Cesar Palace - B&B

Check-in left me feeling lost in a foreign country. They should at least print their phone number at the entrance so it’s easier to understand, if they can’t come up with a better system. The hotel is well placed, with a bus station right next door that can get you to pretty much any important spot. It’s nothing fancy, but you’re in Rome to get out and explore, right? Grab a coffee and pastry at a cafe in the morning, then head off for the day. For the price, I thought it was good value.

The place was friendly, and the staff were kind, quick to respond, and made us feel well looked after. We stayed for nearly a week recently, and what we experienced was much better than the earlier reviews we’d seen, which seemed generally unfair. The facilities felt in line with the price. Our room had a cute view, the aircon worked, and the sheets, towels, and shower were clean. The location was perfect for us: we like walking, so the 20-minute stroll to the centre was no trouble. The breakfast cafe is less than two minutes away.

This suited us, though it probably won’t suit everyone. It’s advertised as a 2 star hotel, and it matched what I expect at that level. Please don’t book it expecting a 4+ star place. We found it was the cheapest option with a decent location, and compared with other budget hotels I’ve stayed at in major cities around the world, it wasn’t bad. There usually isn’t anyone at reception, but everything is secured with pass codes. That could be inconvenient if you need someone on site, though they respond quickly on What's App. The extra security could be a real plus if you have a bicycle, since you can keep it in the large, passcode-protected foyer instead of leaving it on the street. A supermarket is across the road, a full-size one where you can get pretty much anything, including cheap prepared food. Behind the hotel there are several good restaurants, one recommended by local bloggers, and a couple of sushi places. The metro is about a five-minute walk for us since we walk fast, perhaps ten minutes for others. The hotel is only about 200 meters outside the wall. At the airport, drivers may want to charge more because of that, but I showed them the location on my phone and pointed out it’s barely outside the wall and only about 1km farther than the main terminal. I left a few things on the floor that looked like garbage, and room service threw them out. The owner or manager refunded me the value of those items.

The breakfast at a nearby local cafe was really good, and for a short Rome stay the price is hard to fault. I booked at the last minute because I wanted to be close to the sights, and the location worked well. The room was clean with a comfortable bed and decent space, plus air conditioning. Check-in felt a bit odd since reception was on the fifth floor, but once that was explained, it was fine.