Roomguide’s Romantic Guide to Cheap Hotels in Rome

The Eternal City of Rome is the ideal place to take a romantic winter city break and this November we have some great deals on both luxury and cheap hotels in Rome. Whether you’re celebrating an anniversary or simply need a few days away to rekindle the romance, there’s no better place to do so than the enchanting city of Rome.

We’ve picked out our top 5 romantic hot spots offering ultimate luxury and romance!

1. Hotel Romance

This hotel is sure to give you and your loved one a memorable stay in Rome if its name is anything to go by! It has elegant accommodation in the form of baroque style furnishings and a great location being just minutes away from the Colosseum.

2. Hotel Camp De’ Fiori

Boasting stunning views of the historic centre of Rome, this romantic boutique hotel is located in one of the city’s most popular squares. Covered in lush ivy on the outside and filled with antique furnishings inside, the hotel also has a multi-level terrace giving guests a panoramic view across the Italian capital.

 3. The Duke Hotel

The Duke is the perfect grown up retreat located in Rome’s exclusive Villa Borghese area. With beautifully decorated rooms and an onsite Italian restaurant, you won’t want to leave the hotel! The nearby Villa Borghese Park is also the ideal place for romantic evening strolls.

4. Hotel De Russie

This five star luxury hotel is a favourite with couples as well as famous names like Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt! The bedrooms have a mix of classic and contemporary styles with city or garden views. The gourmet restaurant offers traditional Roman fused cuisine with international flavours and the bar was recently presented with the Prix Villegiature ‘Best Bar in Europe’. Couples can relax in the sauna and Turkish bath or revitalise with a massage.

5. Atlante Star Hotel

The highlight of this luxurious hotel is the rooftop restaurant where you can enjoy magnificent views of St Peters Basilica while you eat. Set in the heart of Rome’s historic centre, the Atlante Star offers smart and stylish rooms with vintage floral wallpaper and extravagant furniture as well as marble bathrooms.

Take a look at more of our luxury and cheap hotels in Rome.

Christmas Shopping in Birmingham

Whether you like it or not, the Christmas countdown has begun and if you haven’t already you will start to see shop window displays filled with snowflakes, lights, tinsel and all things festive! Roomguide currently have some great deals on cheap hotels in Birmingham so you can start your Christmas shopping in one of the UK’s top shopping cities. To help you get the best out of your Birmingham shopping experience, we’ve narrowed down the best places to fill your stockings this year!

Bullring

One of the largest shopping centres in the UK, Bullring is right in the heart of the city with over 160 stores.  The centre can be spotted a mile off thanks to the iconic architecture of the Selfridges building, inspired by a Paco Rabanne sequinned dress. Since opening in 2003, the Bullring has transformed the cityscape of Birmingham and brought with it an eclectic mix of high street brands and designer names. With stores like Debenhams, Hollister, French Connection, Apple and Next, the Bullring has everything you’d want from a shopping centre, and more.

The Pallasades

The Pallasades is the place to go for great bargains and value for money this Christmas. Situated above Birmingham New Street Station, the centre has a mix of fashion, sports, beauty and electrical. Stores include Peacocks, Clintons, The Perfume Shop and Poundland.  

The Mailbox

The Mailbox is Birmingham’s premier shopping destination, with an extensive range of top stores, restaurants, café bars, salons and spas. It is known for its stylish shopping for men and women with stores like Harvey Nichols, Jaeger, Hugo Boss and All Saints and exclusive eateries including Strada, The Oriental, Zizzi and Cote Brasserie. The Mailbox is also home to two world-class hotels – the exclusive Malmaison Hotel and the popular Ramada Hotel.

Jewellery Quarter

40 % of all UK jewellery is made in Birmingham’s unique Jewellery Quarter. Home to more diamond rings and tokens of  love than anywhere else, it is the perfect place to grab a special present for a loved one this Christmas. Many shops have their own craftsmen and women, so if you are not tempted by the wide variety on offer you can commission something to your own design.

Start planning your Christmas shopping trip and book one of our cheap hotels in Birmingham.

Top 5 Free Things to Do in New York

With so many famous landmarks, exclusive shops and a world class entertainment scene, the Big Apple isn’t the cheapest of places to visit and this can sometimes be off putting for visitors. At Roomguide, not only do we have hundreds of cheap hotels in New York, we’ve compiled a list of some of the top free things to do in the city, so you don’t have to break the bank!

1. Stroll through Central Park

With 843 acres of gardens and lakes, you can experience New York’s backyard for free! With plenty of adventure playgrounds, important memorials and beautiful sculptures, it’s the ideal place to relax.

2. Eat Pizza at The Mark Bar

Everyday from 6pm, you can stuff yourself with free pizza and on Sundays you can shake off that hangover with complimentary coffee and bagels from noon!

3. Ride the Staten Island Ferry

The ferry itself is nothing to write home about, but it is completely free and offers tourists spectacular views of the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge and New York Harbor!

4. Visit the New York Public Library

A trip to the library may not strike you as a very exciting way to spend your time in New York but you’ve never been to New York Public Library. Not only is it a piece of architectural beauty, it has a range of extensive collections and visual exhibits as well as a number of music and dance performances.

5. Enjoy a concert at Bryant Park

Bryant Park is one of the city’s premier outdoor cultural locations and free concerts are performed here during the summer including music, dance and movie events.

Take a look at all of our cheap hotels in New York.

World Capital of Pop

Renowned for being the birthplace of The Beatles, Liverpool is labelled as the World Capital of Pop having more No.1 singles than any other city! First came the Fab Four, Elvis Costello and Echo and then it was Frankie goes to Hollywood, The Christians and The LA’s and most recently The Coral and The Zutons. These great artists have put Liverpool on the world map as a music machine! At Roomguide, we have plenty of cheap hotels in Liverpool so you can retrace the roots of all your favourite music icons.  As well as the glittering array of musical talent, Liverpool plays host to a number of musical events and festivals throughout the year including the Matthew Street Festival and Liverpool Summer Pops. The Echo Arena is also the city’s major hub for music concerts and events with the likes of Rihanna, Katy Perry and Cliff Richard due to play here this month.

The Beatles Story

With the newly opened ‘Elvis and Us’ exhibition opening this week at Liverpool’s major music attraction, The Beatles Story, we thought we’d tell you a bit more about Liverpool’s main music magnet. Situated at the Albert Dock, the award winning Beatles Story allows visitors to relive and discover the worldwide fame and fortune of the greatest band of all time.

The journey begins in the 1950’s at Woolton Village Fete when Paul McCartney met John Lennon. Fast forward and you’re in Hamburg, three years later watching the fab four play at the notorious Star Club. You can then step into the famous Cavern Club of Liverpool and take a peek behind the scenes at Abbey Road Studios in London. Chill out and relax in the psychedelic era and embark on an underwater trip in the Yellow Submarine. Then it’s time to witness the break-up of the band, their solo careers and the everlasting legacy that remains today. What’s more there’s a Fab4 Store, a 4D experience and the John Lennon Monument. The latest addition is ‘Elvis and US’ – an interactive experience with music video and artefacts of Elvis Presley and The Beatles. One of the key elements of the exhibition is the focus on the evening that both legends met in person on August 27, 1965. The main centrepiece will be the white Fender bass guitar played by Elvis and The Beatles at this meeting. Visitors can also see the King’s rhinestone-encrusted jumpsuits and the shirt he wore in Jailhouse Rock!

Book one of our cheap hotels in Liverpool because ‘after a hard day’s night’ you’ll need it!

Top 5 Things to Do in Venice

Located in northern Italy, Venice really is one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in the world. It’s also one of a few cities in the world that can be described as truly unique, where main streets are the canals, the cars are gondolas and the mixture of Renaissance, Byzantine and Gothic architecture leaves you wondering if this magical city is actually real at all. At Roomguide, we have over 350 luxury and cheap hotels in Venice so you can experience the mystical canals, old bridges and architectural buildings that make this ancient city so memorable.

Here are our top things to do in Venice:

1. See St Mark’s Square

Piazza San Marco known as St Mark’s Square is a beautiful square, one of the best in the world in fact. Napoleon once referred to it as the ‘drawing room of Europe’.  Standing in the centre of the square is an experience in itself but if whilst you’re there be sure to visit St Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace and Torre dell’Orologio – three of the city’s most famous buildings.

2. Grab a gondola

A ride through one of the city’s picturesque canals is a must for anyone coming to Venice. The authentic Venetian Gondola ride will allow you to take in the iconic sights of the city from its famous waterways and as you float along your gondolier will serenade you with songs of love!

3. Lose yourself

If you’d rather not pay the costly prices of a gondola, lose the guidebook, pack up your map and explore! Walk around the quaint cobbled streets and discover the sights for yourself. Come across the Rialto Bridge,  one of the first bridges to be built across the Grand Canal and find the Bridge of Sighs, famously known as the last bridge prisoners crossed before their execution.

4. Head to the beach

That’s right, Venice has a sandy stretch all of its own! Take a Vaporetto from St Mark’s Square to the Venice Lido where you’ll find a completely different atmosphere. The Lido’s laid back character makes a change from the crowded city. Grab a sunbed and bask in the beautiful Italian sunshine!

5. Get a birds eye view of the city

At almost 99m (325ft), the Campanile is the city’s tallest building, originally built between 888 and 912.  The Campanile served both as a watchtower and a bell tower and today visitors can look out at the stunning cityscape of Venice.

Take a look at all of our luxury and cheap hotels in Venice.