This hotel was a great find. I must compliment the hotel on its friendly and helpful atmosphere.

First, location: We found the hotel to be a great location and excellent value for money. The hotel is located about 5 mins walk from the railway station (10 mins from the platform that goes to Rome Airport). This was incredibly convenient when arriving at FCO as we simply got the train into Rome and then walked to the hotel. Out of the station, go right up the hill and then turn left past just where the tourist buses all stop. Tip: There is a SPAR shop as you leave the station which has bottles of water for 0.39E rather than the 2.99E they are everywhere tourist corner shop.

The hotel was kind enough to allow us to drop our bags early, enabling us to explore Rome. This exploration is helped by the tourist bus stop at the end of the street the hotel is on. (Don't worry - it's a small side street and little traffic goes by the hotel).

You can get a open top bus pass for 2 days which will help with easy access down into the heart of Rome. For some reason some bus tours were twice as expensive as others - we choose the cheapest and it did everything the others did - the route is the same for all of them, they all give headphones to listen to the recorded tour guide.

Proximity to the station also means quick access to the subway. In the evening, if you want more convenience and lower price travel than a taxi, the subway is a quick way to get to various parts of Rome (but not all of it). One evening though, we walked to the Colosseum and back directly - it was pleasant and didn't take as long as we thought it would - about 20 minutes each way. Note: the subway only takes cash.

The breakfast was included in our rate and the hotel provided a large selection of food covering different countries food. I think they did a great job of ensuring everyone would find something they liked.

The desk staff were friendly and helpful. We were joking with them as we came and went. They made us smile while being efficient at their jobs too.

Other Rome tips - rather than buying lots of water, you can refill bottles from fountains all around the city. SPAR stores are tucked away hidden out of sight for the locals to use, but are much better value than the tourist stores that are on every corner. At restaurants, try and engage in Italian. The locals know you're a tourist and will often open with an English welcome - everyone speaks English, but we had much more fun when we tried to order in Italian, and it entertained both them and us :)

Back to topic - this hotel was a great find - our room had been upgraded within the last couple of years and was a clean European modern style. Not massive, but far from tiny. I arrived in Rome with the small concern that the Trip Advisor reviews were made up by someone, but I would rate the hotel as excellent - our room definitely exceeded our expectations and we would definitely visit again.