Hotel Traiano

The room was very basic, with a bed, shower and TV, plus a small sitting area and desk. Breakfast was included, which was great since there didn't seem to be a restaurant nearby. It was a cute, quiet little hotel, just right for the two days we spent waiting for our cruise. We got a transfer to the cruise port for a VERY reasonable price. Would I stay again? Yes, 💯.

The staff were friendly and helpful, which was the one thing that salvaged our stay. Thankfully, we only needed the hotel for one night before our cruise. A putrid smell came from the bathroom into the room and was almost unbearable, even with the windows open all day and night. The bedding was so dusty we put our own blankets on top and didn't wear pajamas. Everything from the lampshades to the curtains looked dingy.

The staff made things easy from the start. Michael met me at the airport with a sign bearing my name, right there like a son picking up his parents. The young man at reception was super friendly and informative, and arranged whatever we needed, including the $5 drive to the ship the next day. The young blond Romanian girl in the kitchen was top notch, kept everything impeccably clean and replenished the buffet promptly. There are three breakfast times, and eggs and bacon are cooked when you arrive. The pastries were an incredible display, though I didn't try them. Our room was immaculate, with an elevator, hair dryer and roomy bathroom. At $127, it was incredible value. It's about a ten minute walk to the more touristy part of Civitavecchia. We walked around the whole city twice to stay busy before the cruise, and found casual places to eat along the waterfront, some shopping and good people watching. It gave us a nice feel for life in a smaller Italian city, and we felt very safe.

Everything in the room worked. It was big enough, with a nice bed, balcony, bathroom with a shower, and a lift. We had to wait for our ferry until late afternoon the next day, and the staff kindly stored our luggage and called us a taxi.