We really did enjoy our stay in Rome. The accomodations were clean and tidy. Christina and Paolo were very attentive and responsive. The location is great. That was one of our main requirements. We did not take any taxis and were reliant upon the excellent subway and bus network. We were able to get anywhere efficiently and quickly. The walk to the nearest subway station (Repubblica) is 5 minutes or so. Just a couple of blocks. If you want to hoof it to Termini that is a 10-15 minute walk. Termini is the transportation heartbeat of Rome. A 7 day transportation pass that includes all buses and subways is 23 euros. Less than the cost of one taxi ride. Just a note for the budget minded.
We spent very little time in the apartment. We did lounge one afternoon in the sun on the garden patio, which by the way, is the best feature of the apartment. But most of the time we were on the go. Rome is a very good value destination. We definitely had a budget but were able to do everything we wanted to. We did a day in Naples (and Pompeii), and a day in Venice. Both are very accessible with the bullet trains.
The washing machine was very handy. We didn't check any luggage and packed very light (a requirement of our super-saver airline tickets). We were able to do laundry mid-week and got by on just 3 sets of clothes. The most cooking that we did in the apartment was to heat up water for ramen as a late-night snack. But there is a hot plate and a microwave/convection oven. The kitchen is stocked and you could cook more, but why? Rome has thousands of restaurants. We ate lots of pasta and pizza but also ate gyros, curry, and some super tasty Afghanistani food from a Kurdish shop owner. There are 2 different grocery stores within a block. We usually ate breakfast in the apartment from grocery store food. Needless to say, there was no calorie counting. My girls ate gelato non-stop.
So to sum it up this apartment is for you if you are on the go, are doing Rome on your own using public transport, have a budget to keep, don't mind some stairs, and need to sleep 4 or 5 people. If you meet most of those qualifications, this place is perfect for you.
Now for the disclaimers: This apartment is on the 6th floor. You have to walk up the first flight to get to the elevator (charmingly quirky), and you have to walk the very tight circular staircase up the last floor (my girls called it the turret). These are very tall floors. We are talking 14 feet or so. So that is quite a few steps. If that is a problem for you, then this is not your unit. There is no ADA in Rome and this also applies to this building. If you walk up all the stairs, you will be out of breath for sure. Most of the time, our girls took the stairs and my wife and I took the elevator. We usually pounded out 10 miles or more a day, so the olds were a little foot weary by the time we hit the apartment at night. Don't be surprised and think that you are staying at the local Marriott. This is a legacy apartment building. The actual apartment is older. The beds are adequate, the shower is very small. But it definitely has character. I personally found the experience charming. Rome, after all, is a very old city. Isn't that why we go there?
Thanks again to Christina and Paolo for being the best of hosts. Ciao