Hotel Giglio dell'Opera

The location made getting around easy. Roma Termini was a 10-minute walk, the Colosseum about 25 minutes, and Trastevere around 35. We could explore the sights on foot. I’d read worrying reviews about the area, but there were plenty of police and security staff around Roma Termini. The breakfast was standard but good, with fresh fruit, fruit yogurt, croissants, cake, salami, turkey ham, juices, and two coffee machines for espresso and other coffees. We arrived early in the morning, and two very polite, kind staff members let us into our room three hours before the usual check-in. Our first-floor room was spacious and airy. The hotel isn’t new, but it was spotless, and the beds were very comfortable. There were a few minor shortcomings, though the room was still clean and comfortable. I’d felt anxious after reading reviews once our non-refundable booking was made, but I ended up really liking the hotel. I was highly satisfied, and it seems ideal for a tourist holiday.

The room and room service were good, though the receptionists weren’t very cordial. We didn’t have breakfast at the hotel, but at checkout they asked us for the breakfast bill. They checked carefully, apologized, and let us go. We also had to wait a long time for our taxi.

Apart from the staff, everything was terrible. We switched rooms twice because they were unclean, and both were just as bad. Eventually we found one where we could at least spend the night. The AC didn’t work either. We’d chosen the place only for its location, but the service absolutely wasn’t worth the price. Think carefully before booking.

This is a cheap hotel near the station, and you get what you pay for. We stayed four nights in May and had no hot water on three of them. Staff acted as if there was no boiler problem, showed me photos of its temperature on a phone reading 38 to 40 degrees, and kept telling me to wait. I waited two hours the first night, still with no hot water. The second and fourth nights were the same. Through expedia, they said the legal boiler temperature was 45-55 degrees, though their own staff had shown me readings below that. Staff kept passing the hot water issue to the next shift instead of dealing with it. The phone in the room didn’t work, so I had to go down three flights to speak to the front desk. The elevator worked only intermittently. The safe was broken, so I couldn’t lock up my valuables. I was pickpocketed at trevi fountain and lost all my cash. The TV was plugged in but wouldn’t turn on. They called a $20 breakfast compensation, after we’d paid $1600 Cdn for the stay. They told expedia that we refused to pay for breakfast. This was on day two of our five-day stay: the cafeteria staff asked for our room number twice, and we confirmed it. We assumed the charge would go on the room and we’d pay at checkout, but they claimed we’d left the breakfast hall without paying. The hotel photos are unrealistic, and the rooms are dated. There were no flower pots by the entrance while we were there. I also read a 2024 review claiming there were hidden cameras in rooms and bathrooms. I can’t confirm that, but it added to my concerns. I wouldn’t recommend staying here. Their own staff post reviews online to boost the rating. I paid the price for not doing my homework before booking, and hope you can stay away from this sketchy place.