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Times
5 days ago
- Times
14 of the best affordable hotels in Rome under £150
Rome's history really does spill into daily life — and a short walk can bring you face to face with the Pantheon's vast dome, the Colosseum's jagged curve, or the Trevi Fountain's shimmer of coins. You'd be forgiven for thinking that staying amid such splendour must come at a steep cost, but living well in Rome doesn't have to mean spending big. Yes, there are Vespas to rent, truffle-slicked pastas to try, and Negronis that deserve your attention, but cutting corners on accommodation doesn't mean compromising on character or location. Rome offers a generous mix of budget-friendly hotels with serious charm, many set in historic buildings with enviable postcodes. So, whether you're drawn to the vibrant backstreets of Monti, the local charm of Trastevere or leafy Quartiere Trieste, Rome has plenty of characterful options for under €150 a night. And with 2025 being Rome's Jubilee Year, now is the ideal time to visit. Main photo: Generator Rome This article contains affiliate links. Our travel journalism is written and edited by independent experts to inform, inspire and advise our readers about the best choices for your holidays. We also feature properties and itineraries from a specially selected list of trusted operators. These buttons and adverts are clearly signposted, and provide direct links through to external sites. If you click and buy a product, we may earn revenue. Best for access to green spaces Part of the Marriott megabrand, this four-star hotel compensates for its relatively far-flung location with the standard of service and facilities you'd expect at a major chain. You'll find a fully equipped fitness centre and two restaurants — breakfast is at Pineto, while the Moscati bistro's outdoor terrace is the spot for post-sightseeing sundowners. There's a restrained palette in the bedrooms, some of which have balconies with views of Rome all the way to St Peter's. It's half an hour by public transport to the Vatican City cathedral, but the vast greenery of Pineto Regional Park is right on your doorstep. Spa NPool NPrice room-only doubles from £112 • Read our full guide to Rome Best for value The Generator brand is known for its design-led social spaces, and its Rome outpost doesn't let the side down. Guests can begin with a bargain buffet breakfast in the impeccably styled café, peppered with decorative tiles and pops of neon, and end with cocktails in a bar that falls somewhere between Chinese opium den and New York loft apartment. Set over seven floors, there's also a summer-season rooftop terrace. The 77 rooms include dorms as well as keenly priced private doubles complete with en suite bathrooms, attracting a diverse, all-ages clientele and generating (pun intended) a warm and inclusive atmosphere. Spa NPool NPrice room-only doubles from £85 • Read our full guide to Italy Best for families This 41-room hotel close to Rome's Termini station is part of Best Western's Sure Hotel Collection. The look here is pretty traditional, with draped curtains in golden hues and a smattering of chandeliers, plus classically furnished bedrooms. There's a pillow menu for maximum comfort, and family rooms that sleep up to four — the grown-up and kids' quarters are partitioned. Set within the cobbled and ivy-strewn streets of the Monti district, it's a ten-minute walk to the Colosseum, so well placed for a pitstop to revive tired children. Spa NPool NPrice B&B doubles from £122 Best for foodies Trastevere (meaning 'across the Tiber') is one of Rome's most picturesque neighbourhoods. A once working-class area resolutely on the up, its mostly car-free, maze-like lanes are now strewn with fashionable places to eat and drink. Keeping things old school is its namesake hotel, which prides itself on a traditional approach to hospitality. Guests rave about the friendly staff and the freshly baked pastries and blood orange juice served at breakfast. Rooms are comfortable, and the best overlook Piazza San Cosimato, known for its outdoor food market. Spa NPool NPrice B&B doubles from £139 Best for couples This romantic small hotel provides the feel of an upmarket private residence. Guests arrive in a family portrait-filled lobby before being shown to one of 21 decadent bedrooms decked out with brocade fabrics and gilt mirrors. Some have balconies or Jacuzzi baths, but the most evocative is the secluded 'tower room' with 360 views over Rome, including nearby Circus Maximus. In summer, breakfast is served in a courtyard garden, but various extras can be pre-booked year round — including shiatsu massages and personal trainer-led running tours. Spa NPool NPrice B&B doubles from £142 Best for architectural wow factor This address has serious kerb appeal, occupying the upper floors of an aristocratic palazzo that looks like it might've been lifted from the Accidentally Wes Anderson Instagram account. Inside the look is calm and restrained, its palette of creams and greys offset by pops of plum and teal. With just 20 rooms, staff are able to be super-attentive to guests, happily offering tips on their favourite spots in the neighbouring Monti district, ten minutes away on foot. It's directly opposite the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, and many rooms have a view of the church. Spa NPool NPrice B&B doubles from £129 Best for service The Lancelot's ivy-covered exterior feels like a gateway to another century, but it's the old-fashioned approach to service that really makes this family-run property stand out. Guests love the warm and attentive staff, with everyone from manager to maid going above and beyond. The hotel hosts regular 'round table' dinner events, while an all-day bar is open from morning espresso time to spritz o'clock. Rooms are simple, smattered with antique furnishings and Persian rugs, while private terraces on the upper floors offer Centro Storico views (it's a stone's throw from the Colosseum). Spa NPool NPrice B&B doubles from £146Best for city-centre location Only a five-minute walk from Piazza Navona and the Pantheon, this hotel is unbeatably central and rather lovely to boot. It's spread across several floors of an 18th-century palace, and the look inside is classic — vaulted ceilings and exposed brickwork in the breakfast room, trompe l'oeil frescoes in reception, plus wooden flooring and furnishings. A lift will whisk you up to the hotel's secret rooftop 'Spritzeria', where Aperol is served with a view along the historic Via dei Serpenti. The resident mixologist also provides cocktail-making courses, focusing on drinks invented in Rome. Spa NPool NPrice B&B doubles from £139 Best for inspiring interiors At this price it's rare to find a place that you might want to photograph and add to your home renovations mood board, but this hotel near Termini station employs the less-is-more approach to great effect. Guests are greeted at a reception desk housed in an ornate nook akin to a secular altarpiece, while velvet chairs dot the corridors and rooms are rendered in mood-enhancing shades such as calming sage green and soothing grey. The breakfast room is an unexpected aesthetic highlight, with vintage travel posters sitting above mid-century-style seating. Spa NPool NPrice room-only doubles from £125 Best for transport links This hotel's exterior is replete with architectural flourishes, but only its guests get to enjoy a morning cappuccino framed by its caryatids and columns. Inside it's fifty shades of grey, from the marble-floored lobby to the feature walls, curtains and headboards in the bedrooms. It's petit by name and nature, and the best of its 21 rooms have balconies — you can take your breakfast there, or make a beeline for the buffet. One minute from the Repubblica metro station, from here the rest of Rome is your oyster. Start with a short hop north to Villa Borghese, Rome's most celebrated park. Spa NPool NPrice B&B doubles from £127 Best for an inner-city sanctuary This characterful hotel is named after the painter and sculptor beloved by its owners, and his works dot the lobby. Set at the top of an anonymous side-street, the Modigliani is remarkably peaceful given its central location — an eight-minute walk from the Spanish Steps. Guests are greeted with a free welcome drink and snacks, served in a flower-filled outdoor courtyard or the art deco-inspired lounge. The 23 guest rooms have been recently renovated, and there's also a lovely two-bedroom apartment for families which can sleep up to six. Spa NPool NPrice B&B doubles from £130 Best for facilities If you've got your heart set on a few laps before your flight home, consider booking one of the 316 spacious rooms at this resort near Fiumicino Airport. It's set within rolling gardens and surrounded by sun loungers, and the sizable swimming pool will add much-needed R&R to even the briefest Roman holiday. The sights downtown can be reached within half an hour by public transport or shuttle bus, but be sure to conserve enough energy to make use of the fitness centre, sauna and 27-hole golf course. Spa NPool YPrice room-only doubles from £105 Best for peace and quietThis charming century-old property in the Nomentano neighbourhood used to count Mussolini among its neighbours — nearby Villa Torlonia was the Italian dictator's official residence during the 1920s and 30s. Still grand and smattered with green, the area now benefits from a metro stop that will get you to the sights in ten minutes. The hotel's pink and palatial exterior gives way to a chequered marble lobby and elegant, generously proportioned rooms, several of which have garden views. In fine weather, breakfast is served on a panoramic terrace, also an enticing spot for a sundowner. Spa NPool NPrice room-only doubles from £137 Best for bar-hopping Channelling the high style of Italy's fashion capital Milan, this boutique hotel looks much more expensive than it is. Guests arrive in a chic lobby with fireplace, landscape paintings and art deco-style chandelier, while rooms are painted in pared-back ice cream shades. After a disco nap on premium linens, swing by Milani's on-site bar before heading on to nearby Santa Maria Maggiore, home to some of the city's best cut-price drinking holes. Close to Termini station, the property is a half-hour walk from the Roman Forum. Spa NPool NPrice room-only doubles from £130 • Best things to do in Rome• Best hotels in Rome Additional reporting by Hannah Summers and Louise Roddon
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The Sun
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Hong Kong Developed Revolutionary Sauce EXOTICA UMAMI [EX M] Impresses Acclaimed International Chefs
HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 29 July 2025 - The new revolutionary flavour enhancer EXOTICA UMAMI (known to Chinese speakers simply as, 'EX M') continues to win admirers and impress professional chefs with its versatility, flavour and time and money saving capability. The flavouring agent's newest convert is Italian chef Paolo Monti of acclaimed Hong Kong's Wan Chai ristorante AMA. Chef Monti has decided to add a new refined dish to his restaurant's menu incorporating the revolutionary umami alternative in a new dish of grilled pork neck with mashed potatoes, seasoned and marinated with EXOTICA UMAMI. 'We will marinate the meat with the EXOTICA UMAMI sauce,' Chef Monti explains. 'Then we will leave it in a vacuum bag so the sauce goes through all the meat and it will impart its essence and flavour. We will slow cook it in sous vide for one and a half hour to tenderize the meat at 64 degrees Celsius before charcoal grilling it. 'To serve, we thin slice the pork, still warm, and sit it on top of the Exotica Umami vacuum marinated steamed rustic mashed potato. Then we add some fresh chives, some good extra virgin olive oil, salt, and finish with some pink peppercorn. A few drops of balsamic will add a little sweetness at the end.' The dish is presented at a professional tasting event on July 30th and Chef Monti will be serving his new dish at AMA starting August 1st. A native of Rome, Chef Paolo Monti has been one the top Italian chefs in Hong Kong for over 20 years, famous for his amatriciana pasta. In 2022, he opened AMA Ristorante to showcase his Roman and Italian dishes made with fresh and seasonal ingredients. It was named a 'Top Italian Restaurants' in 2024 by Gambero Rosso International guide. Timeout also listed it as among the best Italian Restaurants to try in Hong Kong. Monti took a special interest in EXOTICA UMAMI after learning the sauce is based on inspiration of the 2,000 year old Roman marinade called Garum. Instead of anchovy, its Hong Kong-based creator Dan Gan developed this new alternative for salt, soy sauce and MSG by mainly using pork instead. 'EXOTICA UMAMI is like a modern version of the ingredient, Garum, from Ancient Roman Empire,' Chef adds. 'However, contrary to what Garum was, I find Exotica Umami is quite simple and clear in flavour. It does not overpower, suitable for the modern tastes. I find its strong thyme smell very earthy, very easy to approach. Once I tried EX M, I saw the benefits of this ingredient so I decided to play with it and explore, and I think I will explore it more over time.' Where the traditional method of Garum generates an overly intense pungent aroma, EXOTICA UMAMI has a non-invasive and pleasant tone on the nose, reflecting the refined experiments and effort to develop a condiment that can suit any cuisine, which Chef Monti concurs. 'It's good for making modern, contemporary dishes because it's not an overpowering umami unlike many other seasoning products. In terms of flavour, this just gives me a little bit of a help to create dishes with depth and is tasty in less time. That's a big issue in Hong Kong. We are always in a rush, right? So in just a few minutes you can create tastier things and this sauce is easy to handle. It's not something that can be messed up.' Chef Monti appreciates Exotica Umami for its refined, non-invasive umami which in this case the subtle savouriness complements the richness of pork neck and creamy mashed potatoes, adding depth while preserving the dish's natural flavours. Monti values its versatility and linkage to many types of ingredients, making it a superior choice for contemporary Italian cooking. 'Exotica Umami multiplies the taste and it truly has its own character' says Monti. AMA Ristorante is at 25/F, 208 Johnston Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong. Tel: (852) 2117 9789.
CNA
16-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - A Letter to Myself: Joseph Ong's journey from humble beginnings to the peak of the F&B and lifestyle sector
CNA938 Rewind Joseph Ong is the founder, chairman, and managing director of one of Singapore's most established F&B and lifestyle companies — 1 Group, which owns and manages close to 30 restaurants and bars, including Monti, 1-Altitude Coast, 1918 Heritage Bar, Beesknees, and more. Joseph shares how his unlikely journey to success — which began in a rental flat when he was growing up — was paved with hard work and a fervent belief in collective leadership.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Europe Needs Less "Hypocrisy" to Be More Effective: Former Italian PM
Europe must rein in "excessive nationalism", and pay more attention to the Draghi Report on European Union competitiveness, according to Former Italian Prime Minister and Bocconi University President, Mario Monti. Monti says most of the obstacles that stand in the way of a unified single market are "in the hands of member states". He adds that defensive actions have been taken to "preserve political power by some governments" and that Europe must reduce the degree of hypocrisy in order to become more effective. Monti spoke to Francine Lacqua on The Pulse. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Bloomberg
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Europe Needs Less "Hypocrisy" to Be More Effective: Former Italian PM
Europe must rein in "excessive nationalism", and pay more attention to the Draghi Report on European Union competitiveness, according to Former Italian Prime Minister and Bocconi University President, Mario Monti. Monti says most of the obstacles that stand in the way of a unified single market are "in the hands of member states". He adds that defensive actions have been taken to "preserve political power by some governments" and that Europe must reduce the degree of hypocrisy in order to become more effective. Monti spoke to Francine Lacqua on The Pulse. (Source: Bloomberg)
