I booked this before reading the reviews, then I read them and thought OMG!! what have I done? However we were pleasantly surprised. It was a reasonable price compared to city centre hotel prices, beware Brits, Rome is very expensive (more later) Getting there from the City Centre is easy, metro's every 2 or 3 minutes to Tiburtini which takes 10 minutes max, then a 20 minute bus ride, buses every 15 minutes. This did not bother us as I used to have a 40 minute bus ride every day to work so I noticed nothing different and after 3 days we were totally used to the travelling. I think they have cleaned up the area as there were no hookers and pickpockets whatsoever in evidence, again if you have been near certain parts of Tyneside, the outskirts of Rome are like the Cotswolds in comparison. so travelling to and from the hotel was nothing different to travelling in any city suburb and even better there is a shuttle bus from the hotel to the metro every day at various times.. The receptionists at the hotel were incredibly helpful, the barman a great bloke and drinks at the bar were half the price of drinks in Rome centre which saved us quite alot. The restaurant was quite good but we only went once as they did'nt do pizzas! but it was nice enough. There is also free wi fi and a free computer with internet access at the hotel which was ideal for keeping tabs on my ebay and emails and again saved us a packet not having to use internet cafes. Rooms were clean and fine for the job, breakfast was traditional Italian (basic) nice bread and butter but then lots of jam etc and sweet croisants, cereals but no cheese, ham, eggs etc. So there you are nowhere near as bad as it sounds, clean, cheap drinks and great value.
Rome is fantastic no doubt about it but very expensive, 6 quid a pint, 5 quid a glass of wine in any bar whether scruffy backstreet or prime position in a piazza. Only good value food at night is pizza, pasta seem cheap but you don't get much as it is a prima platte (starter), ministrone soup 6 or 7 quid a bowl, bruschetta 3 quid, (a thin piece of toast with chopped tomato and a pinch of oregano on it) But at lunchtime there are loads of offers, best we found was El Borracho near Campo di Fiori, fochetta's or Pannini's with any filling plus a beer for 3 quid. Best pizzas we found were at 'Wanted' and ' Vechia Roma' both on Via Leonina in the Cavour area where there are loads of other places also at half reasonable prices.
I'm on a roll now, book online for the Vatican museums or face a 2 hour queqe, go to the Forum first and get a combined ticket for the Forum and Collaseum otherwise a 2 hour queque at the Colluseum and if you still have a teacher union card or GTC card take it and you will get 3 euros off. Most arty places you have to pay for which is a bit of a culture shock for those of us used to free London Museums. Thats it, have fun.
Signed:
Mr Positive.
