome and other nearby hotels, we’ve found the right one for us by trying out many options. Our favorite by far is the Bettoja Hotel Mediterraneo on Via Cavor.

When we need a place to stay in Rome, we always choose The Bettoja Mediterraneo as our top choice. This hotel has become our go-to for staying in the city; we’ve stayed there a lot and always recommend it to family and friends. These are the reasons why this hotel is our #1 choice:

The Bettoja Mediterraneo is located one block away from Rome’s main train station, the Metro and Via Cavor, which is located on Via Cavor. The hotel is also next to one of the stops for all the Hop On Hop Off buses that circle the city. This makes traveling between countries and cities simple.

The hotel is located near many Rome attractions. It takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes to walk to the Colosseum, 30 minutes to the Pantheon or Piazza Navona, and between 40 and 45 minutes to the Vatican. Additionally, several restaurants are close by.

The Bettoja Mediterraneo provides inexpensive accommodations. A standard room costs about $150 every night.

All hotel guests have access to free wi-fi in the rooms and lobby.

Rooms and the lobby art deco style are comfortably furnished with chairs and couches. Additionally, many chairs and sofas are located in the lobby.

We typically reserve a room with a bed and Breakfast price, which includes a hot breakfast.

Buffet patrons can choose between scrambled eggs, bacon and sausages. Additionally, they have access to deli meats, cheeses, breads, cereals, yogurts and fresh fruits. Tiffany’s breakfast isn’t what you typically expect; it’s sufficient and filling. You can enjoy any amount of cappucinos, lattes, hot chocolate and coffee you prefer.

Each Bettoja Mediterraneo standard room comes complete with modern clean bathrooms, a shoe-shine cloth, shoe polishing kit and shower cap. These rooms are spacious and well-designed, and come in two different sizes.

The staff is always helpful and obliging. They provide friendly taxi and dinner recommendations as well as instructions to walk somewhere. They’re always available to the guests at any time.

The hotel has a roof-top bar and restaurant that offers a view of the city’s skyline. Additionally, the lobby hosts many sofas and chairs. After a long day of sightseeing in the city, enjoying a glass of wine at St. Peter’s is a great way to unwind. Since you can make out the church lights even on a clear evening, this is an excellent place to do so.

Families stay at the Bettoja Hotel Mediterraneo whenever they bring their children and grandchildren with them. People traveling alone also enjoy this hotel’s accommodations. If you want to travel to other cities in Italy by train, this hotel is ideal. There are many high-speed trains connecting all of their major cities.

Different countries have different average room sizes. Additionally, the European standard and rating system for hotels is slightly different from other countries. If you’re looking for the most luxurious experience possible, make sure to book at a 5-Star LUXURY hotel instead of a 4- or 5-Star rated hotel.

It’s common to find hotels in shared buildings in the city. These buildings typically house 1-4 star hotels, which are owned and operated by different people. Make sure you don’t be surprised if the hotel you booked is located in one of these buildings. There is a Roman Residence on Via Cavor (#47) that comes to mind as an example. It’s one of four or five “hotels” in the building that also houses a grocery store. A narrow ancient elevator serves the same purpose as a marble staircase, allowing access to the fourth floor.

At check-out, a room tax of €10 per night is levied by the city. This is not paid online; instead, it is paid directly to the hotel. And it’s not included even if you prepaid the room.