The Couper Umiltà

We chose this hotel for its excellent location, and the receptionist was friendly and kind. The first room had serious humidity in the bathroom, which was very uncomfortable and, of course, harmful to health. Opening the window brought in a lot of outside noise. We asked to move, but the receptionist said nothing else was available that day. Exhausted from our journey and without the energy to find another hotel, we felt stuck and had to sleep in that room. In my view it shouldn't be used until the damp problem is fixed. The next day we switched rooms, and the new one didn't have the humidity issue.

The rooms looked stylish, but we didn't feel the space was secure, and staff were absent and unresponsive to basic requests. If you expect toilet paper, fresh towels, trash removal, or fairly quick replies from hotel staff, I'd look elsewhere. Before the trip, WhatsApp communication was good. I knew reception wasn't staffed around the clock and was fine with that. At check-in they gave me a rough schedule, around 9am, then a lunch break, then back until about 9ish, and said to WhatsApp them outside those hours. In practice the desk was almost always empty, and messages got no timely response. I asked why our trash hadn't been taken out or our used espresso cups and spoons replaced, but heard nothing. We couldn't get toilet paper or towels replenished. I ended up raiding a utility bathroom behind reception for half-used toilet rolls. What a joke. The hotel's entrance is dingy, unkempt, and not secure. The hotel and its second-floor rooms are basically tenants in a larger building. Attendants, who were rarely at the desk, told me the building's front door stayed closed all day and evening. I never found that to be true. It was always open to the street, and reception was unattended 95% of our stay. Our room was generally well appointed, except for a gross, discolored white carpet. The second-floor reception carpet was badly stained too. The location is central for popular sites, but our second-floor room got exceptionally loud at night with the windows open, no AC, cars and buses, and partying kids. I sleep well, but others might be kept up all night. The open street entrance and usually empty desk also left me uneasy about security. I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving my things here or returning late, and the basic hotel services weren't there.

Martina was quick to answer my email questions and even checked in on WhatsApp before our visit to make sure things were sorted. She was bubbly at check-in and had lots of suggestions for things to see. I really appreciated getting into the room early after a 12-hour flight. We were in room 204 on the 2nd level. There's no elevator, so expect to carry your bags up a fairly narrow staircase. The hotel is right in the heart of Rome, with most major sights only a 5-10 minute walk away. One thing to remember: they don't provide disposable toothbrushes or toothpaste, so bring your own.

The bathroom was nauseating, with terrible ventilation, and the window looked straight at another restaurant's exhaust duct. The hotel had a problem with the hot water, and we went two nights without any. We asked to move hotels and get a refund for the unused nights. They said there was no manager on duty and promised to pay us 100 euros within 7 business days after we left. I trusted that and stayed one more night. While waiting, I asked customer service several times for a bank transfer record and got one excuse after another. It's been almost a month since we left, with no explanation or reply from the hotel.