STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

When we've gone, we've stayed at the Hotel Navona, which is right next to the Pantheon, and that's the area I recommend (Near Piazza Navona, Pantheon).  Can't say that it's a cool hotel, though.  Just a basic hotel (absolutely no frills), but it has a/c.  It is run by an Austrian family. That is a very expensive area, and it was the cheapest of those around it.  It is a WONDERFUL location.  You can walk to all the major tourist points from there.  We took the train into Rome and took a cab to our hotel.  The only other times we needed a cab was going to Vatican City and back to the station.  We hoofed it for everything else (and I was 8 months pregnant at the time).   As far as restaurants go, I'm afraid I can't be of much help.  We had our 2 year old (at the time) with us, so we didn't eat at too many upscale restaurants.  We did find a fabulous Greek restaurant, and I know I wrote the name down somewhere.  We were living in Italy then, and were looking for food other than Italian, so we ate Chinese, Greek, and I hate to say it, but we ate at the Hard Rock Cafe and McDonalds a few times.  I missed big fat cheeseburgers with American cheese and iced tea!!!

Here's the link to the hotel we stayed at.  I just noticed they own another hotel nearby.  Looks nice...

http://www.hotelnavona.com/English/Navona.htm

HTH!

When I was in Rome I stayed in a hostel, but I think near the Pantheon sounds like a great place to stay!  There's lots of great leather shopping around there, too .  There's a great gelato place just a five minute walk from the Pantheon itself that I can recommend.  Also, there's an amazing Pizza place in the Jewish "Ghetto" (nickname, not really a ghetto as we know it, haha) that's very authentic and trendy among the locals.  My bff and I were travelling together, and it was one of the highlights of our trip - everyone was very friendly to us, even though we didn't speak English, we got a great taste of local life, it was cheap (less than 10 euros each for dinner!), and it was the best pizza either of us had ever had!  I forget what it's called, but I will look it up and tell you what it's called and how to get there.  You seriously MUST go!

Oops, look like I got here too late.  I was just there in November and loved it!   I recommend Boscolo properties for accomodations.  We stayed at the Grand Hotel Palace on Via Veneto because the aleph was booked but they are all beautiful hotels.  The location was excellent.  The staff was very friendly and they have a spa.

I have some great recommendations for food.  One place was recommended by one of the girls at Gucci.  It is about two blocks up and to the right from the Gucci store.  They have a ton of amazing salads, which we were dying to have after a week of pizza and pasta.  As far as dinner, we found two amazing places.  Of course I don't remember the names but I know I have a card for one of them - family-owned but fabulous, truly authentic food.  One of the local guys that we met (established artist) has been going there for years.  Doesn't look like all that from the outside but the food was so divine my mouth is watering just thinking about it.  The other place was more trendy and packed.  The food was less traditional but so good too.  

Whatever you do stay away from the tourist traps.  There are way too many good restaurants out there!  Do try having a slice of pizza off those small cafes, it'll be a couple of bucks at most and so good for a quick lunch. 
Last but not leat, you must have Nutella gelato if you can find it.  It's amazing, much better than the regular hazelnut kind.  

Okay, I'll try to look these names up tonight - hopefully I wrote them all down somewhere.  I'll get back to you if I do.  Have fun!