Let us start off by saying that Massimiliano was an amazing host. He was very attentive and responsive to all our inquiries. He even arranged for a van to pick us up at the airport. Whenever we contacted him he was quick to respond. He met us at the apartment during check-in and check-out and made sure all of our concerns were addressed. He also pointed us to some of his favorite restaurants and local stores. This was the first of three apartments during our summer vacation in Italy and Masi was by far the best host we encountered.
We also really loved Masi’s apartment. Some of the highlights are as follows:
Location: Masi’s apartment is in a great neighborhood on the far side of Vatican City (but pretty close to the Vatican Museum). If you want a ‘neighborhood experience’ then this is the apartment for you. Non-touristy restaurants and stores are nearby – which is a pleasant respite from the tourist crazy areas and overpriced restaurants. That said, the apartment is a short walk to the local metro stop (but be aware that the metro does not take you very close to the tourist areas so be prepared to walk).
Ease of Access to the Apartment: The apartment is very easy to get to as it sits on a flat street with no hills and a (somewhat small) elevator in the building. There are a few stairs into the lobby of the building but nothing to worry about.
Apartment Amenities: The apartment was very comfortable and we slept great while we were there. The neighborhood was on a relatively quiet neighborhood street and we were fortunate to have caught a respite from the oppressive Roma heat during our stay so we kept the windows open all night to catch the cool breeze. We never even turned on the air conditioning so we cannot comment on how well it works. The kitchen was small (par for the course in Roma) but functional for the morning breakfast. The WiFi was amazing and my kids said it was even faster and better than our WiFi back home. The washing machine was also a dryer and it did a great job on getting our clothes clean and dry. We never turned on the TV so we cannot comment on the channels or reception.
The only negatives we could comment on were the showers and a lack of a living room. It was great to have two showers at our disposal but they were relatively small. Also, the water pressure was somewhat low but usable. As for the lack of a living room, it would have been nice to have a place to sit with the family. We usually ended up hanging out in the kitchen instead.
Overall we had a great experience staying at Masi’s apartment and we would not hesitate to use it again when we are back in Roma.