B&B Zen Trastevere

We felt safe and comfortable throughout our visit, and this ended up being our favorite of the three places we stayed in during our travels, including two traditional 4 to 5 star hotels in other cities. The room had its own air conditioner, which we were allowed to use even in winter, and the neighbors were friendly and helpful. The owner was friendly too, though not as easy to understand. The bed was more comfortable than it looked, and the amenities were adequate and mostly comfortable. I'd stay again, but the stairs and shared fridge would put my husband off. The neighborhood was easy to find and get around, with everything we needed just steps away. For downtown Rome's sights, be ready for major traffic delays and crowds crossing the bridge, even in the off season. Buses were hard to navigate because the schedules were flexible. Pickpockets also work in teams on crowded public transport. If the bus's stops and starts throw you off balance, stay alert to your belongings while you're distracted trying to steady yourself. Evading one pickpocket doesn't mean your things are safe. I hadn't expected so many stairs, or that we'd need a lift for a room on the first floor. I also hadn't expected to share the kitchen. The setup is like a college dorm apartment: three rooms, each with its own bathroom, and a shared kitchen. Outside that apartment are common building areas and entrance areas for other apartments. The balcony looks over larger balconies and other buildings. Once past those surprises, the room itself feels like a comfortable hotel room, but there's no staff to help with anything. The free breakfast is packaged bread and muffin type items, coffee, tea, bitters, and juice in a shared fridge. This isn't an American-style B&B or a standard hotel room. I'd describe it as a semi-private Airbnb or dorm-style apartment with no living room. The bathroom is probably a converted clothes closet, very small but efficient, and the shower is much more slippery than it looks. The lift is a tiny antique with three doors, and you still have many stairs to climb to reach it. I found it charming and adventurous. My husband thought it was a potential death trap we were lucky to survive each day! It really is a matter of perspective. All in all, we had a lovely, safe visit. As my cab driver put it, Rome is safe: "they don't hurt you, just take your things." LOL

A terrible place. We were left waiting outside the main door for 45 minutes because the code didn't work. Luckily, someone let us in. The shower didn't work properly, leaving the second person with cold water. They refused to provide tea towels. He said he'd refund €50 only if I left a good review. Here's the "good" review: NEVER GO TO THIS PLACE.

Breakfast items were available in the kitchen, and we ate on the little balcony overlooking a quiet courtyard. The location was great, just a short walk from lovely restaurants and cafes. Davide was communicative and quick to respond, answering my questions before the trip and at the B&B, and helping arrange car service and extra pillows. Thanks for a great stay!

We arrived in Rome with my family and were left outside the gate for nearly an hour, unable to reach the host because calls and messages went unanswered. It was stressful and uncertain being stranded in a foreign country. When he eventually replied, he said casually that he'd been on a flight and couldn't answer. There was no backup contact. He claimed I was "supposed" to ring the doorbell, though no communication had mentioned that. Even then, we would have had to search through about 40 doorbells to find the right one. The host was defensive and dismissive instead of acknowledging the poor service. He asked why I hadn't waited at the cafe next door, but how could I know when, or if, he'd respond? We booked another hotel. After that, he sent voice messages berating me, with insults like, "If you had the balls to just talk to me" and "If you were smart enough to ring the doorbell." He kept the full payment and refused a refund. This is unprofessional and a blatant scam. I strongly advise against booking this B&B. Avoid it, there are far better, more reliable options in Rome where you'll be treated with basic respect.