My wife and I arrived by Taxi ( Rome Cabs that we booked in advance online ) and the driver stopped in an adjacent street (because you cannot get a large vehicle to the front of this hotel ) and led the way. Without the driver we would still be trying to find the place now , despite having some zoomed-in pictures from Google Earth with us! The reception guy was waiting at the door and was polite and friendly. We were led up a set of stairs to the first floor. There are about 6 rooms all on the same floor. We had booked the superior double room with jacuzzi spa bath. The reception area, and I use this term extremely loosely is a desk and chair next to a computer with a small kitchen area behind it occupying the landing and right outside the room we had booked. The walls are paper thin so you can hear the other guests coming and going and I could hear somone snoring all night! and the reception guy when he is on the phone and talking to the night porter guy when he arrives and leaves. Tip: take ear-plugs. The room was clean and looks like it was recently painted/decorated. The guy shows us the safety deposit box and tells me the code!!!! Tells me ? so I ask how I change it and he says " No, you must use the code I give You! " There was no way to change the code ! In 25 years of staying in hotels I have never been given a code to punch in that the receptionist knew and probably the night porter also. Anyways I fiddled around trying to see if I could change the code ( but could not when I noticed that the safe moved slightly....I then discovered that it was not secured to the wall. I picked it up and got the wife to take a photograph! ( See the pics I have included. ) Needless to say we walked around Rome for 5 days carrying passports, 700 euros and our plane tickets...unbelievable! Next the jacuzzi spa. It didnt work..no bubbles for us. When I complained they kept saying they would have a look at it later, finally on the saturday night ( second day of stay ) they said it would be fixed Monday...and yes you guessed it, it was never fixed. We asked that first night for breakfast at 8 .30 am the next morning ( it is delivered on a tray to your room ..see pics of breakfast ) . Breakfast arrived at 8!!! we were still asleep when the guy began knocking ! Wonderful! There are no keys to the outside door. The hotel reception is manned 24/7 and when you arrive back from a night out you ring the bell. The bell can be heard in all the rooms, so you know when everyone is back if you keep count of the rings throughout the night like I did. The bathroom is very small and to get to the toilet you have to be very careful you dont injure yourself on the window handle like I did when you squeeze passed in the middle of the night ( see more pics of bathroom , window handle, my injury ) and speaking of death traps, see the pic I have included of the small step leading into the bathroom. If you sleep in total darkness or have been on the wine you will fall/trip/stumble on this obstacle. So, what was good about it? The bed mattress was very comfortable. The room was clean and the location good. It was a one minute walk to the piaza navona and 2 minutes walk to the bridge crossing the river. I would not stay there again. I would not stay there if it was half price or they phoned me and said it was a freebie. They need to address the noise/privacy issue...come on! someone sitting right outside your room !! That was probably the biggest concern for us. A door bell that wakes the dead. No security for all you money and important documents, unless you want to use a safe that anyone can pick up and walk out with or you are happy to share the code number with a guy you know nothing about! no english speaking channels on the TV. , no proper tea bags, unless you are into earl Grey, an early morning call that is much earlier than you request, a couple of safety issues in the room ( step and wndow handle ). For the same money we could have got a 4 star hotel a couple of miles outside the city with a swimming pool....and this is our intention for the next trip.
