We love Maria's beautiful apartment! It is very organized, clean, and stylish. My husband, two kids and I were traveling for the first time in Rome. Maria helped us get a taxi driver who has a placard with my name on it while we were exiting the airport. The taxi driver was pretty friendly, and even made sure that we are inside the apartment before he left, making us feel safe and secure. Once inside the apartment, it felt like home right away. Everything is clean and scented candle greeted us. It is well organized, spic and span, and very clean. The adjustable heater kept the room perfectly warm. The shower has hot water immediately when needed with big fluffy towels. The bed and pillow are pretty firm (which is helpful for my achy back).
The neighborhood is charming and quiet. Just next door from the apartment, there's a grocery coop where you can buy fresh fruits, bread, cheese and other grocery needs. Since there's a nice stove, refrigerator and oven; you can easily cook at home. Kitchen utensils are also available to use. And across the intersection from the apartment, there's a Mercanto T. where there are multiple stalls that sells fresh bread, cheese, meat, wine, etc. All the locals buy here. Since I don't speak Italian, I just point the merchandise and pay :). And almost every corner, there's all these cafes where you can buy pizza, panini, pasta, etc.
The subway is just about approx. a 10 min walk (Ottaviano station). This gets you to all the tourist spots (Colosseum, Spanish steps, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, etc.) . And to go to the Vatican City, about 5 min of walking only! The Vatican museum is beautiful and of course, St. Peter's Basilica is amazing! There's also Castel Sant' Angelo (castle) that is about a big block away that is a must see.
I highly recommend this place! It is definitely a jewel in the heart of Rome!