Ive just stayed at the caravel for 3 days whilst attending Rome for the Champions League Final. The hotel is situated about a 30 - 45 minute walk south of the Collosseum. First impressions when I arrived was okay. The reception staff were very helpful and I stayed on the 7th floor in a twin bedded room with my son. In fairness the hotel is clean albeit very basic with a parque' floor and a very dour bathroom.
The hotel has a small bar which serves basic snacks and canned beer and a few spirits. There is a cold buffet breakfast served until 10 am daily and again this was just okay. The hotel is situated on a very busy road and you do get noise although it isnt a major problem. Each room has air conditioning of a sort which again is adequate.
There is a small bar about 20 yards from the hotel and a very good pizzeria next door to that were prices are ok for a capital city.
Would I stay here again? If I was visiting the city with a group of mates to watch a game ...Yes I would. If i was with the wife...............I know she definately would not stay here.
I think with a lick of paint and a general tidy up the hotel could attract a much better clientele!

We stayed 2 nights at the hotel whilst sightseeing Rome.
Though located about 30 minutes' drive from the city centre (rail terminus -The Termini), it is well connected to it by bus, metro and taxi. The Catacombs, a minor tourist attraction is within walking distance of the hotel.
The staff were friendly and helpful. The hotel has internet facility for a small price. Our room and bath were spacious and clean.
Breakfast was good standard fare: choice of juices, cereals, bread, croissants, cake, ham, salami, tea and coffee.
One can buy a 5-Euro telephone card from a shop nearby, which gives about 200 minutes of talk time with USA, using the hotel phone at no other charge.
I could connect my camera battery charger and cell phone charger (both bought in India and suitable for use in India) to the room sockets without any problem.
There's a nice cafe and an Italian restaurant next door which serve Italian meals at reasonable price ( ~ 10-12 Euro for main dish).

I stayed at the Caravel as part of a Cosmos tour last month. I can sleep just about anywhere, even inside a car, but this hotel gave me the CREEPS!!!! The lobby looks descent but I felt as if I was transformed back to an apartment I lived in in the Czech Republic 15 years ago! Musty, old smell,constant noise from traffic, thin, flimsy bedsheets & towels.I would not take my slipper off in the bathtub when I bathed! Room is larger compared to other European rooms & it did have a private bath, but for the price I have seen on other sites for this hotel, I would say just cough up the extra 20 Euros & stay closer to the city center. The only advantage this hotel had is that the Appian Way is about a kilometer from this hotel, other than that, STAY SOMEWHERE ELSE!!!!

The easiest way to get her is to take the train from Leonardo airport to Ostensia station 5.5 eurofrom there it is a 10 minute walk or you can catch the 715 bus from out side the station. This bus also takes you into central Rome (Teatro Marcello) from the other side of the road from the hotel.
The hotel itself is what you would expect from a good three star. It is very clen with the sheets changed every day. The staff are attentive and helpfull and the well stocked buffet breakfast is more than adequate. The road outside is very noisy and busy but we could not hear it from our room but if it was the middle of summer and you had your window open it would be a different matter. There are several eateries nearby mostly of a good standard and half the price of what you will pay in central Rome. The hotel ia about 30 to 40 minutes walk from the Colloseum and overall I found it to be good value for money. My only criticism would be that you have no chance of lying in in the morning as lack of carpets means that once everybody starts moving around you are more than aware. Why do the people in the room above slways start moving the furniture about at 7.00am?