Stayed here for our three days in Rome based on a recommendation from Frommer's. Located in such a charming and calm part of the city, for the most part I enjoyed our time here. But there were a few drawbacks that made me subtract a star.
Cons:
-We had paid 50 euros to be picked up at the airport but the driver never showed up and we had to pay a taxi 70 euros to get to the hotel. They took the charge off the bill but still an annoying inconvenience and a bad introduction to a country we were visiting for the first time.
-If you get a room facing the small street which runs along the back of the building your bedroom window is only feet away from the traffic noise and people talking as well as the apartments across the street, one of which has a dog that barks at anything it sees pass by. The noise usually went away at about midnight. Not terrible but not ideal as you're trying to acclimate to the time difference.
-We had arranged two tours through the hotel. One to the Vatican, which was great, and another to the Colosseum. While they do speak English well at the front desk, our Colosseum tour had to be canceled because this specific tour company only offered afternoon tours of the Colosseum. The hotel didn't explain this when we booked the morning tour to avoid the afternoon heat so when we arrived the tour company told us we were going to other places we had already seen.
Pros:
-Location. You're only a short walk away from things like the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain and Piazza Novona. As I said above this part of the city was by far my favorite. It was busy but nothing compared to the Vatican or the area around the Colosseum and there were tons of charming shops and restaurants.
-The staff. Forgetting the snafu with our taxi and the Colosseum tour, in regards to the everyday staff, they couldn't have been nicer. Their English is very good although I recommend you make the effort to speak basic Italian because the locals seem to really appreciate this. When the woman at the desk heard our driver never arrived at the airport she was genuinely mortified and proceeded to call the driver and yell at him. I appreciated this lol!
-The complimentary breakfast they serve every morning from 7-10 am is absolutely delicious. We looked forward to it each morning. They serve eggs, bacon (different from American bacon but still delicious), ham, cheese, fresh fruit, breakfast breads, juices and coffee.
-The room was a bit small (the norm for Italy) but it was nice and very clean. The bathroom is modern and had a waterfall shower which I love.
-The price is an absolutely steal for Rome. You'll be saving money that you can use for meals or shopping. read more