This hotel was chosen as the place to stay one day prior to a cruise. While I have experienced…read moreplaces that I rate higher, this was not at all a terrible choice.
I arrived about 8am and check-in isn't until 3 p.m. Beatrice was the person to assist me - she verified my travel documents, briefed me on the hotel amenities, explained the shuttle, put my luggage in the luggage room, looked to have my room expedited and let me know where I could wait. At noon my room was ready and I received a key. One of Beatrice's counterparts, whom I shall not name, wasn't as pleasant to work with. Their demeanor wasn't as helpful or pleasant. My roommate felt the same. We had to request a second key only to later discover the 2 keys were deactivated (I presume accidentally), after we were exhausted from a day of exploring. However, a third person assisted with correcting this issue.
The hotel is about 20 minutes from the airport but I believe that my driver made it in about 15 minutes. It has a restaurant on-site for lunch and dinner and also a breakfast buffet which offers a 2-option buffet breakfast. There is a swimming pool, a small gift Shop which also sells passes for attractions and a shuttle that has 3 stops: the city center, The Coliseum and Vatican City. It is also host to a Conference Center.
The overall decore is simple and elegant. There are lots of places to lounge which is great for socializing. I imagine that it was absolutely gorgeous when things were new and shiny, however, the current "aging" and ambiance gives it an old charm feel.
The buffet breakfast is either Italian style - pastries, yogurt, cereal, toast, etc. or American style - includes the Italian options plus bacon, sausage, 3 styles of cooked eggs, pancakes, cheeses, smoked salmon, salad, fresh fruit, etc. And of course there are coffees, juices and water. The buffet is 7am to 11am and can be included with your reservation. Otherwise, the Italian style is 12 euros pp and the American style is 20 euros pp; this can be charged to your room or via credit card at the hostess counter. I found the menu to have a good selection and variety. Gvansta was working the days that I was here - she is nice and very patient especially when eager guests flooded the counter for check in. She remembered guests as they returned for subsequent dining. The remaining staff that helped with tables, bringing coffees, etc. were all very pleasant.
The room itself was ok. The temperature was too cold for our liking. My efforts to adjust the heat and have house keeping assist didn't work out as we had hoped. Eventually, we settled with just turning it off completely. If the stay was longer, I probably would have sought additional assistance from the front desk.
The room itself is modest with the basics and has a covered balcony adorned with 2 chairs and a table. The view was okay, mostly beautifully green grass and trees with buildings in the background. The bathroom is spacious.
Overall I didn't find the place to be glamorous yet it has sufficient amenities, reasonable accommodations, mostly a good staff. It is airport accessible and the low-cost shuttle makes it attraction accessible. For a brief stay pre-cruise it met expectations and I would consider staying again under similar circumstances.