Hotel Donatello

I don't recommend the hotel in summer. The hotel's air conditioning is central and they turn it off every day from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the rooms are without air conditioning. It is impossible to rest in the morning in the heat of the European summer. Unpleasant.

We stayed at this hotel as part of a package that we purchased. We knew it was far from the city center, yet it was walking distance to the Colosseum/Roman Forum and it was close enough to a Metro Station to allow you to go to the Vatican, Spanish Steps and other places very easily. The people were extremely friendly, gracious, informative and helpful to us. Our only complaint is that the breakfast, which was included, was meager, though it was served in a lovely cave-like setting. All in all, it was a fine place to stay.

Recommend you find another hotel while visiting Rome. Not only is this hotel located pretty far from the city and major attractions, but it is in a very sketchy area. It is the people that hang around this part of town, but also the rats/graffiti/garbage/smell of urine, etc. all over. Our room, specifically, was extremely dirty. The shower and bathtub looked like it had not been cleaned in years. There were a ton of dead flies all over the bathtub when we checked in, and the bedding had blood (or some other bodily fluid) stained all over it. The toilet barely flushed. Yes, there is WiFi - but the rooms have hardly any amenities. No tissues, and when we asked, we were given toilet paper. The walls are paper thin so expect to hear EVERY thing. The worst part about this hotel is their "breakfast." 1 stale role + 1 croissant that tastes like it is from a wholesale store like BJ's or Costco. There is a cold cereal served as well. Don't expect to have any of the authentic Italian treats you think of when you think of Italy. They don't even offer fruit. My suggestion is to make sure you specifically order a cappuccino, because their regular "coffee" is instant and one of the worst I've ever had. Even if you're "just looking for a place to sleep" I suggest you stay elsewhere.

This was a charming hotel. The staff was so friendly and helpful. The rooms could use some updating as the wallpaper was peeling off in a lot of areas. The bathroom looked like is was redone and looked great but the shower was a little tight to get into. The biggest problem with the room was the bed. We ended up moving hotels because the bed was the most comfortable. We felt so bad leaving because they were just the sweetest but we couldn’t sleep in the beds anymore.

This hotel is a good base for sightseeing. It is not a destination hotel and therefore, it's facilities are limited. The rooms are small but comfortable with a hot/powerful shower (be careful not to burn yourself). No tea/coffee facilities in the room but there was a full sized fridge - really handy! Air conditioning kept the room cool at night and we slept well in the firm bed. You could walk from Termini Roma but it's less than €10 so why would you sweat with cases on a 20 min walk when you can sit in an air conditioned cab? Staff were all friendly and helpful. Breakfast was very basic but there were several cafe bars nearby where you could go if you wanted more. Yes there is graffiti in the area but no smell of urine (as has been reported). We felt very safe waking around the area at night and saw young lone females and people with children walking in the area at night too. Its a pleasant 20 min stroll to the colosseum and is not too far for the porta portese market. I had read the hotel had a bar - it doesn't and there is no restaurant. A secure luggage store was also advertised. It doesn't have this either but you can leave your bags in the reception area, which is staffed 24hrs; it has to be as you leave your key when you go out and the reception door is closed at night. Overall, if you're looking for a comfortable base with no frills that's not pricey you won't be disappointed.

What we liked: The location is good if you need a cheap room near the Rome train station. There is a tram stop round the corner and a metro station 15 mins walk away. The staff were very friendly. What we disliked · The breakfast is terrible - you get a "croissant" (actually a frozen bread roll in a croissant shape) and a bread roll with some jam and butter. The coffee comes from an instant coffee machine which is unbelievable for Rome! The hotel is in a very run-down area. Lots of tags, homeless people and not well-lit. If I was a solo traveller, I'd think twice about walking to the hotel at night. The hotel itself used to be a magnificent 1800s building. Which is now run down and in dire need of updating. The room was clean but the shower head was encrusted in limescale. Wallpaper was peeling off the walls. It's also very odd that you have to hand your room key in at reception when you leave. When you want to get back in, you have to ring the doorbell. I suspect this was done due to the rough area. Note: To get into the centre of Rome and all the sites, it's at least a 25 min walk to the Colosseum and 50-60mins to the centre.