The pros: The apartment is very well-located between Navona, Fiori, and Castel Sant’Angelo in the old city, convenient to everything. It’s a pleasure to step outside and be so close to shopping, the most important sites, and the wonderful atmosphere that Central Rome offers. Inside, the main rooms are quite large by European standards (even a separate dining room!) and the ceilings are nothing short of spectacular. The rear bedroom is quiet and there’s an en-suite bathroom. The wall art is lovely throughout and the furniture in the living room is ample and (unusual or rental apartments) comfortable. Sheets and towels were not fancy but clean and adequate, and the hosts willingly replaced them midway during our nearly month-long visit for no additional charge. We can’t speak for the A/C but the heating (with two independent sources in two different locations in the apartment) was more than adequate during the current chilly, rainy January. The washing machine worked great and at the end of the cycle our clothing was nearly dry. There’s a portable drying rack to complete process. The hosts, Federico and Laura, were attentive and extremely responsive to our requests for information and a few missing staples. It’s clear they want to be helpful in any way they can.
The cons: Potential renters with even somewhat-limited mobility would be well-advised to ask detailed questions about things like the ancient stone, steep-and-uneven stairway from the building lobby to the apartment, as well as the numerous interior steps and half-steps in unexpected places. They should also inquire about the very-cramped main bathroom/shower (the latter being elevated a full step), and the status of unheated exterior second half-bath. Furthermore, as others have noted, the apartment is extremely dark during the day, and the nighttime lighting needs to be significantly improved - - it’s a challenge, for example, to read print materials in the LR and bedroom at night with no ceiling lights, so few floor lamps, and table lamps of such low wattage. Finally, at the present time there seems to be a great deal of major construction going on, both inside the building and directly outside across the street. However, for people on holiday who are out and about seeing the sights during the day, this shouldn’t present a problem. At night, things quiet down considerably, and as stated above, you don’t hear any street noise in the bedroom.
In summary, Federico and Laura are spectacular; the apartment is ok and would be great with a few tweaks; and the location incomparable.