Hotel Royal Court

I've stayed at Royal Court twice, and the details are what make it special. Courtney, the lovely American/Italian woman who runs it, clearly cares about her guests and about helping them have the best experience in Rome. That care shows throughout the hotel. The staff are friendly and so helpful, everything is clean, and the breakfast is divine. It's only three blocks from Roma Termini, but on the quiet side of the area. The neighborhood is clean and peaceful, close to the action, and you can walk everywhere. The rooms are beautifully furnished and decorated, with comfortable beds and options with three or four beds for groups and families. I'd stay here again without hesitation.

A note about the layout: there is more than one building, so your room might be somewhere other than the building where you check in. You can confirm that with the hotel, and the buildings are close to each other either way. The staff and service were excellent, and the rooms were great. Roma Termini is an easy, short walk away. There are plenty of lovely little restaurants and convenient shops nearby, and the quiet neighborhood is close enough to the Colosseum. Public transport, taxis, and tour buses are easy to reach too.

I'd call this a three-star hotel at best, especially for the $375 a night we paid. The beds were memory foam, but felt hard as a rock. I might have slept better on the floor. The room was clean, though its thin door let us hear people talking in the hallway at any time. They advertised an American buffet breakfast, but it was what Europeans call breakfast: cold cuts and warm hard-boiled eggs. The front desk service was phenomenal. The guy spoke great English and let us check in early when we arrived ahead of time. The water pressure was also phenomenal. That was about where the positives ended. I'd read reviews saying the room might not be in the hotel where you check in, and ours was indeed two blocks up the road. It was in the same building as another hotel called the Tito hotel, one floor above it. The Tito hotel was also rated three stars, so my guess is our room was considered three-star accommodation but owned by a four-star hotel. From an American perspective, think Holiday Inn.

There was a nice rooftop terrace, and breakfast had a good range of choices. We stayed three nights in a junior suite in the annex and really enjoyed it. The suite was amazing, with a great shower and the bonus of a separate extra room. Service was great too. Rome Termini and lots of good restaurants are within walking distance. We loved the hotel and will definitely come back next time we're in Rome.