Domus Mariae Palazzo Carpegna, Rome

Beautiful hotel...rooms were nice but small, as expected and not as fancy as in the US (as exected). The breakfast buffet had many special features (fresh OJ after 8:30am, great cappuccino options, etc) and was an easy way to start the day. Lots of tour groups ate before 8am, so breakfast between 7 and 8am was full. Maps at front desk were the most helpful to get around Rome and view the metro lines and metro stops. GREAT location for bus and metro to get anywhere in town (Hotel was about 2 mi west of Vatican entrance and 3 - 4mi from most Rome attractions so bus/metro was needed for most people). Front desk personnel helped with bus/metro info and the ticket location was right around the corner. Ticket location could help with info about buses and stops, and had limited english speaking employees, so questions could be asked/answered! We ate excellent and inexpensive dinners within walking distance of the hotel at a cafe near bus stop (pizza, kabob sandwich, etc) and at small Italian restaurants another block past the cafe (Gustosando's restaurant was EXCELLENT and opened earlier for dinner than the other good Italian restaurant (I think it was Joseph's) that didn't open until 7pm or 7:30pm). The noisy hotel hallways mentioned in other reviews occurred if people were loud (or you sleep in later when there is more commotion in the hallways), but were acceptable during normal situations. The big benefit of staying here is easy access to food and transportation within walking distance at much more reasonable costs than in town. Beer and wine could be found at a lower cost than most water or soda. Would do it again!

As the previous contributor stated, the location is a bit naff if you are not familiar with the city. However, this was the only major down side to this wonderful establishment. However, in all fairness public transport connections available almost make up for it. Especially as they provide you with a local map on arrival showing the nearest Metro station, which is barely 5 minutes walk away. Not to mention the several bus stops you encounter on the way there. Luckily, Italian public transport is very reliable, fairly cheap and relatively clean. Unfortunately, the surrounding area looks a bit dodgy and we had trouble finding a suitable restaurant that was nearby. The grounds are beautiful, lined with exotic looking trees and foliage. There is also a small park next to it. The hotel has it's own bar and restaurant, both of which are reasonably priced. The food is excellent, it's just a shame that their menu is so limited. The rooms were very trendy albeit a little on the small side but the friendly staff and good service more than made up for it. Not to mention that our bed was soooo comfy! The hotel also doubles as a convention centre so great for business trips. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who doesn't mind relying on public transport to get anywhere.