If you’ve decided on staying in a hotel rather than an apartment, here are five family-friendly hotels with the added bonus of a pool. Hotels in Rome are undoubtedly pricey but we’ve found five with pools that won’t break the bank.*

*Hotel Prices this summer have already skyrocketed, Trova recommends apartments as the best budget option for families.

1 Fauno Urban Resort

Via della Fonte di Fauno, 31, / www.faunoresort.com/en

$$

Pros: this little hotel is a real gem: step through the gate and enter a green garden with a natural pool. It’s just off the Circus Maximus and a ten minute walk to the Colosseum. Located in the Aventino neighbourhood with good restaurants and cafes around the corner.

Cons: your kids have be 10 and over…(the website says 12 but there is some flexibility).

Family Rooms: two family rooms.

Best for: contemporary design immersed in a green oasis in a great location.

2 Mama shelter

Via Luigi Rizzo, 20 / mamashelter.com/roma

$$

Pros: This hip designer hotel has a games room with table football and vintage video games, a pizzeria on site and an indoor small pool. It has a rooftop bar and a DJ on weekend nights (be warned: this can get loud). The pool area is part of the spa with Turkish bath and sauna, but remember to book ahead.

Cons: location. It is close to the Vatican museums, but otherwise out of the way. You’ll need to use either the Metro or rely on taxis; luckily the nearest metro station is only a five minute walk.

Family rooms: adjoining rooms and quadruples available.

Best for: teenagers, cool design, price point.

Large outdoor pool on the gianicolo hlll

3 Grand hotel del Gianicolo

V.le delle Mura Gianicolensi, 107 / www.grandhotelgianicolo.it

$$$

Pros: The lovely outdoor pool is the draw here. The location could be a pro or a con, depending what you’re looking for. Whilst it’s located a little out of the centre, it’s a pleasant 30 minute walk to the Vatican and a 20 minute walk to the bustling neighbourhood of Trastevere. There are excellent restaurants and pizzerias and things to do in the neighbourhood and its close to the Botanical Gardens, as well as two beautiful parks: Villa Sciara and the enormous Villa Pamphili.

Cons: the interiors are a little faded and the service is slow. The location is inconvenient if you plan to do a lot of site-seeing. Public transport from here is infrequent.

Family rooms: some triples and a few doubles with adjoining rooms

Best for: lounging around the pool, enjoying the parks and views from the gianicolo.

4. Livia Valeria Palace Hotel

Via Giacomo Folchi, 8 / www.liviavaleriapalace.com

$$$

Pros: A new, small hotel with a charming pool and garden. The modern apartments are spacious and have a kitchenette. Whilst it’s out of the centre, it’s well served for public transport. The reliable 8 tram is on your doorstep as well as a bus stop to take you into the centre quickly.

Cons: out of the centre, but with reliable and efficient public transport.

Family rooms: apartments and adjoining rooms

Best for: villa life, spacious rooms, tram lovers.

Mercure rooftop splash pool with views of the Colosseum

5 Mercure Roma Centro Colosseo,

Via Labicana 144 / https://all.accor.com/hotel/2909/index.it.shtml

$$$

Pros: Location and views. The hotel is minutes from the Colosseum and has a small rooftop pool with great views.

Cons: It is apparantly a four star hotel, but the décor is tired and the hotel feels a bit down-at-heel.

Family rooms: only triple rooms.

Best for: being in the thick of things, rooftop views

Five family-friendly hotels with pools in Rome

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