The hotel has 7 floors, with about 10 rooms per floor. There is nice a granite staircase with Roman statues, plus a tiny elevator. The rooms are small as one expects in Europe, and have been recently renovated. The floors are wood grain (probably laminate) and the walls are neatly painted. The bathrooms are tiled on the walls and floor, with modern fixtures. The shower is tiny but useable with plenty of hot water. The single bed is comfortable and the linens crisp and clean. There is a small desk and chair, a place to open a suitcase, a closet, and a full wall mirror over the bed. The windows are new aluminum framed with double glass to isolate the noise, and could be fully opened to get some ventilation. There is an air conditioning unit in the ceiling, but as far as I could tell had not been turned on yet (April-May). I had a room that faced into the open central area, so there was absolutely no traffic noise. I could hear other people talking in their rooms through the open window, but it was extremely quiet. Wireless internet is 20 euros per day.
Staff was very friendly. I received a friendly Buon Giorno from everyone, almost like on a cruise ship. The front desk helped me with opera tickets. On my last day after checkout, after the breakfast was closed, I asked if I could get a coffee. The desk clerk brought me into the breakfast room, and I was given a coffee and two croissants.
The location is about 3 minutes from Stazione Termini, Rome’s central train station, which is why I chose the hotel. This central location gets you easily to the parts of Rome that you want to see. There is a direct train from the airport and to other cities, and a metro station on lines A and B. The station has cafeterias, ATM’s, and a number of stores. You are a few blocks from the opera house, and a few kilometres from central Rome. I used the hop-on/hop-off bus to get around for a few days, starting at Termini. The metro is easy to use, either 1 euro per trip or 4 euros per day. The area is in a state of change, with upscale hotels and restaurants, and a few slightly shady areas. There were a couple of street people opposite the hotel. During the day there are plenty of business people walking around, but at night one should be a bit careful. It is better to follow Via Cavour south for two blocks from Termini, then take Via Principe Amedeo one block west; the hotel will be around the corner on your left. At night, the plaza in front of Termini is full of young people, but I don’t think they were interested in hassling tourists.
The hotel offered the usual continental breakfast, with meats, cheese, yoghurt and breads. And a coffee maker that produced acceptable caffe latte.
I liked the hotel so much that I stayed there on my return trip from Naples. My second room was very much like my first, and I had a great sleep. The only thing missing is a safe in the room; you could get a small locker in the luggage storage room, but I did not feel safe leaving my passport there.
I paid CAD$146 per night (USD$124, 92 euros) prepaid on Expedia.ca. On my return, I paid 65 euros for one night, so I guess I overpaid on Expedia. For a central location in a large European city, I think this was a good deal.
