Hotel Madison

Hotel Madison was a useful one-night stop before our early flight. Roma Termini is just across the street, which made the train and airport connections easy. The ride to Rome's airport the next morning took about 45 minutes. The room was clean, with a comfortable bed, a mini fridge, and enough space. The bathroom was bigger than I expected for a budget hotel. There were some annoyances: the AC ran but never got very cold, the shower shifted between very hot and warm by itself, the toilet sometimes didn't flush properly, and the bathroom soap dispenser was broken. There was no coffee maker in the room, and we had to leave our key at reception whenever we went out. It's a practical, affordable choice for a quick night by the station. Not a luxury stay, but the location is hard to beat.

The room was small, but the design and air conditioning were great, and breakfast was lovely. I stayed just one night before our tour started, and it was a nice way to begin the trip. Staff were very helpful all day, and storing my bags was easy. There are lots of bars and restaurants nearby, plus the train station and bus depot just across the street. It was loud outside, but I didn't have trouble with noise in the room. There were two elevators, as well as stairs.

The one real advantage here is being right by Roma Termini. Trains to the airport and other cities are handy, and many major Rome sights are walkable. The rest of my stay was deeply disappointing, and I wouldn't come back or recommend it. The room looked much more worn than the hotel's photos suggest, and it needs major renovation. Cleanliness was poor too, with cobwebs on the ceiling and a very dirty area under the bed that clearly hadn't been cleaned in a long time. The air conditioning didn't cool the room, instead making an already hot, stuffy room feel warmer and hard to sleep in. The shower was in awful shape. I couldn't find a comfortable temperature, only boiling hot or ice cold, and the clogged drain left me standing in a small pool of dirty water. There was also a security concern with the key policy. Guests have to leave their room key at reception when they go out, but anyone returning only has to give a room number to get it, with no verification. It seemed possible for someone off the street to ask for a key and enter a room. Other reviews mention similar problems, so our experience didn't seem isolated.

I was very ready to leave. The staff were pleasant and you can't beat the location, right by Roma Termini, with loads of restaurants and a supermarket across the street. But the hotel itself left a lot to be desired. The room was functional but uninviting, we overlooked a vent shaft, and I had to leave the lamp on just to keep the outlet powered. The bathroom smelled too. People complain that the staff seem unpleasant, but given what they're working with, can you blame them? This isn't a place to be proud of.