I Pini reviews

We booked this location due to it's proximity to Rome, Wasn't expecting much from the park or accommodation due to what we paid, but we was pleasantly surprised. Being up on a hill in the Tiber Valley means it’s much cooler and breezier than the city. Watching the sunset over the hills with a pizza from the on-site restaurant was our favorite part of the day. We booked with Suncamp and stayed in a Sunlodge which had a large proper kitchen and even a dishwasher. When you’re constantly washing cups and snack bowls, having a dishwasher means you’re actually on holiday rather than just "parenting in a different location." Plus, the Suncamp units at I Pini are situated in the loveliest, shadiest spots under the trees, so the van stayed remarkably cool even when the Italian sun was at its peak.

Rome with a Toddler? Yes, it’s Possible! (2 Adults, a 3-year-old, and an 18-month-old)

We’ve just returned from a week at I Pini, and if you’re looking to tick Rome off your bucket list without the stress of staying in a cramped city hotel with toddlers, this is the perfect middle ground. It’s a smaller, much more manageable site than the "mega-camps" near Venice, and it feels incredibly safe and family-focused.

The Pros: Why it’s Great for Young Kids
- The "Laguna" Pool was the absolute winner of our 2022/2023 trips. It has a soft, rubberized bottom (no scraped knees!) and is very shallow, so our 18-month-old could toddle around safely. The castle in the middle and the wide "slow" slides were perfect for building our 3-year-old's confidence in the water.
- The mascot, Elfy, is a celebrity to our kids now. Even in the quieter 2022 season, the animation team was so high-energy. The mini-disco starts at a reasonable time for toddlers, and the playground is right next to the restaurant, so we could actually finish our meal while the kids played within sight.
- Rome is Easy. As you can imagine, we were terrified of taking two toddlers into Rome, but the campsite shuttle to Fara Sabina station was a lifesaver. You hop on a train and you're in the city center in about 45 minutes. It meant we could do "Culture in the morning, Pool in the afternoon"—the perfect toddler compromise.

The Cons: Things to Watch Out For
- If you’ve never been to Italy in peak summer, the cicadas in the pine trees are loud. They stop at night, but if your toddler is a sensitive napper during the day, you might want to bring a white noise machine!
- The on-site market is fine for bread, milk, and wine, but it’s quite small. For nappies or specific baby brands, you really need to drive about 10 minutes into Fiano Romano to the bigger Eurospin or Todis supermarkets.
- Like the parks name suggests (I Pini means "The Pines"), the site is set on a wooded hillside. It's beautiful but steep in parts. We definitely recommend a sturdy buggy rather than a lightweight "holiday" stroller for navigating the paths.

Our accommodation choice:

We stayed in the Suncamp SunLodge (Premium Mobile Home), and honestly, we wouldn't do it any other way now. The biggest benefit for a young family is the sheer amount of space and the high-end finish. Most campsite vans feel a bit "plastic-y," but the SunLodge feels like a boutique cabin. For us, the extra-large wooden terrace was worth the price alone. It was completely gated, which meant we could let the kids roam between the living room and the deck without worrying about them tumbling down the hillside.

A small and quiet campsite that we fell in love with! Pretty setting, with loads of trees. Nice pools, great outdoor restaurant. A good place to stay if you want to go and see Rome (we did and it was amazing!).

Nice campsite, which is a great place to stay if you want to see Rome on a budget like us. The campsite has shop for basics, but you are better off getting the free bus to the local village were there is more choice. There is a small pool at the campsite, but it’s more suited to splashing around than swimming.