* First time in ROMA, and this hotel was great! Everything as I expected. Smotth check in, clean rooms, great continental breakfast. Great little balcony. No complaints (for a price of CAD$175/night, that's amazing).
* The hotel itself is situated in Aventino Hill which is a beautiful walk in itself. After dinner, just walk off the meal around the neighborhood.
* From FCO airport, the easiest is the shuttle service (available at the Tourist Info centre by the train station (which is connected to the Airport). Costs $15EUR/person. Compare with finding the hotel yourself ($5.50EUR train ride + $1.00EUR bus ride). Shuttle is more than double, but I think it's reasonable if it's your first time there. We used the shuttle back to the airport also.
* Once at the hotel, remember bus #175! That will be your key to the city!
* Maybe different for everyone, but I think buying the $1EUR for 75 mins of bus/subway is better because in Rome, I found I did a lot of walking anyways. You use the public transit for longer hauls, but that is not too often! It's $4EUR for day pass, and I think $11EUR for 3 days, etc..
* Potential drawbacks:
* Hotel is in between subway stations (Circo Massimo and Paramide stations.
* Shower is really small, but managable.
* Bed is actually two doubles stuck together, but not a big problem.

This was my first trip abroad without my wife and was worried about how I would be treated as a single person. There was no problem.
I would agree with all the positive comments about the Domus Aventina. The single room was quite adequate for my needs and thank-goodness for the air-con and plenty of cool water in the shower.
I found the restaurant "da Rino" near Circus Maximus very good and Taverna Cestia near the Piramide excellent.
Would recommend the hotel to anyone wanting a quiet stay but within easy reach of all the "sites"

This hotel is the perfect escape from the heat and intensity of summer in Rome. A tranquil, peaceful place to recharge your batteries. The rooms are quite spacious (for a euro hotel), have an AC system that works very well, bed was very comfortable, although the bathroom is small (but was fine for my tastes). Best of all, the rooms have wonderful balconies, overlooking a church courtyard. Perfect place to unwind. The staff are excellent-- friendly and helpful (and speak good english). Breakfast emphasizes the functional over the flashy, but was perfect start for my busy days here.

..I am not sure what I missed that other travelers did not. I had to move rooms 2 times before finally settling on one that was just decent. First room was dark and musty with an odd closet like door that led to a strange patio of highwalled nothingness. Second room, although less musty, had ant issues. I went out to tour the Coliseum and came back to baby ants crawling on the food on my desk. Later at night they were crawling all around my feet on the floor and up furniture. The front desk folks were nice about it and I was moved up yet another floor to a large room, less musty than the previous but with big worn, dirt spots next to the bed. I put a towel down to cover it and finally surrendered to the Domus Aventina. Also, the roof patio (one of the reasons I booked at the Domus) is no longer. This hotel has a repuation for a great view (Rick Steves) that you can't actually enjoy.

However, there were many positives.
-the hotel common areas were renovated and nice.
-bathrooms were new; nice and clean.
-breakfast buffet was good. they run out of eggs early and don't seem to replenish them. small, packaged cookies and crackers are available; take some for your day's excursion or for snacks in the room later.
-breakfast and housekeeping teams are very, very nice.
-neighborhood is quaint, safe and in a great location. you get a nice feel for life outside of tourist land. walking around the area in the evening i was able to watch a beautiful ballet lesson of young girls in the school yard.
-it is next to a church for those who want to sit in on a worship service.
-the hotel is a 10 min walk to the coliseum and a very short bus ride to the catacombs. take a right after exiting the front door and you will come to the rose garden which you can cut through to see many other sites (orange garden, shortcut to other main streets).
-close to the supermarket and subway station.

Perhaps the room thing was just an issue in the singles. But if you can pack your agenda full of activities that limit your time in the rooms Domus Aventina may not be that bad to you.