We were a party of 3 traveling as a family, and appreciated having separate bedrooms in a charming apartment at an excellent location.
At first, we had concerns since there were no reviews as the property was newly listed. Upon request, the owner went out of their way to record an apartment tour video prior to our booking — the apartment is exactly as pictured!
Pros:
- Location is fantastic. 10-15 min walk to Vatican, 20 min walk to Trevi fountain, 15 min to Pantheon, 25-30 min walk to colosseum. Carrefour 1 min away, a wonderful cafe downstairs, and surrounded by excellent trattorias, cafes, and ristorantes (including the fantastic 2-star il Pagliaccio!) Accessible and yet neighborhoodly enough to feel like you were away from the crowds.
- 3 bedrooms
- Kitchen contained most basic amenities, mugs, cups, utensils, and cooking ware for a simple meal at home
- Brand new Samsung rotating TV that allowed us to watch streaming services and also airplay photos from our devices
- Very responsive & attentive apartment contact (thank you Paolo for your local watering hole recommendations, and also for coming by several times to drop off basic amenities we needed, like salt & pepper, olive oil, hair dryer, extra towels, and help with the kitchen lights that shorted.)
- Seamless check-in: Paolo waited for us outside of the building, introduced us to the lovely cafe owner Sara downstairs, took us up with a tour of the unit and recycling, and turned on the a/c before we arrived on a sweltering Roman summer day
- Two sets of keys upon request
Cons (keep in mind that our stay was probably one of the first stays the apartment has hosted, and we’ve given a long list of recommendations to the owner, so these may no longer be issues by the time you stay here):
- Bathroom
— No soap holder next to the sink, no caddy in the shower, toilet paper holder, towel hooks or racks, or trash bin — there was no place to put our clothes or towels when we showered, which was quite inconvenient
— Shower pressure was very weak, and the temperature was inconsistent (it would go from hot to cold in a few mins)
— Water gathered right outside of the shower — there was no closed door to the shower, so the whole bathroom would get wet, and the glass divider was ineffective — expect a huge puddle gathered outside the shower divider that wouldn’t really dry throughout the stay
- Bedrooms
— The apartment is listed as 3 bedrooms, and it did have 3 beds, but one of the bedrooms was tiny, seemingly converted from a closet. It fit a single bed, and massive closet and nothing else (not even our suitcase)
— There were no hanging space or closets for clothing anywhere other than the 2nd bedroom
— There was a/c only in 2 of the bedrooms
— The 1st bedroom was also small — it fit a double bed and nothing else
— The 1st bedroom door and the bathroom door would constantly hit or bang against each other — be careful not to open the door too fast otherwise you could hit your flat mate!
— Roman homes have thick walls, so you won’t get any Wi-Fi in room 1 & 2, close to the bathroom (Wi-Fi speed itself was very fast where there is signal, like the living room or bedroom 3)
— Could use a work table in 3rd bedroom (we were working in the apartment while not touring Roma)
- Living Room
— Missing a curtain in the living room, which meant a lot of looking into other apartments
— Curtains could use a strap or wrap, so we could push it aside when we wanted sunlight in the unit
- No freezer in the kitchen (contained a mini fridge but no ice compartment)
- Expect different outlets in the apartment, both the 3 prong and 2 prong outlets
- The unit is on the 1st floor w/ no elevator, so expect to haul your suitcases up a (short) flight of stairs
- Could really use more mirrors in the apartment, including floor length mirrors — the only one was in the already handicapped bathroom
Overall, if you’re looking for a simple, stylish apartment with a great value in a great location to tour Roma, this spot is definitely worth it! Hoping the owners are able to incorporate some of this feedback so future guests have a more pleasant stay — please give them a chance!