Myself and my wife staye at the Appia Park Hotel in Rome during August 2006 for 1 week. Our stay began with a very nice welcome from a clerk named Allissandro who was extremelly helpful and welcoming...as frequent business traveller I stay in a lot of hotels worldwide and I must say his welcome given that he spoke fluent English was very welcoming. We were directed to our room which was very clean and had everything we needed for our stay. The Hotel was extremely clean and must be commended on it's cleanliness and each morning our room was cleaned and fresh towels placed in our Bathroom. The hotel location is a bit of a trek for those unwilling to use public transport if you are in Rome to see the historical sites. When you leave the jotel entrance you take a left and walk to the second set of traffic lights and cross the road to the Bus stop from here you take the 664 Bus to "Colli Albani" (about a 15min ride depending on traffic conditions) where you go to the Metro Station which is located underground but clearly marked with a RED "M". From here you can take a subway train to "Spagna" which is the Spanish Steps Square. The whole journey once you leave your hotel should take no more than 45mins. WE walked everywhere in rome but we were caught on 2 occassions with the Metro Stations cloaing early...last train is due at 11pm but we found on two occassions that the station closed for maintenenace at 9pm where we had to resort to a taxi ride to the hotel which cost between 18-21euro.
One gripe about the hotel was that the breakfast was poor...!!
It is a continental breakfast and the quality of the food was poor. Juices consisted of undiluted orange and fruit punch..this would be my only gripe with the hotel but would not prevent me from staying at the Appia Park Hotel, Rome...I would stay here again if I was to visit Rome....

I enjoyed the our stay at the hotel. Staff was pleasant, friendly and very helpful. Rooms were clean. Each morning breakfast was wonderful. We only ate at the hotel one evening and that meal was neutral. The hotel and grounds are very nice, but the neighborhood around is rundown. However, access to the city was good. We used the bus and metro to get there and back.

We booked the Appia Park through the Ryanair website (also the flights - brilliant value). We had looked at many hotels and could not believe how cheap this hotel was, especially as it was classed as a 4* hotel. When we arrived at Ciampino airport it was midnight and we were charged 53 euros to get to the hotel, which was quite expensive for such a short drive (15 euros on the return journey), but we had no choice that time of night. When we arrived at the hotel it looked very impressive. We were given two rooms both in one of the two annexes at the front of the hotel. One room was quite large, very pleasant, carpeted, had a very nice bathroom with bath and shower, but the other one was much smaller, uncarpeted and rather drab with only a shower. We went to the reception and asked for a change of room. The hotel was full that night but they said they would change the room the next day - which they did. The new room was in the main part of the hotel and it was very nice. The hotel looked as if it had been refurbished - new carpets etc. The breakfast was very good and you could eat as much as you wanted to (continental). The receptionists could have been more friendly - they seemed a little offhand, although the rest of the staff were very nice. There is a courtesy bus which took you to the metro. We caught it the first morning, but it did not run for the next 2 mornings. On these mornings we caught the local bus - the bus stop was a few minutes walk from the hotel. The surrounding district is not too great, although we felt quite safe. We would certainly stay at the Appia Park hotel again.

We found the Italian people very friendly and very helpful when we required directions.

A few tips when visiting Rome.

We were there for 3 days and purchased a two-day open top bus ticket (on and off whenever you wanted to - great way to get around Rome). We also purchased a 3 day metro/public bus ticket. Both great value for money. At busy times the metro and public buses were very, very crowded so be prepared to be squashed, but it was quite fun.

When visiting St Peters Church obtain a tour guide. We were asked to join a FREE tour which was excellent, and it was free, although we gave him a tip: it was well worth it. The Cistern Chapel is a "must visit" but so are the many other interesting sights in Rome.

Try the cafes/restaurants in the back streets. We found a great little restaurant which was "very Italian": the food was excellent and the price very reasonable - 13 euros each for 2 courses (first course a variety of different dishes: also included was a bottle of wine and a bottle of water).

Be prepared when visiting some of the public conveniences in Rome, even in the cafes and bars!!!

Be very alert when crossing the roads especially on zebra crossings - crazy

Visit the Popes blessing held every Wednesday and Sunday - it was a very moving experience. Instead of queuing for tickets (for seats), arrive between 9.00 - 9.30 am and stand at the barrier as near to St Peters as you can get. We had one of the best views of Pope Benedict ever: he passed in front of us to within about 6 - 7 feet.

In summary - a great flight with Ryanair: great hotel (both unbelievably cheap): a great city - a most enjoyable city break.

The hotel is superb, well worth the money. However, it is only 7 Km from Ciampino Airport and the taxi drivers would prefer to take you into Rome 17Km. We were consequently charged 40 euros (£29) for this journey. An absolute rip off, so beware.
I also had my wallet stolen to make matters worse. I now know it was stolen by a gypsy girl from Sicily ( They operate in teams ). Many carry babies and some of them are dolls! I was on the Metro (tube) its their best area for pickings. They never get on the train, and have a diversionary tactic to stop you in the doorway, lift your wallet and be away as the doors are closing. Don't ever think that you are smarter than them. You can be as vigilant as imaginable, but they are so clever, well rehearsed, fast and un-noticeable. When I found out I was back at the hotel buying a drink and felt gutted. The hotel manager, Maximilliano was fantastic. Sympathetic and made all the phone calls for me. If you are a victim, save your time and go straight to the Questurdura in Rome city. We got through our stay on a tight budget and asked the hotel to arrange a taxi back to the airport with the instruction to advise the taxi company that I had 20 euros and no more. The guy that came to collect us new of our robbery and charged us 15 euros. What a star. Not all Rome taxi drivers are robbing bastards. Don't be put off we're not. Rome is fantastic and the Appia Park Hotel is great.