After a no-fuss check-in, I got to my room, which was refreshingly ... wine Vagabond-style, sit back and watch the starlings darting about in the evening. At night, Rome glows.

For spring break this year, I took my 9-year-old daughter to Rome for four nights as part of a bigger trip to Italy. I decided we deserved a major splurge and booked a deluxe room with a park view ...