Booked Hotel Mondial because of its Best Western affiliation and from the reviews i read it seemed to be well located. Hotel is very close to Termini station and within walking distance of the major sites and there are a couple of nice restaurants very nearby. Check in went OK hassle free. We were assigned room 301 which was very clean but definitely not up to 4 star standards - if anything it reminded me of a university dorm room. It was all rather basic and finished in a ghastly pink: pink walls, pink carpet, pink furnishings; pink desk etc. Internet you have to pay for, bathroom was big but nothing special. Our room looked out over the street (Via Torino) but be warned it gets pretty noisy from the constant traffic outside, and particularly on Via Nationale. Also room was a bit stuffy and we had to sleep with the windows open because the air-conditioning system wasn't working. Breakfast was fine, but the waiting staff were a bit over-eager and will lift your plate (finished or not) if you so much as take your eyes off it. They made me pay an additional 60 Euro when i was checking out because they said i didn't stipulate two guests per room - even though i booked and paid for a twin room on the Best Western website. Didn't fight with them because we were rushing for the train back to the airport.

Overall good location but the rooms, while clean, are definitely not 4 star and other bits of the hotel look rather run-down (eg elevators). The Best Western affiliation I am convinced means very little - this is the third BW hotel I have stayed in with really inconsistent quality compared to say Marriott or Holiday Inn. Also, lack of air-conditioning I would find a MAJOR problem if I had to stay there in June or July, while traffic noise would be a problem if i were a light sleeper. Having been to Rome now, I would book elsewhere again.

Good things - great walking distance to the Termini station and general points of interest. Lots of nice shops, cheap food places (great little cafes on Via Cavour serving fab paninis and sandwiches) and bars, and an excellent very modern restaurant next door to the hotel that does a brilliant lasagne, gnocchetti and tiramisu. The guy on the front desk on arriving was lovely and couldn't have been more helpful. Beds were firm but comfortable, and rooms were clean.

Bad things - definitely not a four star, more like a budget 3 star, if that. Dated shabby decor, bathroom not properly cleaned or re-stocked, breakfast felt like a chore with some surly staff and the breakfast room being very small and incredibly warm due to poor air conditioning throughout the hotel. I dread to think how it feels in August. The lifts were ancient - we ended up taking the stairs most of the time as it was quicker.
The rest of the hotel staff were a mixed bag, cleaners and porters were very pleasant- the person who checked us out was probably the worst with his stroppy manner. Bit of a pity, as a lick of paint and freshening up of furniture, and a bit more customer service training for some staff would go a long way to making this a nice hotel to stay in.

We stayed at the Mondial in Rome for 2 nights in November. There were certainly cheaper hotels but we paid the going rate for a 4 star hotel in Rome seeing as we wanted to have a really enjoyable and memorable trip. We weren't diappointed either, the hotel was pretty impressive inside, (you could see where your money went) and the location was great, right in the city centre. We didn't spend much time in the hotel obviously but for a bit of class etc it was just the job. Staff friendly enough too and breakfast lovely.

We stayed in this hotel for 3 nights around Christmas; the lobby, staff and room was very good. Staff was more friendly than expected. The early check-in was also no problem (I suppose we were lucky). The location is good - halfway the train station and the real down town area. Quite a few restaurants and shops in the area around the hotel. The lobby bar has very comfy big chairs and sofa's!