Gialel Guesthouse

Some things to bear in mind about this review, 1) as I write they are doing improvement work, 2), it's a budget option so a high level of service, facilities and 5 stars is not expected. The place is known as a B&B, and some filters will show it when you are filtering for places that serve breakfast, but, for confirmation, no breakfast is served here. This is actually not a biggie as there are basic cafes to get a croissant nearby and in all likelihood, places serving a fuller breakfast on the way to your daily destinations. Two things to know is that the place does not have a big street sign, it is in a residential-style block, and something you have to do is to close the internal doors of the lift as you leave the lift. It is not on a main road so do some research on Google Maps for bus routes, as especially in summer you will want to minimise walking. Although the connections are themselves not great, it is a 20 minute walk from Roma Termini from which you can go anywere. The rooms have a ceiling fan and not AC coolers, you can adjust the power of the fan and although it's not AC, it does have a cooling effect. The rooms are in a classic townhouse block, so the windows have outside shutters, please use them as well, plus the big heavy curtains. They also have a fridge to store your water bottles which is a real essential in the summner months when most will visit. You may wish to remove the fridge from the power at night or lower the power level if it is making too much noise at night. Another option is maybe to use earplugs, then the noise from the fridge and fan won't bother you. The rooms have minimal power points but they are there, it is a good idea to bring a plug with double USB power connection. The summer in Rome brings with it a few mosquitoes, I don't know what your solution to this is, but there are no mosquito countermeasures in the room, so come prepared. Have you seen Germilins? Don't get the Mogwai wet, same here but for the bathroom floor. Please do everything you can to keep it dry, like putting a towel in the bathroom or your old clothes, outside the corner of the shower, where the water can splash out. If you do this, you will have a great stay. If you don't do it, you will have a slippery, muddy bathroom floor very quickly and it will affect your stay. All is not lost, but you will have to spend some time to clean the floor with toilet tissue and flush the toilet tissue. There is a dry-cleaner 2 doors down, this is a God-send especially if you have only a backpack and no suitcases. On the corner there is a small shop selling water and snacks. There is a sushi restaurant next to that, a lovely small classy place that probably caters for the nearby Japanese Embassy, and nearby on the way to Via XX Settembre is La Stampada, a charming place that specialises in mushrooms and truffles. It doesn't do pizza, just ask for the lasagne or the spaghetti with clams if your mind goes blank. The staff in these places are great, at this point a reminder of the hybrid tipping system in Rome, pay the bill with your card and the 10 - 20% tip with cash. The Sushi place has both a-la-carte and an all-you-can-eat menu, you can start off slowly on this one and order more as you go, the food is more substantial than the photos imply. The desk staff are not ever-present, but they do show up, just have any questions thought about or planned in advance, ideally translated into Italian. They are actually friendly and very helpful if you have a sensible question. The bottom line here is that if you are thoughtful, this affordably-priced place can enable you to have a good stay and make happy memories of your time in Rome.

An OK budget option. Staff was friendly but not there too often. The room itself was fine, not spotlessly but livable. Working fridge and TV. Bathroom was OK, not the best pressure in the shower but not too bad. Cleaning wasn't that often and the walls are really thin so if your neighbour decides to shower and move furniture at 1 pm, you will hear it clearly. But, location was good with walking distance to a lot of the sights and close to various bus lines. Several shops around and close to restaurants and other places you might need. In all, an OK budget option as long as you don't have noisy neighbours.