Colony Hotel

The cheap price wasn't worth this experience. The smell throughout the hotel and rooms was awful, furniture was broken, conditions were poor, and nothing looked like the online photos. Each day we came back to find lots of insects on the walls by the bed and in the bathroom. It felt dirty and uncomfortable the whole time. Staff were rude and unprofessional. They demanded a deposit and charged us for things that weren't our fault, which made it feel like they were looking for excuses to take extra money and trick guests. I've never dealt with people so dishonest and disrespectful. I'd strongly tell everyone to stay away from this unclean, unreliable hotel.

The only things I can say in its favor are that the towels were changed daily, the cleaning lady made the beds each day, and the reception staff we dealt with were polite and respectful. Beyond that, the hygiene was a disaster. The hotel looked nothing like the pictures: dirty rooms, stained walls, dirty bathtubs, and a filthy shower curtain. Taking the elevator to one floor meant being hit by an unbearable smell we couldn't even identify. For what I paid, I expected a clean, properly maintained place. My sister and I also had to pay €6 per person per night in tourist tax, which wasn't mentioned on the website where I booked, and cash only. There was another €50 deposit in case we damaged anything, supposedly refundable if nothing happened. It took us more than 1.5 hours to reach the city center, too. Honestly, I don't recommend it.

We were left standing in Rome in the middle of the day with our luggage and our plans in ruins. We had a pre-booked tour with a strict start time, but the receptionist showed no interest in helping us avoid missing it. She refused to hold our bags or offer any solution, and even said they would rather we find somewhere else to stay. She was hostile and condescending from the start, then changed the check-in time again and said she had arranged a refund through the booking agency without asking us, effectively cancelling our stay while we were there. There was no effort to calm things down. Her manner stayed arrogant and dismissive, and we were given no basic courtesy. There was no bar staff available, even to buy a drink, and no luggage storage at all. I’ve stayed in hotels across Europe and elsewhere at every price point, and I’ve never been treated this badly. This place has no sense of hospitality and clearly doesn’t want guests. Avoid it. Rome has countless other places to stay.

The hotel looked old and nothing like the pictures, and it was much farther from where we wanted to be than expected. There were no views, the WiFi and safe didn't work, and our room had just one socket. Staff were a mixed bag, but generally not friendly. We returned after being out all day and were told we had to pay €20 for a hand towel before we could get into our room. They kept our key, so we couldn't access our things without paying. It was 2am, and this should have been sorted at checkout. The towel had makeup on it from my removal, and I had used the same towel to stop my boyfriend's picked scab from bleeding. The €20 charge was ridiculous, and I found the towel hidden in my bag, so someone had gone through it. On another night, the balcony door was open when we came back, though we thought we'd locked it. My Kindle and earrings were missing. Staff said that couldn't have happened. For what I paid, it was overpriced, and I wouldn't return.