Reading other reviews of this hotel swayed me to book and I spent 4 nights best forgotten if that was only possible. I have just re-read the reviews and I can only conclude that either it is a different hotel or some people are easily pleased. This hotel is a tired, depressing, unlovely piece of 70s architecture with a colour scheme, particularly in the hotel lobbies, that could induce a migraine in sensitive souls, but let's not be too petty and instead, look at the location. One reviewer says it is in the centre of Rome and another says that it is a short stroll to St Peter's; it is in fact 5 and 3 kilometres respectively. The anonymous location is served by a busy and, being Rome, fast urban roadway whose pavements disappear, leaving the pedestrian horrible exposed to Italian driving skills. Anyone with the faintest suicidal notions should avoid the pedestrian option. It is therefore, not surprising that the little shuttle bus was so poular. This runs about every hour to and fro until 10.15pm with a 4 hour break midday. so what's wrong with that I hear you ask; well the combination of a large remotish hotel and a small bus means. as the hotel sign says, first come, first serve, everybody else is left standing on the pavement to wait a further hour or take a 16-17 Euro taxi trip into the centre.
Inside, atrocious corridor decor apart, the hotel is generally quite gloomy, with little natural daylight, although the litlle conservatory was quite pleasant. Bedrooms are a decent size and the bed was comfortable and clean, but that smell, a sweet rancid smell reminiscent of putrifaction. Hot water too, was interesting; shower during the day, as most people don't, and you would be rewarded with hot water; shower first thing in the morning and it became an optional extra.
The cost of the bedroom and bevarages was steep, but that appears to be Rome for you - no such thing as a credit crunch here, yet.
On the plus side the staff were efficient and friendly, but they'd need to be keep this leaky old vessel afloat.
In summation, this is a tired hotel, very much aimed at the business sector and tour bus operators, badly in need of renovation and, as an architect, I would be more than happy to help, that way I might find out the cause of that smell.