This was my first time using airbnb and I was very pleasantly surprised. Nicola's apartment was amazing.
When he said that his apartment was small, I expected small. It was actually larger than I anticipated. The photos don't do the size justice (although they rarely do!) The bed was very comfortable, the apartment was extremely clean and tastefully decorated. The bathroom is just the right size with enough space to be comfortable, and everything in the kitchen was easily accessible. The wifi is good and strong in the apartment and just reaches out to the balcony when sat at the table. We had a wonderful time staying in the apartment and it was nice to get up in the morning and have breakfast in the sunshine on the balcony, and also to have a quiet drink out there at night.
Initially, it was a decision between a hotel room and this apartment, and we definitely made the right decision. It was great being in an area where locals lived. There are small shops nearby that sold everything we needed and it made for a much more realistic time in Rome. The apartment is very easy to find too - we were worried at first that we would struggle to find it but Nicola's instructions were perfect and we had no problems.
As for the host, we never actually met Nicola. We had the chance to, but we decided not to ring his apartment and interrupt him as it was unnecessary and we arrived quite late. The keys are accessed easily with pass codes and the apartment is very secure. We had a problem getting back to the airport because the metro and the buses went on strike, and Nicola was very helpful and called us a taxi and a driver to help.
The only thing I can say when booking is that there are a fair few steps up to the apartment, so if you have any problems being on your feet, you may struggle.
Otherwise, this was such a fantastic place to stay and we enjoyed every second.