If you want us to give you advice and price
information, please go to this page .
Alternatively, write to us (address: info@romanhomes.com )
and inform us about the following requirements / preferences:
- please indicate us the required SIZE: number of bedrooms, if you need a sitting
room etc.
- LOCATION: try to give us precise preferences and to avoid generic locations
(for ex. a "central apartment"). This of course if you can, if not we will try
to understand.
- SPECIAL PREFERENCES OR REQUIREMENTS: for ex. a terrace, antique furniture,
near to a school, ground floor as you cannot climb stairs, air conditioning etc.
Please consider that some special features might make the price increase).
- NUMBER OF PERSONS composing the group, *including overnight guests*. Kindly
possibly clarify the age of the party members.
- Possibly your BUDGET, i.e. expected maximum cost of the rent. This important
detail enables us to consider or search the most suitable accommodation for you. Naturally,
it is related to the required quality (if simply nice, elegant or deluxe etc.).
- RENTAL PERIOD, with indication of the dates of arrival and departure, a very
important detail, as it determines the AVAILABILITY and also the PRICE (different
seasons).
We will reply to you promptly as soon as we receive your message. We will inform
you about property availability and prices. Thank you.
The great advantage of our rentals it that prices are ALL INCLUSIVE. There is a BIG difference between an all inclusive price and one made of rent + taxes + utilities + cleaning fees which the large majority (if not all) of proprietors and agencies charge. Our prices include:
- paperwork, taxes.
- professional assistance upon your arrival (check-in), during your stay, and at your departure (check-out). We will give you information on the quarter: grocery stores, transport etc.
cleaning fees (the property must be left though in good order) at the beginning and at the end of the stay, and every week for weekly rentals.
- linen/towels/soap bar supply.
- in some selected properties, an additional mid-week cleaning and change of linen/towels/soap bar is included in the price.
- utility consumption with generous limits or allowances. Electricity: 16-20 kWh daily average for 2 persons, 18-30 kW daily for larger groups - depending on the property. Gas: 2 cubic meters - in Summer, 5/9 MC in Winter, depending on the property. If the limit is exceeded (it is quite unlikely), the excess is paid according to the normal current Italian fares: 0.2 Euros (app. 24 cents) per kWh and 0.7 Euros (app. 0.83 US$) per MC.
The electricity and gas consumption allowances are just measures to protect proprietors from abuse caused by tenants, just as our all inclusive price is a way to protect tenants/customers from possible added fees which easily become traps in the rental activity.
Beware: the large majority of proprietors and rental agencies in Rome (including foreign ones) will make you pay the utilities at a higher price than it actually costs: 0.3 Euro per kW and 0.8-1 Euro per MC, making a side profit.
- Outgoing phone calls are not included, and are billed according to the customary Italian fares (0.11 Euro - app. 13 US cents currently per unit, a standard Italian measure of appr. 4 minutes of local phone calls).
We offer many side services:
- professional car service, with pick-up at the airport or train station to the
apartment or viceversa with courteous, dependable, English speaking driver
and comfortable cars. Fares vary depending on the type of car and the distance
covered.
- our car service company can organize daily excursions near Rome (Roman Castles,
TIvoli Villa d'Este, Hadrian's Villa etc.), to Umbria (Assisi, Orvieto etc.),
to Pompeii, Amalfi, Naples etc. Please visit the sister site about the car service
at
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The Eternal City is desirable all year round, for its unique richness and character.
Yet May, June, the first part of July, and also the second part of September
and October are highest season. There is great demand in such periods,
and consequently prices are higher. It is better booking as early as possible.
The same occurs - needless to say - in the Easter, Christmas and New Year's
weeks.
Other high season periods are the second part of March, the first part of April,
and also the Thanksgiving week (end of November). Practically there are
only a few mid-low season periods: January (after the 6th), February (with the
exception of St. Valentine's period Feb. 14), the second part of November (with
the above mentioned exception of the Thanksgiving week), and finally the first
part of December. August is a particular month: it is mid-season for weekly rentals,
low season for monthly rentals.
Back in the early 90s we were a cultural society of Rome University. At that
stage, following a philosophy of hospitality and of friendly, constructive international
relations we hosted European Universities members
visiting Rome for cultural reasons. The initiative was called "Eurohomes". Practically, guests stayed in homes offered to them at low cost, or on an exchange basis. In 2001 we created a new accommodation
service enabling visitors to enjoy the remarkable cultural and tourist resources
of Italy while staying in comfortable quality properties, as they are taken
care with attention.
We learned that each guest has different requirements, and a different interaction
with Italy and its society. We consider our mission meeting and satisfying such
requirements. Our reward - besides from seeing every day many satisfied guests - is
above all finding along the way many new friends from different corners of the
world, bringing our countries together.
R: This aspect is currently being prepared. The best way is to send or wire a 15% deposit to secure the service. You will settle the balance upon arrival. You will also have to leave a security deposit, i.e. a warranty against damage, returned at the end of your stay, before you leave the property if you have not caused damages (its amount varies with the property and the length of the stay).
Upon arrival at your property , you will settle the balance of the rent, by
means of cash (Euro, official currency of our rentals, or US$ or GBP),
or traveller's cheques. You will leave a security deposit, i.e.
a warranty against damage. Its amount varies with the property and the length
of the stay. It is returned at the end of your stay, before you leave, if you
have not caused damages.
We will not be able to reimburse deposits sent to book a property, to reimburse the commitment of the proprietors. The main reason is that
we would have to discard other requests to book the same property in the same
dates. You would not be renting a hotel room, but a unique property. Only hotels,
having many rooms, can offer you reimbursement of the deposit because after
being committed with you they can continue booking all other similar rooms.
However, in case of SPECIAL EVENTS, like for ex. attacks or situations as the
ones occured in September 2001, hampering or cancelling flights etc., our policy
is different. In fact in case the customers cannot come, the rental
is not considered cancelled, we simply credit the deposit to a future stay.
We do have very nice apartments in Rome, offered at reasonable prices, but we
rent for a minimum stay of one week. The sheer high cost of property in Rome,
together with the cost of our business, makes it impossible for us to rent for
a shorter term, which would imply a loss of rented days since people usually
book weekly periods. Besides, visiting Rome in a just a few days is next to
a waste of time, as it takes at least a week to see the abc of the countless
monuments or sights. There are more works of art, monuments and sights in Rome
then *any European town* and even more than in most European countries put together!
When you will visit Rome you will understand why the Romans say that a lifetime
is not enough to know it all. All the ones who visit Rome know well that
it cannot be worked seen with a fast tourist visit.
On the other hand we try to be hospitable and flexible. We generally try to put up these people in empty periods
between two rentals, please enquire.
Rome, like any western European town, is a "safe" place. When we Europeans hear
this question from Americans we do not understand what they mean, and some would
consider it a little offensive. We never use this expression. Sometimes there
are a few peripheral quarters were young boys might still mopeds or exceptionally
a car. If there is a robbery it is reported in the national news because it
is an extraordinary event. It is quite exceptional.
Moreover there is no racism (apart a few fanatics, emargined by all). Only in
the poor regions of Southern Italy (which is a different world in its own right)
there can be unsafe areas.
The only serious problem one can find in Rome like in any big European town with
many tourists is the presence of pickpockets. They are almost never Italian or
locals, but poor immigrants (the large majority of the lattter are honest though).
Their base seems to be the train station and they hit usually in the public transport
means, or by the sights. If one is aware and alert, taking all necessary precautions,
they will not harm him / her. Generally speaking, in Europe one can walk everywhere
between Rome and Stockholm at any time without being harmed by anybody. We do
not usually even think of this problem, although even in Europe there thefts,
pickpockets etc. are increasing.
References in Europe are not
highly considered for a number of reasons:
- it is consider that they interfere with the
private life of previous tenants of properties. They are hence considered inappropriate,
some consider them illegal.
- they are not an international criteria, but rather a frequent North American
habit (consequently regional). In Italy, on the contrary it is the potential
tenant who must supply references (!) We do not follow both criteria for the
same reason (they are not international criteria, but rather regional).
- references above all are a bad criteria: they can be organized dishonestly
by bad people in cahoots, telling you all they want.
- on the other hand, as mentioned, they violate the privacy of good people,
making them work for us too. This is considered unacceptable in Europe.
We have many people enquiring from
many countries in the world. Their preferences are very varied, and - applied
to a historical town like Rome with thousands facets - they cannot be handled
with a brochure, which is quite static. In fact a catalogue could be published
possibly twice a year, while our internet site, which is practically our catalogue
presently, is changed in some part nearly every day.
Our customers want photos, photos, photos... maps, descriptions, info etc. and
we can do this practically by publishing all this in our site (or separately
by e-mail), with a very hectic continuous feedback.
Check-ins are organized *directly at your property*. Some time before arrival
(normally 30 days), you should contact us informing us both of your exact arrival
time in Rome, and also about by which means you will arrive (train, car, airplane
etc.). Depending on this information, we will decide together a time for the
check-in at the apartment.
We will also give you all the necessary information about how getting to your
property from the airport or train station, with regular taxies or by public
transportation, or by using our dependable car service. If you require our car
service, following the agreement with the car service company, to avoid possible
misunderstandings and to have a complete picture of your arrival, you should
kindly fill-out the car service form, which you will find in this page of our
sister site: http://www.romecarservice.it/booking-form.htm (click
on the link to go to the page).
Check-outs (inspection of the property, return of your security deposit) are
performed usually the night before the morning of your departure and reconsignement
of the property. It is a simple procedure. The property is inspected briefly
about possible damages, the utility meters are checked to see if the allowances
were met, and finally possible outgoing phone calls costs are calculated. The
security deposit is then returned to you.
We can also book a taxi of car service for you avoiding language problems. Regular
taxies and the car service are available also for very early check-outs (i.e.
at night). Because the check-out procedure is organized in advance, this helps
in case you have to leave early in the morning.
Because we supply free individual assistance by E-mail, please call us during
certain times of the day.
Please call (Rome, Italy time): in the morning between 9:30 AM and 12:30 PM;
in the afternoon between 4:30 and 7:30 pm. Please do not call also on Saturday
nights and on Sundays. If you find the line busy, please call after a few minutes.
For your information: Rome time is 6 hours ahead the US Eastern time, 9 hours
ahead the US Pacific time, 1 hour ahead London time, 9 hours late compared to
Sidney time, and it is the same time of Continental Europe.
Click here to find the telephone number
During your stay in our properties, you will be given different phone numbers to call, and you will be able to call us during many hours on business days, including Sat. morning. You will be able to call on weekends should an emergency occur.
Housing in the centre of the most historical town of the western world (and
probably of the world, because although Rome is "only" 2750 y.o. its architectural
layout, monuments and sights developed constantly) is very expensive. This makes
large apartments very hard to find. Large apartments are "confiscated" by the
myriad of embassies, ministries, institutions, foundations, etc. If they belong
to very rich people, they do not rent them. The remaining are divided at some
stage in smaller apartments, and this happens particularly for those apartments
that are bound to rentals (to make more profit with them, as most people require
only a one bedroom, one bathroom, sitting room, kitchen). The consequence is
that in Rome's historical centre a two bedroom, two bathroom apartment is already
a large one.
Yet, since we are among the most active in the historical centre, we have the
largest apartments, including three bedroom, two - three bathroom ones.
You will find all the answers in this page of our site: http://www.romecarservice.it/daily-excursions.htm
We can also organize a car service to places of interest around Rome (Pompeii,
Capri, Amalfi, Assisi, Orvieto, Roman Castles etc.). Please enquire. We
also supply information about this matter when you will be in Rome.
In Rome's centre, i.e. the centre of the most historical town in the world,
parking is a problem. Even to enter in
the centre with a car you need to prove that you are a permanent resident of
those quarters, and it takes a long time to
have the permit even if you have these requirements. There are also no garages
in the very central areas, but in quarters near the centre. The general attitude
of both the authority and the people is to put every day new restrictions to
cars and to car
parking.
Probably the best thing to do is to park your car in a private garage, and forget
it using the excellent public transport and your feet to walk to all the sights
nearby (they will be just around you). Circulating in Rome - remember - is next
to suicidal, because of the chaotic traffic and lack of parking. Also Romans
have the same parking problem, not only the tourists.
The nearest garages, at the edge of the historical centre, are also very expensive
(about 18 Euros or more per day - app. 20 $). Another garage is that of
the Italian Automobile Club which is by the train station Termini, and it costs
a little less.
Although you could technically do it, as mentioned it would not be comfortable
to use the car from these garages to drive in Rome every day. However, you
could use it if you needed to go around Rome, for ex. for daily excursion to
Umbria or Pompeii, Hadrian's Villa or Tivoli.
During the end the year, beginning of the year holidays we have a specific booking
policy: rentals follow the Saturday to Saturday provision (this year Dec. 20 - 27 and Dec. 27 - Jan. 3, 2006. We must
do this because in this period there are three holidays: Christmas, New Year
and Epiphany (January 6th).
The groups coming for Christmas would like to stay until the 31th or so, the
ones coming for New Year would like to come just after Xmas. So the requested
periods of the two groups overlap. We would not be able to rent to all if we
do not set a rental provision.
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