What a great stay! Hotel is super friendly. The service was top notch. Rooms are small, but have everything you need...fridge, waters, TV, wifi, clean bathrooms (very important in Italy as some bathrooms leave much to be desired). If you are looking for a room with tons of space and expect to spend leisure time in the room, then this may not be great for you, BUT if you are looking for a clean room, authentically friendly service in an area within walking distance to everything (Borghese gardens, Coliseum, Trevi area) then this is the place. Oh, and did I mention the staff and the great service?
LOCATION: You will need a taxi or bus to the Vatican, but everything else is within walking distance. There are many good shops and coffee bars around the block, and the hotel is situated right off of Nazionale which is a main strip for shops, food, etc. Literally, it was a 5 min walk to the Coliseum located to the south. 5 min to the Trevi area with tons of gift shops and some great little wine bars and restaurants, but be sure to wander off the beaten path as that is where we found some of the best places where the locals gather. Train station is only about 5 blocks. Don't bother with a taxi because the taxis are more hassle than it is worth. If you don't have too much luggage, then just break out a map and walk the 5 min walk.
AMENITIES: During our travels, we spent very little time in the hotel, however we wanted a good hotel, clean, good price, friendly service, great breakfast and this was the place. If you want 5 star service (room service, spa, restaurant, etc) then you will have to spend substantially more, but these services seem redundant when you consider that great any Italian trattoria or cafe is only a block away. Ask the people at the front desk about good coffee shops, wine bars and trattorias. They will give you recommendations for good local spots that you would otherwise never find and trust me, you will enjoy. This is so much more authentic than sitting at the hotel bar, right?
NOISE: We stayed on the front side of the hotel, and the rooms were fairly quiet. I have seen other reviews with complaints of noise, and if you are a very light sleeper, then you should expect problems at pretty much any hotel in Rome because let's face it. Rome is a bustling city and is noisy, but during night hours at Opera Roma, I felt that the noise level was more than reasonable. Some cars can be heard on the street, but for the most part, the street was quiet, and the noise did not penetrate the rooms.
ROOMS: The rooms are small, but most European accommodations are not spacious unless you are willing to pay the extra price. All in all, the rooms were perfect for my husband and I. The bed was large, there was a closet and safe. The bathrooms were very clean. Rooms had a TV, wifi and closets. The shower was very small (no bathtub in my room) but it was clean and functional. Water pressure was awesome! If you want a spacious room, then buyer beware because you will pay the additional price. We stayed at two hotels in Rome and the second we paid more and did have more room, but the cleanliness and service was lacking. I would definitely choose Opera Roma over the other. Probably not great for kids but I didn't see the larger rooms, and there were couples there with children of various ages, so obviously it is feasible.
BOOKING & PAYMENT: I recommend using the hotel website directly for booking or calling. They all speak perfect English and various other languages. Knowing Italian always helps when getting around Roma, however Opera Roma accommodated Asian, German and French travelers while I was there as well. Ask to pay cash for a discount. You will save about 10 or 20 euro per night.
LOCATION & AVAILABILITY: The sign out front is small, but if you find Via Firenze, then you cant miss it because the street is only about 2 blocks long and is situated on the left side of the Opera house. The owners also have Hotel Sonya a block away. Opera Roma only has a few rooms, so if Opera Roma is full, ask about Sonya as the staff and ownership are wonderful and Sonya has recently been renovated.
