An easy ten-minute walk to the Colosseum and other major sites (as well as the Circo Massimo stop of the Metro), the Aventine is a world away from the noise and chaos of central Rome and is a becalming sanctuary of peace and quiet. It is also home to several major sites such as the ancient church of Santa Sabina (the photo on the Home Page), the whimsical Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta, and the enchanting Parco Savello (also called the Orange Garden), which has a terrace with a panoramic view of Rome and the Tiber. My favorite of the three is the Hotel Villa San Pio, which consists of three nineteenth century apartment buildings that have been converted into an extremely fine three-star hotel, complete with comfortable lounges and shaded gardens for relaxing outside (see above photo). The nearby Hotel San Anselmo, the four-star flagship of the group, is a slightly grander and more expensive accommodation with smaller gardens and more ornate public areas. And just down the block is the three-star Hotel Aventino, which is much like the San Pio, with a secluded garden area. The service, cleanliness, and helpfulness of the staff at all three of these hotels is superb, and the reasonable tariffs, especially in off-season, make them excellent value-for-money. If you’re on a tighter budget, check out the Hotel Santa Prisca, which is on the other side of the Aventine and is somewhat simpler and plainer, although very tidy and clean (it was previously run by the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception for religious pilgrims)—it, too, has a nice outdoor area, although not as secluded as those in the San Anselmo Group. Finally, if you want to splurge and be in the thick of things, there is the first-class Hotel Forum, right in the heart of the ancient monumental area of Rome, although it is tucked away on a quieter side street, right next to the Forum of Augustus. Decorated more luxuriously than the above hotels, its public areas are inviting, and its rooftop restaurant, which is quite fancy and open-air during good weather, has a brilliant view of the ancient Forum and the early imperial palaces overlooking it. The rooms, while comfortable and nicely furnished, are on the small side, but you are literally steps from the Colosseum and the Piazza Venezia.