Subject: Budget Room in Rome
Hello Margaret,

In December 2000, I arrived in Rome on a holiday weekend and had great difficulty finding a room. With some reluctance I stayed at a "backpacker's" or youth hostel. It was called Fawlty Towers, http://www.fawltytowers.org and it couldn't have been a better experience. Rooms were spotless, and the native english speaking staff were very helpful. Private rooms were available, with or without private washroom facilities. It's a young crowd, but not a "rowdy" one. Further, it's less than two blocks from Termini Station, the central train station that runs a service directly to the airport. This proximity to the station might suggest that it's very noisy, but I didn't find that to be the case. The neighbourhood also has lots of "cheap and cheerful" places to eat, but I have no recommendations for specific restaurants.

Hope this helps! Alan