Rome Apartment #613
Vaticano / Via Crescenzio

March 2013

My husband and I stayed in this apartment over spring break.  The configuration of the beds is flexible.  We had 4 teenage boys with us, and they could split the beds into two singles, or leave it as a double.  The tile floors are heated, and everything locks up tight.  This apartment has potential, but there were a couple of issues with it.  The first was the shower in the bedroom.  The door was broken, and it was difficult to open and close it, as part of the top frame kept falling off.  Not a deal breaker, but it was a nuisance.
My second issue was the arrangement with checkin.  Our flight arrived at 7:00AM in the morning.  I knew we would have to kill time until we could check in.  I asked when we could check in, and the manager of the apartment said 10.  Great!  We thought.  He also arranged for transport from the airport, but told the driver to drop us at a restaurant and he would pick us up.  When he didn't show by 10:30 I called him.  He then said, 11:15, and for us to meet him at the apartment.  Normally I wouldn't have a problem with this, except he originally said he would come to the restaurant.  Also, he was late because the previous occupants were late leaving.  O.K., I'm still feeling lucky that we can get in that early anyway, but annoyed that I'm dragging my luggage 1/3-1/2 a mile after being up all night.  When we arrive at the appartment, the manager meets us with the cleaning lady.   Unfortunately, she only changes bed sheets, and doesn't clean.  The dishes are all dirty--dried on food that won't come off in the dishwasher.  We had to soak and handwash all the dishes and silverware before we could use them.  I don't know if the cleaning issue was because he allowed us in early or not.  Still, I would think that it could have been cleaned, even if we were there.  The manager seemed willing to help us, although his english was very broken, and my Italian is pretty much non existant.   We needed adapters for electronics, and he provided two.  Just a note, we brought a hairdryer that we actually purchased in Rome, Italy.  It should have worked but it did not.  We also brought adapters, and they did not work either, even though they should have.  They provided me with an awesome hairdryer, no small feat in Europe, and I was very grateful to have it.  The apartment has wifi which works well, but has limitations, meaning, only four could be on it at a time.  So in the evening when we came back exhausted from running around, the boys would try to get on the  wifi, as well as us.  Well, we were six not four, so we took turns.  The location is very good for the Vatican, but you are somewhat removed from anything across the river.  If you like to walk, it's not a problem--you can get to most things within a mile or two.  If walking isn't your thing, the cabs are easy to catch around there, and it was between 6-10 Euros for  three people going into the center of Rome.  The catacombs were 15 Euros.  There is a market around the corner called Castroni's, and a regular supermarket one block down and three blocks to the left.  Many restaurants and of course Gelato.  I would give this four stars if it was clean and 5 if the shower door was fixed.  The washing machine works well, but no dryer--but that is common.  Most Italians line dry.  We did several loads and even in damp rainy weather everything dried within a day and a half--even jeans.

October 2012

Guten Tag,
Rom hat uns sehr gut gefallen.Wohnung war auch O.K., obwohl der Besitzer nicht informiert war, wann wir anreisen
LG

September 2012

The apartment is in a fantastic location, only a few streets from the vatican and metro, so ideal for tranportation around the city. The apartment was very clean and well equiped. The sipport by the renter was fantastic, who assisted us with transfers from the airport. Would definately recommend and use again.