Vincenzo is an outstanding host – right from the promptness of his responses during the booking stage to organising a last-minute cab drive to the airport. Inbetween, he also helped out – normally within the half-hour – with anything we might have requested, be it a baby cot, a cup of detergent or a corkscrew (there was one in the house after all, but before we found it, he had already sent us a new one from his parents' restaurant nearby.) Last but not least, he made absolutely no issue of us leaving the keys to the apartment in the door one fine day – a fine gentleman indeed.

His listing was perfectly accurate and the apartment was exactly what it said on the tin. The neighbourhood, Cipro, has a safe, homey feel, while being the perfect base—via the conveniently located meteo station—for exploring Rome with a toddler in tow.