Hotel 77 Seventyseven

The rooftop terrace was nice, and the restaurant next door is worth a try. Our room was modern enough for a four-night city break, since we hardly spent time in it, but it didn't feel like four-star quality. The shower heads were very dirty. I reported it to reception and they replaced the main one, but regular cleaning should have caught that. Breakfast was okay, though it felt like they were cutting the budget. The pool needed a reservation and was limited to one hour, which seemed crazy. We had two fire alarm activations, one at 7:30 a.m. and another at 11:40 p.m., which annoyed me. Staff told most of us staying there that the panel was also connected to the adjoining property, which has a different address. That doesn't seem right. We enjoyed Rome, but won't stay here again. Definitely not four-star.

We had a lovely experience with the staff, who were polite, kind, and helpful throughout. The location is the real draw: about a 20-minute walk to the Colosseum one way and Trevi Fountain the other, or around 30 minutes to the Spanish Steps and Pantheon. There are lots of nearby restaurants at reasonable prices compared with places closer to the main sights. Our favorite was Bono Molti, which I can't recommend enough. We came for our first wedding anniversary, Feb 16-19, and the hotel was within our budget and good value. Just don't expect a four-star place. I'd call it more like three stars. The spa seems to be why it got that rating, but it's tiny, tired, and smelly, so set expectations accordingly. We weren't there for the spa anyway. Our room was a good size, but faced a main road and could get noisy. The bed was very uncomfortable, with an extremely firm mattress, though a bed that suits everyone is hard to find. Breakfast on the seventh floor had a decent selection but was just okay. There's only one tiny lift, so expect stairs if you don't want a long wait. For the location, price, and friendly staff, I'd recommend it as long as you take it for what it is.

The bathroom and linens were very clean when we checked in. The hotel is in a good area and works if all you need is somewhere reasonably clean to sleep. The rooms are poorly soundproofed, though, and in the last few days we could hear everything the new neighbors were doing and saying. The spa facilities didn't match the photos or the four-star impression. You can reserve the spa for only one hour a day, and it was lackluster and ice cold. The salt room and sauna were under construction and looked and felt nothing like the pictures. The rooftop jacuzzi also needs a reservation, but you can't book it after 6 p.m. because the bar opens. You need reservations for both the downstairs spa and rooftop restaurant. Front desk staff seemed willing to help, but weren't very kind and didn't explain well that every facility needs its own booking. They made it seem at check-in like breakfast was included, but it wasn't. It cost €15 per person, and we only found out at checkout. Breakfast was cold and disappointing, so I'm glad we tried it just once. Read the other reviews too, they may well reflect other guests' experiences.

We found the staff kind and helpful, and the hotel and rooms were clean and equipped well enough. There were plenty of places to eat nearby, and getting to transport was easy. We had a wonderful stay in a perfect location.