PRO : We stayed for 7 nights and this apartment is situated at a prime location just a stone throw away from the prestigious shopping district of Via Del Corso and just a mere 5 minute walk to the Spanish Steps. It is also within 20-30 minute walk to several attractions including the Colosseum, Sistine Chapel, Vatican City and Piazza Navona. The apartment is spacious so for a big family it is a plus. Communication with the host was easy and he was responsive. The host’s representative met with us during check-in and even showed us around the apartment, very helpful. The bedsheets were clean and the beds were comfortable. There is a charming café located inside a bookstore located just below our apartment that serves up aromatic coffee for just €1 and has a nice selection of pastries, a great place for breakfast or afternoon tea.
CON : This is a walk-up apartment so hauling suitcases up 6 flights of steps was quite challenging. The common corridors and stairs outside the apartment was quite dark and dirty. Whilst the apartment is spacious and in a prime location, the interior is starting to look worn out. On our first evening, the shower rod collapsed and almost hit my son’s head. The host’s rep was responsive when we reported the incident and sent a repair man to fix it the next day. However, the problem required a replacement of a new shower rod but the host could not carried out due to festive season hence the faulty problem persisted. Upon check-in, the host’s rep told us the master WC does not allow toilet paper (basic paper roll) to be flushed down and it should be discarded separately into a bin. We found that to be impractical and inconvenient. We felt this “defect” should have been stated in the listing as standard WC should allow basic flushing of basic paper roll. The water heating is quite temperamental as in between showers, the water would turn from warm to hot or hot to warm and sometimes cold. The kitchen stove counter top was broken (the host’s rep took a video during check-in to show the host) but the stove was working fine. The apartment could improve on the general cleaning. The floor was quite dirty, trash was stashed at the back of consoles and the overall furniture quite dusty, we had to wipe down ourselves. The host’s rep did offer to clean the apartment for us but we did not want the intrusion during our stay and turned it down. The bathroom accessories such as the faucets and showers were loose and looking old, they could definitely do with new ones.
SUMMARY : The host is helpful, responsive and communicative. This apartment is in a prime location and has great potentials if the owner is willing to upgrade the worn-out bathroom accessories, improve on the general cleaning and fix the WC and shower heating problems.