After multiple attempts trying to get a reasonable price, I finally won with a bid of $140/night at The Duke Hotel in Rome. September 14-18. I was hoping for something less. I know I could take an $89 offer on HOTWIRE out east of the city but preferred something in the central part of town. After doing some online research, and being told that all the hotels listed by Rick Steves were booked solid the days I was in town, I figured I'd better get what I could while I could. Maybe was too anxious but didn't want to take a chance. Online I found that The Duke discounts empty rooms to under $100 at the last minute but was not willing to take that risk. If you are in the area, you can check out their online deals. If I read the fine print, though, they charge "per person/per night" so maybe $140 is not so bad a price for my wife and me. I'll give a report when I return in September.
