Hotel Raffaello was the perfect choice. We spent eight wonderful nights here.
The location is fantastic. Nothing is very far away. Termini and Coliseum are both very close, easy walks. Most other attractions (as the crow flies) are close as well. The Metro (subway) is close and easy, as are buses, although we did not use the buses. Good tip for getting to Vatican City is use the Metro. From the stop outside of Termini, it is only 1.50 Euros each and a seven minute ride. Easy peasy.
O.K. back to Raffaello. What a lovely small hotel. Charming both inside and out, and located on a great street. The hotel sits at the quiet end with tons of restaurants within minutes, as well as a small but well stocked grocery a couple doors away. There is even a small street market a block and a half away with anything from produce to clothing and jewelry. Just above that is a bank with ATM outside that we used very safely a couple times.
Upon arrival our greeting from Massimo was wonderful. In fact, a shout out to all of the wonderful staff; Francesca, Francesco, Mohammed, Peter, and the lovely ladies in the breakfast area every morning quick to make your cappuccino and toast. (brown toast is whole grain) Any questions we had were answered by the front desk staff and any helpful tips were gladly given. We enjoyed speaking with all...Hotel Raffaello was the perfect choice. We spent eight wonderful nights here.
The location is fantastic. Nothing is very far away. Termini and Coliseum are both very close, easy walks. Most other attractions (as the crow flies) are close as well. The Metro (subway) is close and easy, as are buses, although we did not use the buses. Good tip for getting to Vatican City is use the Metro. From the stop outside of Termini, it is only 1.50 Euros each and a seven minute ride. Easy peasy.
O.K. back to Raffaello. What a lovely small hotel. Charming both inside and out, and located on a great street. The hotel sits at the quiet end with tons of restaurants within minutes, as well as a small but well stocked grocery a couple doors away. There is even a small street market a block and a half away with anything from produce to clothing and jewelry. Just above that is a bank with ATM outside that we used very safely a couple times.
Upon arrival our greeting from Massimo was wonderful. In fact, a shout out to all of the wonderful staff; Francesca, Francesco, Mohammed, Peter, and the lovely ladies in the breakfast area every morning quick to make your cappuccino and toast. (brown toast is whole grain) Any questions we had were answered by the front desk staff and any helpful tips were gladly given. We enjoyed speaking with all of them. Check-in was quick and easy. especially after our marathon of travel. Maps of the city are also at the ready at the front desk, as well as advise and directions to where you wish to go.
Once checked in, you can take the small lift to your floor, or use the stairs. We were in 110, which is a couple short flights up, so the stairs were easy enough. The room was very charming. No great view, looking at a building across the alley, but we found that it was private and charming in its own way...we were not there to spend time in the room anyway. The room, which always smelled really nice, had a very efficient A/C unit, ample size, firm but comfy bed, a small wall safe, nice size bathroom, and of course, the awesome pillow menu!!! That's huge! I like a firm pillow, while my wife likes squishy. They brought me a couple different pillows to try out.
The breakfast every morning was fantastic! They provide a really nice selection to suit any tastes. Eggs, pastries, cereals, meats, cheeses, fruits, veggies, breads, various drinks, and more. Knowing that we could just go downstairs and start our day right was perfect. There is also 24/7 coffee and tea available in a sitting area right below the breakfast area. However, the machine was pretty temperamental, so it did not always do what you want. Also, on early mornings, before the breakfast starts at 7:00am, they will put together a breakfast pack to-go, if you like.
Free Wi-Fi, which usually worked well. Had to sign back in a couple times, and one evening just did not work, but for us that was not that big of a deal.
The only negative, and I would say significant one, would be the infamous shower stall we read about in previous reviews. I don't know who designed them, but they should be fired. I am a very average 5'9" 165lb man, and, although there were many water options, I would have to say that anyone bigger would have a heck of a time maneuvering. Phone booths are bigger.
Hotel Raffaello was just another perfect fit to a perfect vacation. We would not hesitate to stay here again, or recommend it. In fact, we are talking already about a possible return.More
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