My family and I (4 of us) stayed at Angetode B & B for 4 nights from 30 December. We booked 2 of the 3 rooms at Angetode B & B and found them to be spacious and clean. We paid full price of 80 Euro per room per night for room and breakfast . We stayed there over the New Year period.

The owner (Valentina) welcomed us on our arrival and immediately asked us our breakfast choices (type of juice, flavour yoghurt, coffee or tea, 1 or 2 croissants, cereal was also provided). That done she showed us the bathroom that was allocated to us (there are two between the 3 bedrooms). The bathrooms were clean and modern.

Valentina provided us with an electric jug and cups and saucers upon request as we like to make our own tea.

Unfortunately, we found the location of Angetode too far from transport. It is a good 15 - 20 minutes walk to the nearest Metro station (San Giovanni) and then 5 - 6 stops to the city centre, which is about a 7-8 minute train ride. The bus, which is closeby only comes every 30 minutes or so and takes a long time to get into the centre of Rome. Valentina did not have any timetables but recommended the Metro. The Collesium was about a 1.5km walk away, which was pleasant.

The immediate area around Angetode we found to be a bit sleazy. We noticed this when we took a short cut to San Giovanni Metro station as advised by Valentina on our first evening. Men lurking in a park nearby, smashed car windows, graffitti everywhere. After that we stuck to the main roads to and from the Metro and it was fine. There were some very nice shops on the way to San Giovanni metro but while we were there most were closed till 2 January.

The bathroom shower was ok except the water temperature was only "warm" - you could not get a "hot" shower. The hot water temperature was obviously set low enough so that you did not need to add any cold water.

The 2 mornings Valentina provided us with breakfast she sat and watched us eat and we felt like she was waiting for us to finish so she could get on with cleaning up. I have to say we all felt a little awkward, particularly as Valentina didn't seem to initiate much conversation it was us that did that. Valentina was helpful though with directions on a couple of occasions and made a dinner reservation on our first night and arranged the airport pick-up and drop-off service.

Regarding the breakfasts, we only received 2 breakfasts of the 4 booked and paid for. Valentina advised us later the evening of our arrival that as New Year's Day was a public holiday she would not be serving breakfast that morning or making up the rooms! She said there were no cafes open either. My husband and I were a little surprised by this announcement. I asked if we could use the kitchen to have cereal but Valentina said no. We decided to buy some breakfast provisions for our family at the supermarket next door and asked Valentina if she could provide us with bowls and spoons in the room, which she did. The used bowls and spoons by the way remained in the room until the next day when Valentina made up the room. Also, the cups and saucers Valentina provided to make tea were never taken away to be washed or replaced - for 4 days (we rinsed them out ourselves). That seemed a bit odd to me, particularly as she was coming into the rooms to clean and tidy anyway, I would have thought it wouldn't have been much bother to put them through the diswasher in the kitchen with perhaps other dishes??

On our last morning we didn't get breakfast either as we were leaving at 6.45am and Valentina told us she didn't serve breakfast before 7.00am (even though she is up at 5.30am to go for a walk each morning)! Valentina suggested we buy our breakfast at the airport!!

On our last evening at Angetode I went to settle the account and asked Valentina if she would give some compensation for not providing our family with breakfast on 2 mornings. Valentina was very abrupt saying it was not her fault she could not provide breakfast - it was a Public Holiday and that is how it is in Italy! I commented that I would still get breakfast if I were staying at a hotel and she said that Angetode was not a hotel and if I wanted "professional" service provided like a hotel then I should go and stay in a hotel!!! My main arguement was that she should have advised me when I made the booking 5 months beforehand in our email correspondence that breakfast would not be provided on New Years Day rather than leaving it till we arrived. I felt this was a matter of principle and that she could at least offer something to compensate, however small.

Re the breakfast not provided on our last morning Valentina asked if I had read the note on the back of each bedroom door advising the house rules and that breakfast was only served between 7am and 10am. (Following our conversation I checked this note and there was absolutely nothing at all about breakfast times!)

I conceded that as we made the arrangements to leave early on the last morning that I would not argue over that one, however, I strongly believed that Valentina should have told us upfront that she would not be providing breakfast on New Year's Day. I also told her that I felt that as she had paying guests she should provide breakfast regardless of the Public holiday. She had already told us previously that she has quite a lot of time where her rooms are empty and business is slow (February, March and a couple of months later in the year).

Begrudgingly, Valentina agreed to reduce our total balance owing of 507.50 Euro to 500.00 Euro (a reduction of 7.50 euro!!).

Following this uncomfortable discussion I went back to my room, got ready for bed and listened to the noisy person in the next room who had their tv turned up so loud I swear they must have had a hearing problem! Eventually, this person went to sleep - around midnight - and then we were further disturbed by this person's heavy breathing or snoring if you like!! We were up at 6am the next morning and to be honest we couldn't get out of there quick enough!

I believe Valentina is in the wrong business. She doesn't have the right attitude for a B & B, she is inflexible and basically stingey.

Unfortunately, I cannot recommend Angetode B & B in Rome. I should have researched more closely the location of Angetode and it's distance from the metro and the city centre. I should also mention that this was the only B & B we stayed in on our trip - everywhere else we stayed in hotels - good hotels within 5 minutes of a metro and close to or in the city centre and all highly recommended by Trip Advisor. We were not disappointed with any of these.

When next in Rome I will gladly pay the extra and stay in a hotel in a room half the size, in the city centre with full service!