Best Western Hotel Piccadilly

Our travel agency booked us for two nights at the Best Western Hotel Piccadilly in September, at the end of our Italy trip. We liked the chance to see everyday Roman life in San Giovanni, with restaurants and shopping at reasonable prices. The hotel is on busy Via Magnagrecia, a bit outside the historic center, and the nearest metro on the A line was a decent walk away. After a long high-speed train ride with heavy bags, having to take stairs or an elevator up to the third-floor front desk felt unacceptable. The elevators were small, like many in Europe, and fit about three or four people without luggage. The staff were welcoming and polite, and spoke English well. Our rooms were well maintained and had the usual hygiene amenities. The air conditioning worked adequately but was slow, and there were no instructions for using it. Breakfast was a traditional Italian spread with bread, pastries, fruit, and meat. It was mostly full service, and the hosts were great. My partner, our friends, family member, and I didn't agree with the four-star rating. We wouldn't recommend it to first-time visitors to Rome, since the main attractions are about 25-30 minutes away on foot on average.

Breakfast on the top floor was very good, and we could enjoy the views while eating. The staff were friendly, reception was open around the clock, and the rooms had thoughtful little welcome gifts like a sewing kit. We walked to the Colosseum in about 25 minutes. The neighborhood felt calm and not very touristy, which suited us. There was some honking and traffic noise on a few nights, but usually it wasn't too noisy. One thing we couldn't get help with was buying bus tickets, though walking to the metro was easy.

Breakfast was nice, but getting to reception and the rooms meant dealing with stairs and luggage, and the lift was tiny. The Wi-Fi in my room kept dropping every five seconds, though it worked in reception and the breakfast room. That was a real problem when I needed to check in for work. The receptionist said it was because I was using an iPhone, which annoyed me since that can't be the reason.

The room had a lovely design, and the bed was really comfortable. Reception staff were friendly and helpful. I wanted to stay longer, but the hotel was fully booked. I hope to come back soon.