Silvia is an excellent host. Friendly and welcoming, she came from the house to the tram stop (2 mins walk - as we had taken a tram from the central train station - Termini - only 15 mins away), to meet us and help us with our luggage.

When we needed our tickets printed for our day excursion to the Vatican, Silvia obliged and she was also like greased lightening and came to our aid when we got confused with house's central heating system (yes, it can get cold even in Rome in early March). Once sorted, the house was as warm as toast. In summer I can assume that the air-conditioning will also keep the house nice and cool (as a cucumber?).

The location of the house is one that is well-balanced, in that it offers great value, being just 20 minutes, door-to-door to the Colosseum, the central heart of the city. You could find closer apartments, but they would be a lot more expensive, so for us, the price-value trade-off was ideal. Moreover, the house is located in an area that has well stocked supermarkets round the corner, as well as bars and restaurants nearby (2 minute walk to the nearest Pizzeria).

Inside, the house has all the conveniences you would need. The large double-bed was one of the best that I had slept on for a long time. A lovely power-shower also meant that one always felt fully refreshed and alive before tackling the various day trips around the eternal city which, to say the least, did not disappoint.

The kitchen cooks on gas, which means that if you decide to entertain at home (a reasonable premise as the local produce is so tasty and there is so much you can prepare with Italian cuisine), there is no need for a microwave, which the house does not possess. We spent 50 percent of our evenings at home, due to being so tired from the sightseeing "overdose", and we always managed to rustle up something delicious, eating our meal on the large kitchen table.

The house has super-fast WiFi internet connection, so we managed to stream films and watch TV (BBC) with no problem and no buffering.

There are many buses and trams to get to the centre of the city, and so, once we had decided to leave the house, we would be in the centre within half-an-hour at the latest, as there was always a means of transport within 2-5 mins of us standing at a stop. Metro, tram, bus, taxi - all meant that we did not feel isolated, which might occur in other cities with such a distance from the centre. And cheap! 7 Euros for a 24-hour transport city pass, with no zoning, means that the the whole of Rome is at your fingertips.

If you are looking for a good-value place to stay with a wonderful host, then look no further....with Silvia and her house at Il Pigneta, you have found it.