Hotel Panda

Hotel Panda worked well for our four nights in Rome in mid April. My husband and I are Americans, and we liked the reasonable price and the very kind, helpful staff. We arrived at 10 a.m. The front desk hostess offered us a room that was ready or a 20-minute wait for the one we’d booked. Since we were early, she also let us have the free breakfast that was just wrapping up, even though it wasn’t technically included for that day. They’ll store your luggage for as long as you need. The front desk staff speak several languages, and the cleaning staff are friendly too, so we had no language barrier. The location is convenient, especially for the train station because there’s not much luggage to haul. Spagna metro stop is very close. The Spanish Steps and square are great for an evening out. The hotel isn’t right in the center, which helps keep the price reasonable. For places more than a 30-minute walk away, like St. Peter’s, St. John Lateran, and Trastevere, you may want a taxi, though the metro is easy to use. The rooms feel like what you’d get at a two-star US hotel or motel, with a quaint feel from the Italian setting, the quirks, and the older traditional building. Ours had a balcony overlooking a central courtyard used mostly for maintenance, with a view of other rooms’ windows. We didn’t use it, but it made the room feel more open. We had no AC during our mid April visit because the units weren’t on yet. Some places switch manually from heating to cooling. It got a little warm in the day, but was pleasant at night, though probably warmer than most Americans would keep home on a 75-degree day. The bathroom was small, with a bidet taking up space, and the shower was about 24 inches square. There were niches for our things, which was lucky because we couldn’t have bent down to reach them. The room had a few two-star quirks, like odd light bulbs, one of the two toilet buttons maybe not working, a firm mattress, and a very basic showerhead. Still, the room and bed were clean, nice, and comfortable. Breakfast wasn’t extraordinary, but there was a good mix and plenty of it: juice, an espresso machine, pastries, bread and spreads, meats, yogurt, and cereal. There’s a small dining room that feels nice. We might try somewhere a step up on our next Rome trip, but for this year’s price, Hotel Panda was a great choice.