Tasteful, comfortable, wonderfully located apartment with great host
Two well travelled students from Paris and New York spending a semester at nearby John Cabot University rave about this beautiful apartment, located in a super fun neighborhood central to everything.
It is a challenge to do justice to how amazing this apartment was.
I am an uber-picky college student, obsessed with good lighting and having a strong aesthetic sense. My French cousin and I lived in Rome for the fall while taking courses at John Cabot in Trastevere. When planning to come, I spent a long time compiling a list of Airbnbs that seemed suitable to live in for a couple of months. I am very tall and thus plagued by the size of most Italian bathrooms. Though this apartment was originally intended only for short stays, I added it to the list. In the back of my mind, it was always my favorite. I could not be happier to have chosen it. The apartment itself was much more than suitable--superb in fact. In the place of often confusing Airbnb decorations (bicycles hung on the wall for decoration or perhaps a bowl filled with corks...etc.) was a beautiful tile floor, tasteful oriental prints, watercolor figure sketches, and Persian-like rugs hung on the wall.
The location is perfect. It is nestled on a lively intersection in the bohemian neighborhood of Rome. As it is on the first floor (second floor by American standards), it is perfect for people watching through the windows. Across the street is a lively bar called "Bar del Cinque" tended by a warm team of baristas. Before Covid restrictions required establishments to close early, many Italians would flock to this bar and group standing in the street below. There was everything we needed around us: delicious Roman restaurants (Pasta e Vino down the street was our favorite--make sure you try the strozzapreti all'amatriciana), a laundromat, little bodegas for late night necessities, and historic churches to visit. It is also close to "Villa Pamphili", an expansive park with bucolic fields and beautiful, tall pine trees. The neighborhood was super welcoming. Wherever we went, we were met with a smile and open arms (at a six-foot distance).
Each time I entered the apartment, I rejoiced. The layout is great-- a hallway connects accesses all the rooms (In order: bathroom, bedroom 1, bedroom 2, living room, kitchen) and separates them nicely. In this hallway there are two large mirrors that make the space more breathable. One the bedrooms has an en-suite bathroom, while the other has a walnut-wooden bureau and easy access to the second bathroom. The living room has two windows that let in lots of light. The couch also functions as a pull-out bed that is very, very comfortable.
The apartment had every amenity possible. There was a washer-dryer in the private bathroom which made our lives incredibly easy. The private bathroom is huge; lots of counter space and a sizable shower. There is even a window. The windows are al double glazed, which blocks almost all the noise from the loud neighborhood below. To go even further, there are pull-down screens on all the windows, which seems to be a rarity in most Roman flats. On late summer days we would leave all the windows open without a single worry for mosquitos. There is an air-conditioner unit, hidden elegantly below the window, in every room. As the days got colder, we started to use them on the heat function. They were super efficient and would cool down/heat up a room within minutes.
The kitchen was fantastic too: lots of storage space, a large fridge, full stove and oven with a fan, and even a dishwasher. At the beginning of our stay, there were a few utensils we needed to cook--measuring cups, cheese grater, etc.--and Marina, the Airbnb's host, was more than happy to buy them for us. She was impressively attentive during the whole stay. She made sure the heating was working and checked in on our well-being throughout. I cannot give her enough credit for creating such a nice place to live. She did it with a very keen sense of taste and comfort. I know that when I return to Rome, I will always want to stay here.
I am so grateful for having centered my experience in Rome at this apartment. I would give it 1000 stars if possible. If you are planning to enjoy the city and live right in the center, this is the perfect place for you.
Thank you Marina!