Chiara’s Place in Trastevere is a very cool apartment with lots of things going for it, (particularly the rooftop patio!) but it is definitely not for everybody.
Four of us stayed there for seven nights in late October and early November. The weather cooperated, (for the most part) and we were able to take advantage of the fantastic rooftop patio, which seemed to be a bit higher than any other patio around, and afforded a phenomenal, 360 degree view of Rome. It’s the perfect spot to enjoy a morning coffee or an evening glass of wine and is by far the best thing about the apartment.
The apartment is extremely well-appointed, with plenty of linens, towels, blankets, cooking utensils, hair drier, cork screw, etc. - pretty much everything you will need. Cleaning supplies for dishes, laundry and just about anything else you can think of are supplied, but make sure you bring your own soap and shampoo. Chiara even greets you with a bottle of wine - a very nice touch.
The neighborhood is fantastic, and Vicolo del Leopardo is a (relatively) quiet street in a very cool area of Trastevere. There are plenty of cafes, bars, shops, etc. within a two minute (or even less) walk from the apartment, but it can get loud when people are walking home late at night. So I wouldn’t advise keeping the windows open on a weekend evening unless you are wearing ear plugs or are a heavy sleeper.
But keep in mind that the apartment is in an older building, and the place does have some quirks. First there are the stairs. It’s described as being on the 4th floor, which it is when you are used to the way floors are numbered in Italy, with the 1st floor being the floor above the ground floor. So be prepared to actually walk up 5 flights of stairs to get to the apartment. It’s really not so bad though, considering all the walking you’ll be doing in Rome.
You may also need to ask Chiara to demonstrate how to properly flush the toilet in the lower floor bathroom, and how to ensure you can get hot water from the shower. It took us a few days to get used to it, and I don’t think my daughter ever did. Chiara is very responsive though to any issues you may have.
You also need to separate your garbage and recyclables and take them to a pick-up location, but it’s not really a big deal and is only a short walk away.
Unfortunately, there were torrential rains over an extended period of time on our final night, and there was some leaking of the roof. We immediately told Chiara about it. It did not affect our stay in any way, and I am sure she is dealing with it.
All in all, we really enjoyed our stay. If you’re OK with a few quirks and you don’t mind stairs, you’ll really enjoy your stay here, and you’ll certainly miss that roof top patio when you go back home.