Le Stanze di Federica

We left early, and the stay nearly spoiled our trip. We found a real hotel in a much better location for the same price. The host never came back after our complaint, and my daughter became very sick. With the window open, we had to deal with noise and allergens. The host wasn't there, seemed dishonest, and acted as if he couldn't speak English. He said the air conditioning would be turned on, but it never worked. When he came back after we complained about the heat, he showed us the breaker panel to operate it. We asked for another room and were told everything was booked, though in two days we never saw or heard another guest. We called our travel agent, who was told there was air conditioning but it wouldn't be turned on because it was cool outside. Think twice: there's no A/C, and the place is far from everything, so transport will cost time and money.

The staff were great, and the 24-hour reception was appreciated. Rooms were nice and well equipped, in a central location. It had the feel of old Rome with a contemporary look, and was much better than a chain hotel. Breakfast was mediocre, with juice from a can, for example, but perfectly acceptable.

This was the only bad experience in our two and a half weeks in Italy. The room looked like a 1960s bachelor's pad with updated colors. To turn on the shower, you have to reach past the rain head and get some cold water on you. The jacuzzi tub didn't work, and he blamed two USB chargers plugged into a circuit on the other side of the room, though no phones were connected, just the charging cables. He tried to get an extra 121 euro from us. Then he changed the entry codes and kicked us out, even after we finally agreed to pay because we didn't want to find another room for one night. I'm guessing he had double booked the room, as other reviewers said, and wanted a reason to get rid of us.

We stayed at the Stanze di Federica from 26 through 30 December 2019 and were delighted. The check-in using codes sent via WhatsApp was convenient, and the staff were friendly and helpful. Rooms and reception were cosy, modern, comfortable, and clean. The temperature was just right, which matters a lot to me. Our only possible drawback was the slow lift, which fits only two people, though that's part of staying in charming old buildings. We enjoyed feeling as though we were living in an original Rome building, and the value for money was great. The street was fairly quiet but had plenty of shops, restaurants, and cafes nearby. Via del Corso, a shopper's or window shopper's paradise, is just across the bridge and leads to many major sights. Castello, Vaticano, Piazza Navonna, Campo di Fiori, and others are a pleasant walk away, with buses and subway connections to everywhere. We'll definitely be back!