Unique Convent & Monastery Accommodations in Rome, Italy

If you've ever been to Rome or are planning a trip to the Eternal City then you know how expensive accommodations can be. A unique alternative to the traditional Hotel or B&B is to stay in one of the many Convents or Monasteries located in Rome. We stumbled onto this a few years ago while planning our first trip to Italy and while we were at first a little skeptical, we very quickly realized that we were on to something. We used the Santa Susanna web site as a source and in short order we were communicating with various Convents about availability.

On that first trip in 2009 we stayed at the Villa Rosa Convent which is located in a quiet area of Rome not far from the Colosseum and the Circus Maximus. As you can see from the pictures the rooms are very large, have high ceilings and are impeccably clean. This convent is run by the Dominican Sisters and Sr. Christina who takes care of the reservations speaks excellent english. The Convent offers a simple breakfast and has kitchen facilities that can be used to prepare or store your own food. Sr. Christina is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to Rome and can offer advice and suggestions to aid you while touring the city. There is a bus stop located directly across the street from the Convent which makes getting around the city very easy. While some of the Convents in Rome will have a curfew the Villa Rosa does not and simply asks that you respect the other guests when coming and going. All in all it was a great experience and for 90 euros per night simply a great value.

As those of you who have traveled to Italy can attest, it can become very addicting. And so after arriving home from our first trip to Italy we immediately began planning to return. Our second trip took us to the PICCOLE SUORE DELLA SACRA FAMIGLIA, Casa Di Accoglienza Paolo VI Convent conveniently located right across the street from the Vatican Museum entrance. Once again the rooms were large, impeccably clean and also had air conditioning which can be a great asset if traveling to Rome in the summer. While the Sisters here do not speak english please do not let that stop you as they will figure out how to communicate with you and most likely entertain you while you are checking in. This Convent does not offer breakfast but does have a small kitchen area that can be used to store and prepare meals. There is a cafe and a supermarket located right around the corner which was handy. The grounds of the Piccole Suore Della Sacra Famiglia are very well kept and there is a very large patio located in the back of the Convent that is great for just sitting and relaxing. The metro and bus stops are a 5-10 min walk from the convent and if you are in Rome to see the Vatican then you are a 5 min walk from St. Peters Square and literally right across the street from the Vatican Museum entrance. We stayed at this Convent in Sept of 2010 and the cost was an unbelievable 60 euros per night for the room. I don't know how you can do better than this in Rome for clean, safe, air conditioned accommodations.

As most of the Convents and Monasteries do not maintain a web site the best way to contact them is through e-mail. Our experience with this has been very positive as they are usually quick to reply to inquiries. I should add that both of the Convents that we stayed in had elevators which may or may not be an issue for you. Just be sure to inquire if this is important to you. Also, make sure you inquire about curfews as some of them have a curfew as early as 10 pm. The Villa Rosa did not have a curfew and the Piccole Suore had a midnight curfew. There are web sites that will arrange stays for you at a Convent or Monastery and I have included a few of their links below. We have found however that the best way to arrange a stay at a Convent or Monastery is to simply communicate directly with them through e-mail.

Hopefully on your next trip over to Italy you will look into staying in a Convent or Monastery. They are located all over Europe and offer an economical, unique experience that's a little bit off the beaten path.

villarosa2000@libero.it

casapaolosesto@pssf.it