Emmanuela was a really great hostess. She was always very communicative and attentive to our needs, especially upon our arrival.
However, there are a few issues with this place that are worth noting. For one, the apartment is located in a pretty sketchy area. But this is to be expected, since it’s right across the street from the train station. In any case, as a Public Service Announcement, I advise that you do avoid the corner McDonald’s after dark. It attracts suspicious characters, and it’s no place you want to find yourself alone in. If you’re traveling with little ones or with family, do yourself a favor and have a taxi drop you off in front of the apartment door during after hours.
Another safety issue was the elevator exit on the bottom floor. We weren’t told this, but the area in front of the elevator doors is accessible to pedestrians AND vehicles. My elderly aunt almost got run over by a motorcycle that sped by as she stepped out of the elevator. It missed her by an inch! This was a big area of concern because we always had to be on the lookout for cars as we stepped foot out of the elevator. This was unusual for us, to say the least!
Another issue worth mentioning has to do with the interior layout of the apartment. There are three bedrooms. One room has an en-suite bathroom and a king sized bed, which is perfect for a couple or a single person. The other two rooms are located side by side. There is a large bedroom with a king-sized bed and a small bedroom with a twin bed. The problem with this is that one must walk through the small bedroom to reach the large bedroom. There is no hallway or space separating these two rooms, only a door. Depending on your group, this may be inconvenient, especially if you have to run to the bathroom in the middle of the night and you don’t want to wake your next-room neighbor.
Aside from these inconveniences, the apartment was great in other regards. It was spotless when we arrived. Clean towels were provided. It comes equipped with a washer that doubles as a dryer (but don’t count on the dryer; it takes forever). There’s also an excellent restaurant around the corner with the best minestrone you’ll ever have. And the best part is that Emmanuela let us keep our luggage at the apartment an hour after checkout, which we greatly appreciated.
All in all, the apartment is fine as long as you are aware of the aforementioned attributes.