Via degli Avignonesi

The photos gave me a very different impression from the reality. I noticed that already in the corridor between the rooms, and was even more disappointed once I went inside. I’d booked a deluxe room, but it was in terrible shape: dirty walls, a stained and broken, unhygienic headboard, a broken wardrobe, and a filthy chair. The shower was small and dirty, and the room smelled really bad when I arrived. I asked to move rooms and was only offered a humidifier, which made the smell worse.

The cleaners were great, the building was well maintained, and the little elevator was a lifesaver after all our walking. We’d booked six nights because of the location and easy access to the sights, but the broken AC made the first part of the stay really uncomfortable. We checked in Sunday afternoon and noticed the room was warm when we returned from dinner. Even with the window and balcony door open, that night was very hot. I contacted the property Monday morning and was told someone would check it, but nobody came until Monday evening. He tried a few things without success and said we’d have to put up with it, since neither he nor booking.com could do anything. I asked for a fan, which he went out and bought, and we put it together ourselves. The AC technician was supposed to come early Tuesday, but showed up at 5pm and said the motor was broken and the room needed a new unit. We had another hot night, and with all the mosquitoes we had to keep the door and window shut. The unit was replaced Wednesday, and after that things were remarkably better.

The location made it easy to walk to the main attractions in Roma, and we already knew the room had no view. Everything else put a shadow over what was otherwise a fantastic time in Rome. My wife had chosen this hotel for our wedding anniversary, but on arrival there were no check-in instructions or door code, and nobody came to meet us for almost an hour. We felt completely lost. At first the room looked okay, but the bedding was dirty, the trash was still there, the shower hadn’t been cleaned in ages, and there was a sewage smell. We reported it, but they only changed the bedding and didn’t even empty the trash. I wouldn’t book here again.

The location is handy for most attractions. The Vatican is the furthest, about an hour on foot, while the Spanish Steps and Trevi are around five minutes away. The bathroom was decent, and although the shower was small, it was clean. Its huge shower gel holder was right where I kept hitting myself every day. The room felt like it needed a complete renovation, and basic details were neglected. There were no smoke detectors, and the window didn’t close properly, letting in a draft and noise from the nightclub opposite. I struggled to sleep most nights.