Hotel Royal House

The view from the window was lovely and the location was convenient, but the rest of the stay left a very unpleasant impression. We paid €170 per night for a room in terrible shape, with a bad smell and a bathroom handle that had fallen off. The towels smelled unpleasant and had someone else’s eyelashes and hair on them. We waited at the door for about half an hour and nobody came to let us in. Eventually a girl from the restaurant let us through, but she said it wasn’t her problem and acted completely indifferent. The long wait without anyone to greet us, the poor room condition, and the dirty towels made the price feel completely out of line with the quality.

The view is amazing, especially after we upgraded our room, but the service and amenities were poor. It felt more like an airbnb above a restaurant than a luxury hotel. If the view matters most to you, it could still be an OK choice. The busy street by the Colosseum comes through the thin walls, and you’ll hear the trash pickup every morning at 5am. I’d bring noise cancelling earbuds. There’s no elevator, the coffee pots had mold, and both hairdryers were broken and smoked when switched on. None of the safes worked because they’d “lost the keys/batteries died.” No staff are on-site after 4pm, so if you forget your keycard there’s nobody to contact for help. Restaurant staff question you whenever you try to get to your room, and the wifi works poorly.

Katia welcomed us so warmly, and our room was very clean with views of the Colosseum. The room rate included a few breakfast items: coffee, juice, water bottles, and croissants. Across the street is the Colosseum, with buses, tram, and Metro easy to reach. There are plenty of good places to eat in the neighborhood, and this hotel is usually booked solid. Bring water bottles when you tour Rome, so you can refill them at the over 300 fountains.

The Colosseum view is perfect, and Katia and the staff really took care of us and made sure our stay went well. I’d definitely recommend staying here, and eating at the restaurant too. The food was exceptional.