SUMMARY: excellent flat, great host, spectacular neighbourhood.

IN DEPTH: the flat is pretty much as you see in the pictures here and read in the official listing. It’s big and airy – if a little dark towards the back end – and has everything you need for a great self-catered visit to Rome: a supremely comfortable main double bed and a sofabed (big enough for two) in the lounge/dining area; a well-equipped kitchenette; a decent-sized table and chairs; a clean bathroom with no bath but a high-quality shower (although the cubicle is a bit of a tight fit); top-notch air conditioning; wi-fi and internet television; and a small space to chill outside the back door. The fittings and equipment are not particularly flashy, just good basic stuff that does what you want it to do.

If anything doesn’t do what you want it to do, Victor is your man. A better host I couldn’t imagine. He contacted me within half an hour of my booking, and showed the same level of attentiveness throughout our visit. We needed to get in touch with him on a couple of occasions to deal with small issues – too minor to go into here – and he was on the case immediately, solving our few problems barely before we had time to register them. I cannot recommend Victor highly enough; he’s a friendly, efficient gentleman who really does go out of his way to ensure your needs are met. Many thanks.

The flat is in a beautiful, quiet side street away from the madding crowd, yet you are never more than a 20- to 25-minute walk from the hurly-burly of the city and most major attractions. Closer to home – less than three minutes from the front door, in fact – you can sit on a slab of ancient marble gazing directly over the forum; it is as close as you can get to living in the streets where the emperors once strutted – utterly magical. Less than two minutes away, there is an excellent delicatessen with a good selection of fine food and helpful staff; a couple of restaurants (only one of which we tried: Trattoria St Teodoro – good fare, but overpriced); and a tobacconist/corner store type of place. While all your basic needs can be met on your doorstep, though, you will probably appreciate visiting one of the bigger supermarkets in the city centre to get fully stocked.

Tip for restaurants: cross the Tiber (a five-minute walk away) and visit the Trastevere area. There are plenty of good places to eat, and they’re generally cheaper than in the city centre.

While I have tried to be as comprehensive as possible here, it is really simple; the summary at the top of my review says it all. If this place is within your budget, and it’s available, don’t think twice – grab it. It helped make this the best visit yet to one of my favourite cities in the world.