My wife and I chose to rent an apartment in Rome for two reasons; 1) the value 2) to immerse ourselves in the city. Hotels are often in areas that cater to tourists (such as the Via Veneto area) whereas this apartment is located in the heart of vibrant active community. Though that doesn't mean it's missing any amenities.
We stayed at Luca's apartment on a first hand recommendation from friends. Unlike Air BnB, Luca's place is rented full time so you don't feel like you're intruding in someone else's place. We did not have the pleasure of meeting Luca in person, but did not need to. His assistant met us at the apartment (a little late which was awkward because the street is tiny and we had to stand there with our large bags dodging traffic) and got us checked in a oriented to the apartment. The apartment itself has everything a good home base needs; the tap water is delicious, nice assortment of plates and silverware, fridge was cold, air conditioning works, and most importantly it was clean.
General Notes/Tips
- It's at the top of 5 flights of tight stairs, if you're not in good shape it may be tough
- Yes the bathroom is small, but you're in Europe that just how it is
- The deck is amazing
- The two cafes downstairs are excellent
- Plenty of great restaurants in the immediate vicinity
- Convenient cab stand not too far away
- You need to pay in cash, for those needing to procure Euro's I found the most cost effective way to be the ATM at the airport. Bank's differ on fees but mine merely charged a $5 foreign ATM fee, which was much much cheaper than trying to exchange money at a kiosk
- Set up transportation to and from the airport through Luca, the 50 euro charge is comparable to a cab. (note - the driver may be different on the return trip)
- Bed is firm (two twins put together) which I found comfortable
- Street noise can be loud at night but it's a testament to the lively neighborhood
- Being in a foreign place can be intimidating at first, but I quickly became very comfortable navigating the neighborhood and found it safe
- The location itself is south of the main touristy attractions but we walked everywhere. It's about a 20-25 minute walk from the Colosseum, Pantheon, Piazza Novona, etc.
Overall: Highly recommended, would stay their again