The Panda is an excellent value for the location. The hotel is a couple of blocks from the Spanish Steps as well as from the subway station there. The neighborhood is Rome's high fashion shopping locale with lots and lots of clothing stores you probably cannot afford. All the staff speak good English and are quite willing to assist with making reservations for local attractions (special praise for Anda!). Maid service was daily and well done. There is excellent restaurant availability on the street on which the hotel is located. The only drawback is the street noice, which continues until midnight. The street is busy with late diners outside when the weather permits such. Also, street musicians make pleasant but unneeded noise when outside dining takes place. The rooms are small but typically European.

Let me start off by saying this, I don't require much in a room. Clean and some what quiet is all I need and when it comes to clean my standards maybe less than others. Lets take Hotel Panda for example. The room was very clean - no complaints there. However that could not be said for the bed and let me further break that down. Sheets - clean, pillows - clean, comforter - ehhhhh, there was room for improvement.

To put it politely there appeared to be love stains on the comforter. While it bugged my wife and it initially grossed me out, we just rotated the comforter to put the "dirty end" at our feet. We probably should have complained, but I honestly didn't care. I know it sounds gross and as I write this realize it was pretty darn gross, but I guess at the time I figured that the stain looked pretty old and why bother making a fuss when you can just turn the comforter around. Out of sight out of mind.

Out of all the various places I have stayed in Italy this is the one place I would not recommend and oddly enough it has nothing to do with the love stained comforter. I was not impressed with the area around the Spanish Steps. I found the entire area to be over priced (with the exception of Hotel Panda). I would suggest staying somewhere near the Trevi Fountain or the Pantheon. Those neighborhoods are much more reasonable in terms of overall expenses. But if you insist on staying near the Spanish Steps and you don't want to pay much I would recommend Hotel Panda in spite of the loved stained comforter (room 27)

Pros:

- Central, vibrant location
- Clean and secure
- Great price for Rome considering location
- Sink in room

Cons:

- Very small room
- Sep. toilet and shower in cheaper rooms
- Basic room with no TV
- No internet facilities

Panda was enthusiastically recommended to us for our trip for my hubby's 50th. Great wee hotel. Our room had it's own welcoming statue with a spiral staircase up to the bed area which was so quirky and cute (room 36). Bathroom was also very charming but not for the taller amongst us. My teenage daughter loved it as well. Fab location with great restaurants in the street below. We enjoyed the cafe across the street to the left on the corner, Taz I think it was called. Serve a nice glass on wine for 3.50 euros which is hard to find in Rome, with complimentary olives and crisps if you ask. We also had a great meal at AL34 round the corner, great food and service at reasonable prices.
In case you don't already know if you want to visit the Vatican you can book direct with them on the web, without a tour, for the entrance fee plus 4 euros booking fee each person. Beats waiting in the queues. Have a great time in a very beautiful city.