Hotel Sole al Biscione

One of the most ancient hotels in Rome (with the beds to prove it) in a terrific location

A room at the Hotel Sole al Biscione, Rome

This is Rome's oldest hotel, and I'd swear some of the rock-hard pillows, sway-backed cots, and peeling wall linoleum date back to the day it opened in 1462. But, really, that's the only downside—and that's by far not typical of all the rooms.

Many rooms are in far better shape, with nicely-tooled, old-fashioned wood furnishings, and you get to pick your size: none are miniscule, but you can always trade up to a larger room for a bit more cash.

The windows are double-glazed, but that does little against the nighttime noise pollution from revelers spilling out of the bar-lined piazza at the end of the street (this joint is across the street and up the block a bit from the Hotel Campo de' Fiori); I'd request a room overlooking the garden courtyard.

Fourth-floor rooms cost a bit more because they drink in a rooftop view featuring a few Baroque church domes and a sea of TV aerials.

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Tips & links

Details

Via del Biscione 76 (Lower Tiber Bend) - Half a block north of Campo de' Fiori
tel. +39-06-6880-6873
www.solealbiscione.it
€€

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Bus: 70, 81, 87, 186, 492, 628; 116, 116T

Nearby...

SIGHTS

PLACES TO EAT

Dar Filettaro €
L'Angolo Divino €€
Hostaria Romanesca €€
Il Delfino € [quick]
L'eau Vive €€€

OTHER PLACES TO STAY

Rome hotel & lodging links

Useful Italian for lodging

English *(Inglese)*	Italian (Italiano)	Pro-nun-cee-YAY-shun
Good day	Buon giorno	bwohn JOUR-noh
Good evening	Buona sera	BWOH-nah SAIR-rah
Good night	Buona notte	BWOH-nah NOTE-tay
Goodbye	Arrivederci	ah-ree-vah-DAIR-chee
Excuse me (to get attention)	Scusi	SKOO-zee
thank you	grazie	GRAT-tzee-yay
please	per favore	pair fa-VOHR-ray
yes	si	see
no	no	no
Do you speak English?	Parla Inglese?	PAR-la een-GLAY-zay
I don't understand	Non capisco	non ka-PEESK-koh
I'm sorry	Mi dispiace	mee dees-pee-YAT-chay

Where is?	Dov'é	doh-VAY
...a hotel	un albergo	oon al-BEAR-go
...a B&B	un bed-and-breakfast	oon bet hand BREK-fust
...a rental room	un'affittacamera	oon ah-feet-ah-CAH-mair-ra
...an apartment for rent	un appartamento	oon ah-part-tah-MENT-toh
...a farm stay	un agriturismo	oon ah-gree-tour-EES-moh
...a hostel	un ostello	oon oh-STEHL-loh

How much is...?	Quanto costa?	KWAN-toh COST-ah
a single room	una singola	OO-nah SEEN-go-la
double room for single use [will often be offered if singles are unavailable]	doppia uso singola	DOPE-pee-ya OO-so SEEN-go-la
a double room with two beds	una doppia con due letti	OO-nah DOPE-pee-ya cone DOO-way LET-tee
a double room with one big bed	una matrimoniale	OO-nah mat-tree-moan-nee-YAAL-lay
triple room	una tripla	OO-nah TREE-plah
with private bathroom	con bagno	cone BAHN-yoh
without private bathroom	senza bagno [they might say con bagno in comune—"with a communal bath"]	SEN-zah BAHN-yoh
for one night	per una notte	pair OO-nah NOH-tay
for two nights	per due notti	pair DOO-way NOH-tee
for three nights	per tre notti	pair tray NOH-tee
Is breakfast included?	É incluso la prima colazione?	ay in-CLOO-soh lah PREE-mah coal-laht-zee-YOAN-nay
Is there WiFi?	C'é WiFi?	chay WHY-fy?
May I see the room?	Posso vedere la camera?	POH-soh veh-DAIR-eh lah CAH-mair-rah
That's too much	É troppo	ay TROH-po
Is there a cheaper one?	C'é una più economica?	chay OO-nah pew eh-ko-NO-mee-kah

Rome's hotel tax

In January, 2011, Rome began charging a hotel bed tax. This is the city's doing, and sadly it is not a scam.

The following tax rates are per person, per night for all guests over the age of 10 and can be charged for stays of up to 10 days:

1–3 star hotels: €2
4–5 star hotels: €3
B&Bs: €2
Apartments: €2
Rental rooms: €2
Agriturismi: €2
Campsites: €1 (up to 5 days)

So a couple staying three nights in a four-star room would pay an extra €18.

Some hotels have begun folding this tax into their quoted rates; others tack it on when you go to check out, so be prepared.

How long does Rome take?

Planning your day: Rome wasn't built in a day, and you'd be hard-pressed to see it in that brief a time as well. Still, you can cram a lot into just a day or three.

To help you get the most out of your limited time in the Eternal City, here are some perfect itineraries, whether you have one, two, three, or four days to spend in Rome. » Rome itineraries

Rome tours