I stayed at Hotel Art for a few nights in mid-May (pre/post cruise). The hotel is located on Via Margutta, a quaint, quiet street that is close to the Spanish Steps. You may have seen this hotel in an episode of Passport to Europe with Samantha Brown.

This was my second time in Rome. The first time I stayed at a hotel on Via Cavour, which is closer to the Forum and Coloseo. I prefer the Hotel Art location.

Each floor of the hotel has a different color. I stayed on the 2nd floor (Green). The entire hallway illuminates in green. I was afraid the light would seep under the door but, it didn't. The rooms are a comfortable size (as far as rooms go in Europe). The airconditioning worked fine. The only complaint I would have is that it blew right on my head. My room had a window that opened to the courtyard. If you open the window the A/C automatically shuts off. It was nice to be able to get some fresh air. The only drawback is if people are smoking in the courtyard. But, it is Europe so smoking should be expected. The bathroom was clean and had funky green tile and a cool shower wand. Linens and towels were always clean and neatly pressed.

Another plus is the room has hardwood floor - no carpeting. You don't have to worry about dirt, dust mites, stains, etc.. The room had a safe that fit my laptop. The Wi-Fi was an additional $10 for 8 hours. The connection was horrible. It kept disconnecting. Hopefully they will improve the Wi-Fi service.

The breakfast buffet was very nice. It included meats, cheeses, danish, breads, fresh fruit, cereal, yogurt, bacon/sausage and eggs. My morning caffeine of either capuccino and espresso were very good too.

The staff was pleasant and helpful.

I would definitely consider staying here again. Maybe the coins I tossed in Trevi Fountain will make it so.

We are an older couple in our mid 60's and loved this place because of the closeness to a lot of the sights. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. The restuarant staff was GREAT!! They were always so friendly. The rooms were a bit small, but if you read about a lot of the European hotels you'll find this is true in a lot of them. When we go to Rome again, we will definitely stay here.


James and Katie Littleton
Victoria, TX

My husband and I stayed at Hotel Art by the Spanish Steps for 5 nights while on our honeymoon. First, you CANNOT beat the location. The hotel is in an alley (pretty, not creepy) that's about a 2 minute walk from the Spanish Steps. Somehow, the hotel is perfectly quiet and comfy despite the activity only a block or two away.

The room was beautiful and plenty big. How much time do you spend in your room anyway? The bed was very comfortable. I actually got stomach flu/food poisoning while we were in Rome and the room was large enough for me to be lying on the floor of the bathroom miserable while my new husband slept peacefully in bed. It was over 100 degrees almost every day that we were in Italy, but you would never know it from the hotel room. The a/c was great and we were kept as cool as we wanted - at least while we were inside.

The breakfast that is included with your stay was wonderful. Lots of fresh fruit, cheese, meats, juices, pastries, etc... to chose from. The staff was wonderful!! The front desk crew was amazing - always giving us little tips and pointers about where to eat or grab a drink. Very, very helpful.

We loved this hotel and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a great place to stay while in Rome. We LOVE this hotel and will probably stay there every time we go back.

The is a 'wanna be' chic designer boutique but it doesnt really pull it off. Strip away the 'egg shell' reception , ok dining area and luminous paintwork in the hallway and you are really left with little more than a basic 3* hotel.

The place is very well located a couple of minutes from the Spanish steps. It is clean and comfortable, and the breakfast is decent. But those simple plus points do not warrant the 5* prices.

The room size was disappointingly small, and the bathroom even smaller (approx 6ft by 6ft). Our shower was tiny; I am slim and I only just fit in. The bathroom had no bath tub, and I confirmed with other friends in other rooms, that none of their bathrooms had a bath tub either. Ironically they do provide a courtesy spa bath foam !

They do not provide iron and ironing board in the rooms, claiming that it is a fire hazard. But I suspect the real reason is that it would be difficult to fit the ironing board in the room.
To get something ironed, you must use their laundry service instead, but be warned that this is only open Monday to Friday.

Room was very stuffy with little air circulation, and the temperature control seemed to be broken. We had to leave the window open every night.

Comparing with friends who stayed at other hotels, there are much better places with bigger rooms and at a much lower cost.
Unless you think its worth paying 100euros a night over the odds for a luminous yellow painted hallway, then I would look elsewhere.