This is a nice hotel about 10 minutes from the Vatican and about 15-20 minutes from the nearest subway (Ottaviano station). There are also buses that stop 5 minutes from the hotel, but these are more challenging to figure out in Rome.

There are some extremely steep steps that lead up to the hotel, which itself is on a hill, but you get used to it as you do so much walking around Rome anyway.

We had booked a studio apartment for 6 nights in September of 2008.

First impressions: nice metal gate outside the residences, and a second door inside. Windows of low apartments have metal grates on them. Inside the lobby, the clerk on duty has a large TV displaying 4-5 different camera views of the hotel entrances. The rooms themselves also have a double door--the entrance to a foyer and a bathroom, and the door to the room/apartment itself. Rooms have an electronic safe inside. There's definitely a feeling of security there.

The apartment seemed shockingly small when we first walked in. The closet could not open without us moving the bed toward the door, but moving the nightstand around solved the issue. There was a small TV with a cable box and Italian channels; the air conditioner was above the door in the room but was NOT working. This was fine for us traveling in September but could be a problem for hot months.

The kitchenette was a stove/fridge/sink combo in a closet on the right side of the room. The stove had two electric burners and a pot. In a studio apartment, it really wasn't suited for cooking. We used it a couple of times to boil water for tea.

The bathroom was spacious; the negatives were that the shower was done Euro-style without a curtain; we got the place flooded the first day. There were plenty of clean towels and likewise the bedsheets were clean and fresh. Each bathroom has its own heating tank. (no running hot water) Between the two of us, we used up all the hot water whenever we showered. There is about 15 minutes of hot water total, until the tank recharges (~2 hours).

The walls are very, very thin. Almost every night we heard the neighbors next door. Two nights we were awakened by neighbors coming home and walking around at 3 AM; another night by very loud snoring next door. Bring ear plugs, if you can.

There's a clerk on duty most hours of the day, except lunch and weekend nights. One weekend night, we got locked out of our room by the cleaning staff accidentally closing the deadbolt, which resulted in ours calling the hotel emergency number and having the staff come open the door for us.

The rooms get cleaned daily, except for weekends. The sheets don't get changed, but the towels do. There's also a laundry room in the building, though it is expensive. (2 Euros for either a washer or a dryer).

There are restaurants nearby--if you are looking to grab a quick bite, they are 5-10 minutes away, and the better ones are by the Ottaviano subway station 15-20 minutes away.

In summary, this is a nice hotel for the money. It is clean, safe, close to the Vatican, and a bearable distance from the transportation. The downside is the hot water situation, the thin walls, and the location which really isn't in a 'hip' part of town.