I just returned from my first visit to Rome, where I stayed at the Cardinal Cesi. As other reviewers have noted, it is incredibly close to St. Peter's -- in fact, I believe the only building between the Cardinal Cesi and St. Peter's square is a building housing offices for the Vatican.

The hotel itself was very clean. The courtyard off of the entrance was spectacular. The room, as other reviews have noted, was monastery - like (which was appropriate for the trip), but the bed was extremely comfortable (along the lines of a Four Seasons-style mattress).

I booked through Tripadvisor (ultimately through Booking.com) and received a rate of 98 euros / night. As I said, it was my first trip to Rome, but in Paris, 98 euros / night would get you something far, far short of the Cardinal Cesi.

Overall, a tremendous value, in my opinion.

My parents, my husband and I stayed three nights at the Palazzo Cardinal Cesi. The staff was very kind and helpful (band-aides, taxis, restaurant recommendations). The location was great - we could not have been ANY closer to the Vatican. The room was very clean with great AC and bathrooms. A little on the small side, but given the price and cleanliness I can't complain. The breakfast each morning was nice too (included in price). Would definitely revisit and recommend to friends.

If you after a glitzy and glamorous hotel then this is not for you. This is a charming haven of peace and tranquility for those who wish to be close to St Peters.
We booked a deluxe room for 4 nights. We had heard that the rooms were small but whilst not large it was not cramped. The bathroom was small and only had a shower, which is fine for us but some people might like a bath. The bed was very comfortable and when we asked for more pillows they arrived promptly. There was ample storage space and electric shutters on the windows afforded privacy.
The standards of cleanliness were outstanding, the bed linen and towles were changed daily.
Breakfast afforded lots of choice, my partner particularly liked the fact that there was a wide range of teas and pots to brew them in, unlike many continental hotels it was therefore possible to make a decent cup of tea. The hot items were limited to scrambled eggs and pancetta but both were of a good standard. Some people have criticised the layout of the breakfast room but given the shape and size of the room we could not see any other way they could do it, in any case we didn't find anything wrong with the layout.
We discovered the delights of the small cafe overlooking the courtyard garden on our first evening as we were rather tired from having taken an early flight. During our stay this was run by Zara who took orders, made drinks and organised the light meals on offer on the small menu. Her service was outstanding. She was always cheerful and nothing was too much trouble. We used the cafe several times and were never disapointed. Other restaurents were a ten minute walk away as everything close by closed for the evening. Not a problem for those who like an evening stroll. The courtyard belongs to the Savatorian monastry which is why hotel visitors have no access to it, you can however sit and admire it from the cafe, it is especially atmospheric when candlelit in the evening.
Location is hard to make a judgement on, for closeness to St Peters and the Vatican then it would be almost impossible to beat, however it is not so convenient for the historic centre. That said buses run from nearby to those areas and anyone who enjoys using Shank's pony would be able to stroll across the river and into the centre without any difficulty. The hop on hop off tour buses also all have a major stop opposite the hotel.
The hotel reception staff were courteous and efficient, on our last day we had to leave prior to the normal breakfast serving time but they arranged a slightly early breakfast for us, this was very much appreciated.

We loved the location - no matter how much wine you've had, you can always find your way home. The buses are right outside, so a hop on, hop off tourist bus is a very convenient method of public transportation. The interior courtyard is so peaceful and quiet- then you open the magnificent doors and find yourself in the middle of so much activity! We felt very safe walking alone at night - there is always a priest or nun in sight.
The staff were so helpful, the rooms comfortable, the breakfasts excellent. We will certainly return to the Cardinal Cesi!