I hate writing negative reviews, because I know how much they can dissuade the next potential guest from coming. However, hopefully this bit of honesty can help both the host change what went wrong, and make this review moot once things are turned around at this super cute apartment!
Pros:
The neighborhood, Trastevere, is absolutely alive. You are surrounded by bars, restaurants, cafés, and art. The check-in process was simple, and the apartment is eclectic and cozy. The decor is fun, you’re surrounded by books, and inspired by souvenirs from world travels. For all you music geeks, the piano is in great tune.
Cons:
I only noticed one recent entry in the guest book, but I saw entries going back over ten years. So, it made sense that this has always been an investment property, likely run by a separate management company.
The apartment was filthy. We noticed hair and dust on the floor, coffee grinds around the sink, and caked food on the silverware. The electric water heater had white flakes and liquid inside, as if someone had stupidly used it for milk and never bothered to clean it. There were no paper towels left for us to use, and someone clearly watered down the last of the dish soap. The balcony was littered with leaves and dirt, and there was a base to an umbrella shoved under the table as if it had been forgotten.
When I took a shower, the water didn’t drain, and I was worried it would overflow into the bathroom and into the hall (since the shower floor is basically in front of the bathroom sink, it makes for an awkward experience if you want to, well, do anything). Was there soap to use in the shower? No - just a mostly empty bottle of shampoo from who knows when.
I called our greeter to have him take a look, and he investigated our non-functioning television during the visit as well, blaming the storm for it not working. He said someone would return the next day to look at the shower, but no one did. After a couple days, the bathroom began to reek of sewage.
The television wasn’t the only appliance that was malfunctioning: the washer/dryer left our clothes completely soapy and sodden; even after a second run, I had to wring them out in the small kitchen sink. WiFi was incredibly spotty and would drop over and over, regardless of where you were in the apartment. The clothes iron spouted water from its base as soon as it heated up. At least the small microwave worked; the stove was also fine after you lit the burner with a lighter.
Our greeter didn’t respond to questions the following day about more gone wrong, and we contacted Lorenzo to ask about how to make things right.
This place has a lot of potential. If it were actually clean and managed properly, it could someday become a perfect place to stay in Rome.