B&B Giubbonari

The room had what it needed, though nothing exceptional, and the location is very central with good bus and tram connections. The sound insulation was the problem. The door to the room might as well have been paper, we could hear every noise from the hallway. Our room was opposite the entrance, so conversations between reception and other guests became our morning coffee. One receptionist kindly gave us earplugs when we asked and let us leave our bags there for several hours after checkout. The rest of the staff weren’t all as friendly, and we could hear that clearly too.

The location was great, and our three-night stay was pleasant overall. We’d travelled from Martina Franco. Check-in went smoothly, with clear instructions and emails leading up to it. The bed was literally round and a decent size, but the pillows were too soft and not comfortable. Plush pillows seem to be the thing in most hotels these days, so Giubbonari Suits, I’d like to see you follow suit.

The room was clean, and the bed and pillows were comfortable. There was a mini-fridge, though the shower had chipped tiles and no handle on the inside, which made getting out difficult. The location worked well for getting around by bus or on foot, with Trastevere, its restaurants and nightlife, and local shops and grocery stores nearby. Getting in was a hassle. We were told the self check-in details would arrive four days beforehand, but they never came, so we had to call on arrival with help from a local. Some of the numbers we were given didn't work. The ones that did only reached reception between 9am and 2pm, and staff sometimes left before 2 or arrived after 9. That didn't feel professional. Also, Rome's tourist tax is 6 Euros per person per night.

The air conditioning was so loud that sleeping was nearly impossible, and there was also a persistent musty, mold-like smell in the room. Cleanliness overall seemed below standard. On top of that, a very strong artificial perfume, apparently sprayed heavily by the cleaning staff, hit us as soon as we entered. It gave us headaches, clung to our clothes, and made it hard to relax. My girlfriend has asthma and found the room physically intolerable. We asked Guibbonari Suites for help, but got none. No staff were there during the hours they had posted, and our emails went unanswered. We ended up leaving and paying for another hotel that night, an expense that could have been avoided if they had taken responsibility. The lack of response and professionalism made an already disappointing stay worse. I strongly advise future travelers to avoid this property.