More about Grand Hotel Palazzo Carpegna
Galleria Accademia Nazionale di San Luca
by abarbieri
It is temporary closed for restoration but it should be ready by the end of 2008.
The Accademia di San Luca, (the "Academy of Saint Luke") was an association of artists in Rome, founded in 1593 with the directorship of Federico Zuccari, with the purpose of elevating the work of "artists" above that of craftsman. Also involved in the founding were Girolamo Muziano and Pietro Olivieri. Over the first centuries after its inception, Papal patronage and control dominated the institution. The academy was named after the evangelist Saint Luke, who, legend has it, made a portrait of the Virgin Mary, and thus became the patron saint of painters' guilds. It has for its modern descendant the Accademia Nazionale di San Luca
In 1605, Pope Paul V granted the academy the right on the feast of St. Luke to pardon a condemned man. In 1620s, Urban VIII extended broad rights to the academy to decide who was considered an artist in Rome. The academy came under the patronage of his nephew, Cardinal Francesco Barberini. It was he who installed Giovan Francesco Romanelli as Principe in 1638. In 1633, Urban VIII gave the Accademia the capacity to tax all artists as well as art-dealers, and monopolize all public commissions. These latter measures raised strong opposition and apparently were poorly enforced.
The Academy is still active. From the very beginning the statutes of the Academy directed that each candidate-academician was to donate a work of his art in perpetual memory and, later, a portrait. Thus the Academy, in its modern premises in the sixteenth-century Palazzo Carpegna has accumulated a unique collection of paintings and sculptures, including about 500 portraits, as well as an outstanding collection of drawings.
Just like Anne Frank . . .
by TripAdvisor Member Aaronski
Just like Anne Frank we had a terrible time in the attic . . . at the Hotel Domus Mariae in Rome. And to add insult to injury the Gestapo hadn't left and were working on reception in the lobby.
If you're tempted to book this hotel, make sure they don't put you on the 4th floor. It is an attic converted with cheap student accommodation and is noisy, cramped and basic. Floors 1,2,3 are okay and if you get moved there as we did for night 2 the rooms are a lot smarter.
Take some ear plugs and have your brekky at the local cafe.
Hotel Domus Mariae. . .missing you already!
A very bad choice !!!!
by TripAdvisor Member DEBBIE88
We are just coming back, we were staying at this hotel between the 2 and 9 May 2004.
Unfortunetely we've discover your website and the comments about this hotel after booking the Domus Mariae Hotel.
All the negativ critics are true :
- No services
- No kindness
- you always have the impression to disturbing the personnal at the front desk
- Not very clean
- The room = 2 stars
- Very noisy
- the breakfast cost 12 euros per person, but is so bad quality, that we had have our breakfast outside
- you just have the lobby and outside which looking nice but who cares when the quality doesn't exist for the rest....
- we rent a scooter....but if you go there just for a cuple of days you will waste your time to join the city center.....
Conclusion : forget this kind of hotel!!!!!
Why so fussy?
by A TripAdvisor Member
Just got back today from the HDM and have to admit I was anxious after reading some of these reviews. Having been, I wonder why some people are just so picky. We had a 4th floor room and yes it did have a skylight, but I don't go on holiday to spend all my time sitting looking out of the hotel window. The skylight worked, could be opened, was electronically controlled had a Very good blind which blocked all extraneous light - it fact the room could have operated well as a dark room. There was also air conditioning, bidet and shower. I would hardly describe this as basic, as some of these comments had. The room and beds were comfortable and the cleaning and towel change were done daily. Admittedly breakfast was a bit pricey, but you could fill up for the day if you wished and you weren't forced to attend. There were plenty of places to eat nearby. The public transport connections were excellent and utilising train, tube, bus and tram we could reach almost anywhere in the city without a long walk. All in all very good value for money
TIP to get from the airport, catch the slow train to Trastevere, change there and catch a local train 2 stops to Valle Aurelia. It's an interchange station with the Metro or else a €8 taxi ride to the hotel.
Better than I thought it would be
by A TripAdvisor Member
After reading so many mixed reviews, I did not have high expectations for this hotel, so we were pleasantly surprised. The first wrong impression I got was that this hotel was in the "suburbs" of Rome. It might be in the outskirts, but not the suburbs. Everything surrounding the hotel was very urban. The other wrong impression I got was that it was very far from the metro station and hard to find. It was extremely close to the metro station and easy to find. I also don't remember reading anywhere that the hotel is also a convention center. Oh well, didn't bother us. I was expecting a hard time at check in, and the first man who greeted us asked us our name and then proceeded to ignore us for about 10 minutes without giving us any indication until the very end that he intended to help us at some point. Based on the reviews, I requested a window, and he said "your reservation was for a double room." I didn't realize that a window and a double room were mutually exclusive, so that was confusing. But then he left and we were helped by a cheerful lady and the rest of the check in went smoothly. We thought it was weird, though, when the porter saw us as we were coming up the steps, he went in ahead of us (not holding the door or helping us) and then stood behind us for the whole check-in process and stopped the lady from giving us our room information so he could take us to our room and get his tip. A French couple who was checking in (or out) at the same time as we were was having a difficult time, and my parents and grandparents who joined us a few days later were not given their room until an hour and a half after they arrived, and we saw other people arguing at the front desk, so statistically speaking, it's safe to say that you will have check in difficulties.
But that was the last bad experience we had. We were very pleasantly surprised with our room on the ground floor. It had a flat screen t.v., very clean, modern decor, and the best bed on our whole vacation with a nice down duvet. It was also fairly large by Italian standards. But we visited my parents' room on the second floor, and my grandparents' on the third, and they were not as nice. Especially the beds: smaller, less firm, without the down duvet. But they were happy with their rooms, although my parents complained of a little construction noise. So, the best advice is: Ask for the ground floor!!!
And I don't see how Europeans especially can complain about this breakfast, which is very high by European standards. More than just a roll and coffee, there were several choices of meat, cheese, eggs, fruit, bread, and yogurt. We missed being served fresh capuccino, but since it's a large hotel we understood. Although we didn't appreciate being eyed suspiciously and asked what our room number was every morning before we sat down to breakfast.
As far as the location is concerned, we couldn't complain. It was much quieter I imagine than hotels in the center, and so close to the metro station that we took the metro everywhere we wanted to go. And its so close to the Vatican, which is arguably the biggest attraction in Rome anyway.
So yes, I would stay here again, but only if I could guarantee a room on the ground floor. Although it seems like they're slowly renovating the hotel so all the rooms will hopefully be like ours was someday.
Don't do it
by A TripAdvisor Member
Just got back from staying in this Hotel (end of May, '04). The Hotel itself is very beatuiful and has nice grounds, away from the incessent Roman Traffic. Is near the Metro, although being the 2nd to the last stop on the Linea A, it is a bit on the outskirts. There is a nice restaurant right next door.
HOWEVER, the construction still goes on, and unfortunately, one of the things they are NOT renovating is thickening the walls. I could hear not only every hammer stroke, but people in the room above us walking, moving baggage, moving their chairs (no carpet on the floors amplifies this), we even heard the people next door turning on and off their light switches. I used ear plugs and could still hear normal conversations. made it impossible to get a good night's sleep. Most of the staff was typically indifferent, as well, but that's Rome for you. I would go elsewhere next time
rude staff, but otherwise ok
by TripAdvisor Member babyloniangirl
I have to agree with what is largely already mentioned, check in staff are extremely rude and unhelpful. Construction works are ongoing, and for whatever reason they try to always allocate foreign tourists to the wing with constructions...we managed to change our room after arguing with the receptionists and were moved into a different wing, very quiet and nice. nice modern rooms with flatscreen tv. next day recptionist tried unsuccussfully to move us back to construction area...which wasted ann hour of our time arguing...
although very close to metro and easy transport, we still found it a bit of a trk to go to most places.
breakfast was fine, fresh fruit would have been nice, but good selection and variety.
i definitelt would opt for something in the centre next time, just to make life easier without transport..
Excellent location for price!!!
by TripAdvisor Member MandyRingwood
stayed here for 4 days to celebrate our wedding anniversary.I went with my eyes wide open and had already read all the reviews.
I requested a lower floor room by emailing the manager direct before hand and we got the ground floor . our room was spotless and comfortable with a large bed . We had a flat screen TV although admittedley it is nearly all italian apart from the news and sports chanel. everything appears to be dubbed!!!. i did notice the echo of the floors and yes there is quite alot of noise due to the marble floors and thin walls .I did however take earplugs and was fine!!!
transport
when using the Metro get a BIT ticket from the machine or the little magazine shop sells them underground in the metro .it took us ages first time to get one but it becomes simpler.Easier to get from the ticket machine tho. which costs 1 euro this is valid for 75 minutes and the connections are through all of Central Rome so it is well located. you can use this on lines A and B .
We wanted a shopping centre and found one right at the end of the metro A line at SUBAUGUSTA and is called Cinecitta Due this is a shopping Mall and i saw no english there when we went . It is cheaper than central rome.it is approximately 25 minutes on the Metro but the only shoppijng Mall around.
advise .Cheaper than taxi is to If coming from Ciampino Airport probably worth getting the terravision coach (tickets in airport 8 Euros one way ) through to the Termini train station and catching the metro out to cornelia where our metro stop is. Tried doing the bus then train and it took forever however the metro is fast and quick once at termini. We utilised it all the time well into the evening and felt safe on the metros. thankyou tripadviser cheshire we used alot of your info which was correct and also went to the pizzeria near the hotel that looked like it was in a subway and dodgey but thoroughly enjoyed our meal here. if you come out of the hotel and turn right there are some shops and what looks like a subway go into it and don't be put offf by the entrance walk through the coach area and you will find a local restauarant it was resonable and we had a 3 course meal and lots of wine for about 40 euros between us . We ate out alot and found it to be reasonable but not cheap. at the colosseum metro there are some rather tasty Panninis which you can purchase and sit on the wall across from the collosseum . They are very filling and cost about 2-3 pounds worth it for a filler before you look round the colosseum!!!!!
tip have an icecream from the ice cream shop by the trevi fountain and sit and enjoy........excellent icecream.
Get a tourist map from the tourist information as soon as you get there it makes life so much easier.
if you need some websites i can recommend some for info on metro, basic italian and local transport,
i booked this hotel through the hotelclub costing with breakfast around £40 for the 2 of us which was well worth it.
Like most people the oitalians at the hotel weren't overly friendly but that didn't phase us,
Hotel room had a minibar but we preferred to nip acrosss the road to a little cafe nearly opposite that sold cold drinks and chocolate and then smuggle them back in
!!!! We found breakfast ot be fine and was included in our price so we weren't disappointed and unlike others we had no problems checking in and out!!!
unsure of the Doms Mariae
by TripAdvisor Member Peteram
Just back from 1 week at the Domus Mariae, Rome.
We ate 1 night in the ristorante but not impressed, the 'Meal Time' ristorante/pizza under the ground just outside the entrance was great value, good food and good service. I had no problems at check in (except for Mr Sour face, as described by my wife) or at check out - the female staff are much more pleasant.
Rooms are noisy with echo from marble but the lovely wine from the next door outdoor market is much more effective than earplugs, and probably cheaper at 2.95 euro a bottle. The Barman gave us 2 wine glasses which we kept in our room, there seemed to be no problem, I saw people take in pizzas openly.There is a lovely park at the back of the hotel but the access has been closed from the hotel grounds, you now have to walk a long way around.
The grounds are peaceful with lovely trees and shrubbery but not a single seat - just keep strolling.
Italian people are very friendly, many in Rome speak english, I loved Rome , the hotel was ok, similar to France but a long way behind Irish Hotels
(maybe I'm biased).
Photos
Grand Palazzo Carpegna
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