Relais Marco Polo

The location is great, less than a 5-minute walk from the train station. Rooms are clean and decent. The elevator is very small, and you'll have to carry your luggage up 5 steps regardless.

The reception staff were great. We had trouble with accommodation elsewhere, and they helped us out at short notice by offering us a room, with a complimentary upgrade as well. The bed was really comfortable, and the shower was fantastic. I have to say, that bathroom wall was one of the prettiest I've ever seen! I'd certainly recommend Marco Polo Relais if you want to stay in this area.

We arrived at Relais Marco Polo and found there was no electricity anywhere. No lights, air conditioning, or power, so we couldn't check in or stay. A staff member or manager told us we could cancel and get a full refund because the outage wasn't our fault. Later the hotel refused to honor that promise, saying the booking was non-refundable. The hotel couldn't provide even the basics and then wouldn't take responsibility. It was an awful experience, with no professionalism or customer care. I strongly advise choosing somewhere reliable for a stay in Rome.

The location is a few minutes' walk from the train station. The neighborhood isn't the best, but it's not the worst either. The lobby is on the 3rd floor, which is odd, and the elevator is tiny, though it was fast and worked fine. I wouldn't have a problem staying here again. The room was fantastic and clean after the renovation. It has central AC for general cooling, plus a portable unit. To make the portable one work, you need to open the window and put the exhaust hose outside, then tie the windows together so they're as closed as possible. It's a bit of a setup, but it worked quite well. The shower is small and nice. The pressure is a little too strong for the drain, so you have to find a setting that gives a good spray without overflowing the base. I saw bad reviews from a couple months earlier about a power outage. This is an ancient city, and there's nowhere to put a giant generator like in America. The outage also took the hotel's computer system down. It's unfortunate, but that's life.