10 incredibly cheap hotels in Rome, picked by a local expert

Located in a refurbished early 20th-century building, Condominio Monti combines Italian hospitality with fresh design and promises a memorable stay. Cosy single rooms are offered at a great price point for solo travelers, while families can opt for spacious quadruple rooms which have separate sleeping areas with a handy wardrobe divider. The Suite is the best "room" in the house with a small kitchen and a large private terrace with views of the Colosseum. The aesthetic, meanwhile, is highly Instagrammable with handcrafted wallpaper, colorful furnishings and retro-chic appliances. Guests will also enjoy dining at Condominio Monti’s numerous outlets. Osteria Oliva, the hotel's ground-floor osteria, serves up Roman classics in a cosy setting with small wooden tables and a well-stocked bar. You should also head to the rooftop Spritzeria Monti which specialized in Aperol Spritz variations. 

The mood: Neighbourhood chic with a view. 
Location perks? It's set along Via dei Serpenti, one of Rome’s prettiest streets, perfectly positioning you to explore Rome while enjoying a true neighborhood experience.
Budget range? Around £150 a night for a double room. 
Time Out tip: If you visit Rome during the summer, opt for an evocative night tour of the Colosseum to beat the heat.

Housed inside a former church convent that dates back to 1122, Relais Le Clarisse is a homely hotel in the heart of Trastevere. Given the historic nature of the building, each of the 18 rooms comes with a slightly different layout, but all have classic terracotta floors, wrought iron beds, AC, minifridges and eco-friendly olive oil toiletries in the modest marble bathrooms. The basic double rooms run a little small, but there is a charming inner courtyard filled with olive trees and grapevines where guests can stretch out.

The mood: Country cottage vibes.
Location perks? The Trastevere neighbourhood is full of options for drinking and dining along picturesque cobblestone lanes.
Budget range? From £130 per night.

Set on a pedestrianised street a few minutes from St Peter’s Square, Hotel Della Conciliazione is a contemporary hotel in one of Rome’s oldest neighbourhoods. With lots of natural light and bright ikat print touches, the décor stands out as decidedly modern among the other relatively old-fashioned interior decoration trends in most other Roman hotels. There are few added extras (no gym or full restaurant on site), but the hotel makes up for it with a generous policy of room upgrades and/or late check-outs for a small surcharge.

The mood: Crisp and chic.
Location perks? It's just a ten-minute walk from Ottaviano Metro Station.
Budget range? Just under £200 for the cheapest double room.

Set in the secretly trendy San Saba neighbourhood, The Corner Hotel has converted an Art Nouveau villa into 11 stylish rooms. Pops of colour and bold patterns dominate the décor, which also includes details unique to each room, like sleek black claw foot tubs or marble fireplaces. The penthouse suite is particularly impressive, but be prepared to huff up every flight because there is no elevator at this boutique hotel. The iPad controls for the lights and heating will please technophiles, while foodies can chow down at the garden restaurant on the first floor run by Michelin-starred chef Marco Martini. Many of the rooms have balconies, but there is also a chic rooftop lounge that serves excellent cocktails.

The mood: Modern Georgian style.
Location perks? The Colosseum and Roman Forum are just a 15-minute walk away.
Budget range? From £150 for two adults.

This cute and cosy guest house is right in the heart of the capital, within walking distance of the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Cavour metro station. The decor is a little dated, but the rooms are spacious and clean, with an en suite, small TV, desk space and hair dryer. Bonus: the longer you stay, the more money you save.

The mood: Basic but comfy.
Location perks? Coming from the airport? Let the Monti know and they'll arrange a shuttle service.
Budget range? Around £80 a night for the cheapest room.

Situated inside a characteristic townhouse from the 1920s, Suite Oriani has had many previous lives as the private home of a Texan oil baron and the former South African embassy. Today, the lovely villa has been converted into six spacious rooms brimming with antique period furniture and 1930s artworks. The bed and breakfast’s best features are its unique Art Deco frescoes and its large private garden, which is the perfect place to linger over a cappuccino before making the trek into the city centre, about a 20-minute metro trip away.

The mood: Cosy.
Location perks? Its proximity to two of Rome’s largest parks: Villa Borghese and Villa Ada, both of which are around a 30-minute walk away.
Budget range? From £150 a night (but 3-night minimum).

The stereotypical Roman façade of the building that houses iRoom Pantheon & Navona hotel gives no hint to the eclectic approach to design that the hotel has adopted for its 12 tech-smart rooms. Everything in the hotel is controlled by the in-room iPads and even the front desk needs to be reached by Skype rather than landline. In addition to the latest gadgets, each room also has a borderline gimmicky theme like the iWild room with its fake tents and camping décor, or the iSpa room with chromotherapy lighting and Turkish bath. The funky design helps to distract from the fact that the techy rooms run a bit small. 

The mood: Ecelectic.
Location perks? If the name wasn't enough of a hint of iRoom's location, the Pantheon and Piazza Navona are a five-minute walk away.
Budget range? Less than £100 a night.

When in Rome, live as the Romans do. The 11-room HiSuiteRome offers apartment-style accommodation on the charming residential backstreets of central Rome. Whether a suite or a full apartment, all the rooms have separate kitchenettes and dining areas that match the modest modern design of the bedrooms. A helpful concierge, free wifi, iPod docking stations and simple flat-screens round out the basic embellishments. Luckily everything else needed to complete a stay can be sourced within a few minutes from the small shops, bars and eateries on the picturesque lane outside.

The mood: Highly characterful.
Location perks? Major sights including the Pantheon, Piazza Navona and Castel Sant’Angelo are all reachable in ten minutes or less.
Budget range? Starting from £190.

The elegant Albergo del Senato has an old-world grace and attentive staff that make for pampered stay. The classic hotel is heavy on antiques, but they seem very much at home under the characteristic vaulted ceilings. While standard rooms are available, the split-level apartments are decidedly more comfortable. Oh, and did we mention the view? Many of the rooms at the front of the hotel offer unobstructed views of the Pantheon and the guests-only seasonal rooftop bar provides unbeatable sunset vistas.

The mood: Chintzy, but make it fashion.
Location perks? Situated on the same square as the Pantheon, there are few hotels in Rome that can claim to be more central than Albergo del Senato.
Budget range? From £225 per night for a double room.

Situated above Piazza Navona, Eitch Borromini Palazzo Pamphilj was once the 17th century residence of Pope Innocent the X. In 2017, the palace (which was designed by the famed architect Francesco Borromini) quietly reopened as a discreet 22-room hotel. The understated rooms have soaring ceilings and terracotta floors. Contemporary touches come in the form of modern art in the common areas, while the rooms are left bare to allow the impressive architecture to speak for itself. The crowning jewel of the palazzo is the rooftop bar, which has jaw-dropping 360º views of the domed skyline.

The mood: Palatial.
Location perks? Many of the rooms look out at the stunning Fountain of the Four Rivers.
Budget range? From £300 a night.