Gatsby Guest House

The building doesn’t look very inviting from outside, but the room and service were excellent. Cafes, restaurants, and shops are all within easy walking distance. We were there to watch our daughter swim in the European Masters Swimming, and this location worked perfectly for us: about a 15-minute walk to the Vatican and an easy walk to the swimming. We’d definitely stay here again when we’re in Rome.

The host was polite and really helpful, as was his assistant, who waited until 11:30pm to let us into the building. The room was clean and comfortable, with great A/C for hot summer days and very good wifi. Couldn’t fault the service, and I’ll definitely stay here again in Rome.

The kitchen was a real plus, with a coffee machine, kettle, microwave with grill, fridge, and induction cooktop. The location is handy for the Vatican, and we could explore Rome on foot from there. Finding The Gatsby Guest House took some searching, though, since it’s on the fifth floor of a grand old building. Our room was nicely furnished, but the partition walls in the former large apartment don’t block sound. The bed in the Alexander room needs a new mattress, you can really feel the springs. The bathroom was barely acceptable to us: mold around the bathtub made a relaxing bath unappealing. As for the water temperature people mention, it seems to take a while to reach the room. We often had to run several liters before it warmed up. The location is good, and the rest was okay, with a few reservations.

The staff were fantastic and quick to respond, and the location and price are the only real positives. I wouldn’t stay more than a night or two. The shower takes a while to get hot, then goes cold and needs time again. I kept waking up with lots of new bites, though I don’t know whether they were from mosquitoes or something else. The kitchen tap barely flows, the bathroom walls are damp and moldy, and the bed is too short.