Gio' Suites

The bathroom was the biggest problem. The shower and bath kept leaking, and the wooden doorframe was hanging off, as if it had been leaking for a long time. There was damp across the room, with no ventilation. The room was very dated and felt like staying in someone else's bedroom, with very little privacy. Getting around on foot is a headache because the place is far out. The woman was polite, but we felt awkward even asking to have the air conditioning turned on.

The staff were nice and helpful, and breakfast was good. We appreciated that they changed the hand towels. The district itself was calm and well located. There are four rooms in the building, so it was easy to hear the neighbors, though that seems normal in Rome. Our room and bathroom were both small, with little room for personal things and not enough closet shelves for two people. The bedside table could have used more shelves. There was no bathroom heater, so it felt cold and the towels wouldn't dry. The small heater in our room wasn't enough to warm it in January.

The bed was comfortable and the place was clean. It's a small flat in a residential area, so it's a good choice if you want to get a feel for local life. There's a family-owned Speghetteria downstairs with the best food I had all week. Trastevere gets noisy at night. People ate out on the street right below our room, and it was loud. There's also a playground up the block, so you hear happy kids playing.

The building has four rooms, and you need to get in touch with the hotel before arriving. When I called, they came right over, though we were late because we'd missed the train, and they didn't seem too pleased about the delay. The location is good, the rooms are clean, and there are lots of restaurants and bars nearby. You can walk everywhere. Breakfast is just coffee or tea, so don't expect much.