This was our first visit to this hotel and Rome - 5 days in the first week of August. Previous reviews on the hotel are both fair and accurate. The mundane exterior of the hotel hides inner opulence in the public areas and to some extent in the bedrooms. We found the conceige service slightly indifferent with no-one really willing to go out of their way more than they had to. Our hotel bedroom was large, very comfortable with excellent air conditioning. Though the bathroom had a bath with shower over and was otherwise well equipped it was pretty pokey in size measuring no more than 6ft x 12ft. Our advice would be to ask for a bedroom overlooking the swimming pool/garden which offers views across Borghese Gardens towards the Vatican and was in sunshire throughout the day. We were notified by the travel company pre arrival that the indoor pool and spa were closed from August to November but as is often the case basically had to go with it! We were however more concerned on arrival to find the hotel shuttle bus had been suspended given comments by others about the 20 minute walk into the city and potential incurring of taxi fares. Again it was very matter of fact - the hotel shuttle isnt working as the driver is on holiday so tough. The town was a 20-25 minute trudge each way to get into the town and with August temperatures of 30c + you were basically lathered with persperation before you even got into the town centre. It may be the time of the year and temperatures but the Borghese Gardens didnt live up to expectation - basically acres of woodland with threadbare grass and huge amounts of graffitti and damage. The park was frequented by more police than tourists probably due to a recent initiative (reported in Sunday Telegraph 10/08/08) to stamp out crime by vagrant communites following a recent murder. Breakfast in the hotel was fairly average with little variety and included standard fare of cold meats/cheeses/fresh fruit salad/fresh fruit. The only hot fare available was scrambled eggs and bacon pre prepared in large metal tureens. Regrettably as we were on half board we were disappointed and surprised that the evening meal menu remained static throughout our stay. Whilst there were options for starter, main course and dessert it soon became pretty repetitive though the quantity and quality was very good. If you are there for only one or two nights or try it as an alternative to eating outside the hotel it would be pretty good albeit quite expensive. Each evening we were given complimentary flutes of Cava to start the meal, and complimentary glasses of dessert wine to end the meal, additionally the waiters provided olive oil from different italian regions to savour with your bread which was a really nice touch especially for someone like us on only their second visit to Italy. In closing quite a good hotel especially if you want a pool and to be away from the chaos of the city in a relatively quite suburb. But be prepared to either hike into town or pay for a taxi if the shuttle isnt running.

As far as Rome is concerned I would highly recommend it though be aware of the high temperatures and humidity in August. The Vatican is a must. We travelled from the city centre via Metro (one euro each way) and found the trains very easy to use, quick and clean although as you would expect quite congested at peak times. Separately we took an open top red bus tour having used similar in Paris, but found the Rome version no-where near as good. Though it tours the sights it does so at speed presenting no photo opportunities. We found some difficulty in trying to co-ordinate the audio guide with the sites that you were looking at and more importantly found that once we had got off at a stop we had to walk some 20 minutes to a less popular tourist sites to get back on as they were all full. The red bus clearly feels no obligation to get you back on a bus once they have taken your money and it was only at the 3rd attempt that we got on a bus. Finally for any cat lovers - you MUST visit the cat sanctuary at Torre Argentine situated on the corner of Via Florida and Via Arenula. Free admission between noon and 6pm where you will see the fantastic work of Silvia Viviani and her supporters in caring for the homeless cats of Rome. A good experience in itself.

I was here for a business conference in Jun 2007 and added an extra day to top up my memories of Rome.

If you want to be in the centre of the city, with its hustle and bustle, noise and polluted air, this is not the hotel for you. It is in a quiet spot close to the zoo. My room with a balcony had a view over the pines of the Borghese Gardens across to St Peter's, with spectacular sunsets.

The first drawback to the cooler, cleaner, quieter location is that you have a 20 minute walk through Gardens to get to the top of the Via Veneto or the top of the Spanish Steps - but not at night, when a taxi or public transport (easy to use in Rome) is necessary.

The other drawback is the lack of dining alternatives close by. Don't misunderstand: the hotel restaurant is first-rate, as are the tasty and generously-sized bar snacks - but neither is exactly cheap and a locl alternative would be welcome for those who might not want to face a trip down to the city.

The hotel is a typical example of the traditionally-furnished and equipped grand hotels to be found in Italy. It is not cheap, but it is tasteful and well appointed, both in the public areas and in the rooms and bathrooms, and the staff are pleasant and helpful. Nothing to fault.

A good experience.

We had stayed at the hotel a few years before and were uncertain as to whether it would be as good as it had been then. It was, and more so - friendly, welcoming and with a real attention to the needs of the guest you find in very few hotels nowadays. When we rang to book, they still had us on the computer, apologised for not being able to give us the room we liked before, but gave us a better and bigger one for the same price. The exterior of the hotel building is boring, but surrounded by lovely gardens and a pool area. The rooms are luxurious, well-maintained and clean, and the staff trained to think of what you might need and do it almost before you ask - the pool attendant arranged the parasol to give you perfect shade if you wanted it, and laid out the towels on the lounger. As another reviewer wrote, the mattresses are a bit hard, but the bed enormous - and the hotel sorted out the hardness problem with some extra blankets under the sheet. Breakfast was good, and the staff helpful. The restaurant prices for dinner are over the top, and we ate out - the hotel is a bit of a trek from the centre, and in our first stay, we clocked up large taxi fares. This time we figured out how to use the buses, which took us into and from the centre in 10 minutes (not least as the drivers were obviously practising for the Italian Grand Prix). It would be a help if the hotel could stock bus tickets. Otherwise, it was a pleasant 20 minute stroll through the park. The hotel was a marvellous retreat from the heat and bustle of Rome, and we felt a real sense of peace when we got back each night. Not cheap, but we left feeling that we had got something for our money - the hotel really made our holiday in Rome.

I cannot think of anything outstanding about this hotel. The staff, amenities, and room all lived up to the expectations I would have when paying this price for a room. We didn't use the pool, which is a nice amenity for families. The gym was a little small and when there were five people working out at the same time, it was a little crowded. The concierge staff was capable: arranging admission tickets, making dinner resservations, and hiring cars. The location is a little out of the way and everyone recommended that we not walk through the park in the evening, which means you are catching a cab back from the Via Veneto.