Rome is one of the world's most visited cities. Each year, the Eternal City welcomes over twenty million tourists, many of them from overseas. This makes Rome the third most popular tourist city in Europe after Paris and London. There's just one problem. There aren't nearly as many hotels in Rome.

The current count is about one thousand hotels in the metropolitan area. Paris has twice as many. What does this mean? Well, it means that hotels in Rome are generally quite crowded. The present occupancy rate is about ninety percent, year round.

For this reason and many more, millions of experienced travellers choose to book Rome vacation apartments . If you have never stayed in one, a vacation or holiday rental is really nothing more than a furnished apartment that is rented out on a nightly or weekly basis.

Why do visitors prefer them? In addition to offering more privacy, a vacation rental also provides guests with a fully stocked kitchen. This feature comes in handy when your wallet is getting a bit light after one too many Italian meals. It is also ideal for families who crave a taste of home. Other common amenities include laundry service, internet and cable television. Then there is the price to consider. On average an apartment rental is about twenty percent cheaper than a comparable hotel room. Not to mention the fact that most owners and agencies offer deep discounts for extended stays, often over a week.