Hotel Novecento

The room was ready when we arrived, clean, and roomy enough to spread our things out. Breakfast was a treat, especially the croissants and coffee. The metro was a short walk away, which made it easy to get to all the places we visited in Rome. We’d definitely come back.

The paint smell was in both the hallway and our room, where renovation work started at 8am, far too early for me. Reception said the work was urgent, but the hotel price wasn’t reduced because of the repairs. Even the tea costs about as much as the best coffee in a café. Update: They seem to know their entitlements well, while forgetting their responsibilities.

Manzoni metro stop is just steps away, and both Termini station and the Colosseum are walkable. The staff were helpful and kind, and the shared terrace has tables and sunset views. Breakfast came with enough options, though it wasn’t anything special. Our room was much smaller than the Booking photos suggested, and with our luggage it was hard for two of us to move around. The bed wasn’t comfortable. The blinds let in light, and there wasn’t a blackout curtain, so anyone who needs a dark room may be up at 6am all holiday. The old hair dryer came apart at the tube the first time we used it; staff patched it with scotch. I’d already raised these issues with the manager before writing. They fixed the dryer with scotch, but couldn’t fix the blinds. There were some good parts to the stay, but also real drawbacks. For what we paid, it wasn’t worth it.

The room was cleaned daily, which was good, but the furniture was falling apart and the interior felt random, including those mirror decorations. Rome may be an old city, but that doesn’t mean hotel rooms need to feel like museums. New bed covers would help. Breakfast was identical every day, and the room really needs renovation, especially at this price.