I stayed at Roberta’s lovely apartment for three nights with my mom, dad, husband and little 1.5 year-old toddler - but wish we could have stayed longer. It was the perfect choice and I would not hesitate to stay here again. If you’re thinking about booking with Roberta, just do it!
The apartment itself is incredible: beautifully restored, immaculately clean, tastefully decorated. Everything, from the parquet floors to the high ceilings with wooden beams, felt luxurious. The beds are large and comfortable, the bath towels are huge and plentiful (a rarity in Europe!), the WiFi is fast. The kitchen was stocked with pots, pans, plates, and every kind of appliance you’d need - and while we didn’t end up cooking a large meal, we absolutely could have if we’d wanted to.
Parents, take note: this was a top choice for our young toddler for several reasons. Roberta provided a crib, a high chair, and arranged for a driver to pick us up from the airport with a car seat in tow. The windows (which let in beautiful natural light during the day) do close and black out completely, making midday naps possible. There is a full size bathtub with a handheld sprayer that made bath time easy. And there is a 24/7 (!!) grocery store right across the street, where we were able to easily stock up on diapers, baby food, fresh milk, and more. The nearby Colle Oppio park won’t win any awards for aesthetics, but it did have a little play structure and swing set which my son loved - a godsend for jet-lagged parents.
The neighborhood of Celio - where the apartment is located - is steps away from the Coliseum, but still has a safe, residential feel. The apartment is quiet at night (and we slept with the windows open!). We walked a few blocks to several restaurants - all recommended by Roberta, all welcoming to a toddler - and had great meals. There is a taxi stand right around the corner, and the Colosseo metro stop is a quick walk away.
One thing to note: there are quite a few stairs leading to the apartment, as it’s on the third floor (well actually, fourth floor, if you’re American). If you’re visiting Rome you’re going to be doing a lot of walking anyway, and for us this wasn’t a dealbreaker. On top of that, Roberta was so kind and helped us lug our suitcases up when we arrived and down when left.