Few Steps from St. Peter - S&AR

The taxi driver charged us twice the legal amount while these people stood right beside us outside the building, looking straight at us and saying nothing.

Great place, and it works wonderfully.

The facilities were clean, and the shared restroom and shower room were clean too. The main gate was so heavy that it was really hard to open. I came out of the airport on the 3T line and arrived in a white taxi for 60 euros. The sandwich shop employee on the first floor told me to press 14, so I thought it meant the 14th floor... haha. It’s actually the 2nd floor. The refrigerator is shared. Water, sparkling water, cola, two juices, and snacks are free. The hairdryer is small but amazingly powerful. Oh wow... I want to buy one on my way home. We bought way too much fruit at the market, and the trash piled up enormously. I feel so sorry for the staff. There’s a market about 1km away. It isn’t super cheap, but the food is fresh. We bought tuna, ate it raw, and grilled what was left... Gochujang is a must. The Vatican Museum is close, but you have to pay admission. St. Peter’s Square (3 minutes) and the Cathedral are nearby and free, though they do security checks. Around 4:30, the security checks are quiet. The gift shop inside the cathedral tries to close by 6:20, and the cathedral itself closes around 6:30. I went with my mom, so we couldn’t visit the museum. Just walking around the cathedral exhausted her, since the interior is very spacious and has lots of artworks.

The location is convenient, with the Vatican, metro, and places to eat close by. The apartment was clean, with good towels and bedding, a kettle, toaster, iron, hairdryer, cooking and dining utensils, and even a corkscrew. The kitchen felt cozy, there was a little courtyard, the air conditioner could heat the room, and there weren't many neighbors. The water was the big problem. Hot water came out in a tiny trickle, about as thick as a pinky, even when the other taps were off. At least the bidet had hot water. They didn't leave tea bags, and the capsules in the machine made a really unpleasant drink they called coffee. There was no Turkish coffee pot, and the safe didn't work. Five years ago I stayed here, and it feels like the world has gone downhill since. On Saturdays a nightclub-like place downstairs gets noisy, though it was quiet on other days. I also saw people hand-washing clothes in both the bathroom and kitchen sinks. I don't mind hand-washing, but doing laundry in the kitchen was hard to watch. I left before the rinse cycle because it was getting to me.