Soha Piazza di Spagna Boutique

Soha is in a great spot, close to attractions and with plenty of places to eat nearby. Maryam was very friendly and had lots of recommendations. The rooms were clean and had a coffee machine, a small fridge and a safe if you need one. The hot water was limited on the first night, but they fixed it the next morning. Great place.

The location was convenient, but my partner and I felt taken advantage of and wouldn’t recommend staying here. The building felt unsettling, the amenities were poor, and the service was disorganized. Check-in was a mess. No one was at the desk, so we had to call for the entrance codes and find our room key left unattended. The boutique is on the second floor of a dim building that felt almost abandoned. The hallway lights didn’t work, so we had to use our phone flashlights. In the room there were only two tiny bottles of shampoo and no conditioner. When we asked for no room service, staff said that wasn’t possible because nobody would be around to tell the cleaners. On the second day, the front desk attendant texted that we had to meet her during her limited hours to pay, which cut into our sightseeing. She said the €40 city tax had to be paid in cash and claimed there’d been a mistake in our reservation, so we owed another €25 per night for a second guest, also in cash. She even asked us to pay the whole reservation in cash. When we refused, she got short with us and insisted the extra charges and city tax couldn’t be put on the card on file. We later checked with Hotels.com and researched the rules. We understood that Italian law requires businesses to accept card payments when card payment is available, and that we couldn’t be forced to pay cash. After we pushed back and explained the high ATM fees and currency conversion costs, she reluctantly accepted the card. Before doing so, she said taking cash was the “owner’s preference” and that they were making an exception for us.

Soha was wonderful and gave us really helpful recommendations. The staff were friendly, the AC worked well, and we had a really great stay. The room and bathroom are small, but you’re in the heart of Rome, with all the attractions a 10-30 minute walk away. We’d stay here again in a heartbeat. Thanks for a great visit!

The owner was warm, gracious and accommodating. She got in touch weeks before we arrived and arranged a transfer from our cruise to the hotel, transfers to the five other hotels where our friends were staying, and an airport transfer at the end. She also shared excellent restaurant recommendations. We stayed for five nights after our cruise, and this was a perfect base for exploring more of Rome and the countryside. Although the room was small by US standards, it was modern, clean and comfortable. The boutique hotel is very central, within a few minutes’ walk of Trevi fountain, the Spanish steps, metro stations, shops and restaurants. We’d love to stay here again next time we’re back in Rome.