Creative Commons licensePhoto by flickr user Andrew Baggott

Visitors have flocked to Rome, the 'Eternal City', since the Middle Ages, when pilgrims journeyed to the centre of Catholicism. Later tourists have been captivated by the city's ancient sites (its rich heritage as headquarters of the Roman Empire) and the legacy of the great Renaissance artists. There are surprisingly few purpose-built hotels in Rome. Most are housed in old buildings: mansions, palazzi, villas. Take your pick. But first decide on the location. Would you rather be near the Spanish Steps, a magnet for travellers, where you normally pay a premium for a room, but convenient for sight-seeing and shopping? Or around lively Campo di Fiori, with its market and cafes? Or across the Tiber in buzzing Trastevere? Or beyond the centre, where arguably you get the best value for money? Here are our choices. Their order bears no reflection on our preference.

Written by Nicky Swallow