We spent five nights at this hotel and were with friends for three of those nights. What started as a wonderful stay ended not so great and I am really disappointed it ended like that.

Initially we thought the hotel was in the middle of nowhere but we hired motor scooters which made our time in Rome a lot more enjoyable and made the hotel in an excellent location! The hotel is close (5-10 minute walk) from a metro stop and is just off Via Nomentana, a fairly main road which connects you quickly and easily to the centre of Rome (very easily on a scooter!).

The hotel was refurbished only a few years ago and the rooms are well appointed, some smaller than others but a good size given you are in Europe. The garden is lovely if you are missing a bit of green and sitting outside on the patio is wonderful after a hot day sightseeing.

Some of the staff left a bit to be desired. Simon and his Manager were outstanding and despite Simon having only worked there few a fortnight when we visited he was friendly, helpful and he made our stay very good. Luckily the rather arrogant attitudes of the women working there had not rubbed off on him yet. Example, on the night of the FIFA World Cup final, we decided to watch the extra time period in the bar at the hotel. When we politely asked her to switch the TV on she said it didn't work. We knew this not to be true and her just really being too lazy to get up walk ten metres and switch it on because it had been on the previous evening. Slack. She did however feel it necessary to bark at our friend when she was reading a book on the couch (sitting not lying) and tell her that she wasn't allowed to fall asleep! Crazy. Another lady there sent us out with wild directions to a place we had asked for and that she had offered to print out for us (good so far) however she printed them in Italian (English Speakers) and it wasn't even to the right place! Hopeless.

Unfortunately as we were checking out, there was a hidden charge for parking our scooters there which we were not told about nor did we think we a valid charge. The scooters were not valet parked nor did they take up much space yet it was a dispute which left us thinking not so great things especially after staying for a total of eight room nights. At least the girl on the desk managed to have a laugh at this one and at the non-sensical nature of the problem!

Despite this, Simon and the property made this a good place to stay in Rome. Just don't expect all of the staff to go out of their way for you, in fact don't even expect them to get off their seat for you!

The danger in writing a well-deserved, glowing review of the Prime Hotel Principe Torlonia is that too many people will discover it and it will not be available when we want to return!

This hotel is a gem nestled among an up-scale neighborhood outside the Historic Center of Rome. While that may not appeal to some, the Bologna Metro B line is a few short blocks away and the distance from the tourist circuit gives the willing traveler a taste of daily Roman life. The restaurants in the area were all outstanding and the nearby supermarket made picking up picnic supplies easy.

The staff were all warm and friendly and Ramona, in particular, went out of her way to arrange for tables at restaurants during the hit and miss Christmas holiday. We are particularly grateful for her assistance with our trip.

If you want to be in the middle of the Historic Center of Rome near all the tourist spots and everything that goes along with them, this is not the place for you. If you are able to navigate yourself on the public transportation system (or have a rental car or pockets full of cab fare) and want a quiet place to start and end your day in Rome, give this hotel serious consideration. You will not be disappointed.

I found that the staff was very knowledgable ,and willing to assist with any question or service that you may inquire about. The rooms were excellent and very clean. The waitress and bar staff were also excellent and I found that they made the experience also pleasurable. The continental breakfast was good and light. Your location to transportation was well within walking distance and the hotel was in an great location. Thank You very much for your service and will stay there the next time I visit Rome.

Sincerely, Gabrielle Miliner

The building is an old villa recently refurbished, so everything is pretty much brand new. The rooms are very well appointed but avoid those in the basement. Furthermore, there must be a problem with the administration dept, because I too had the problem of a mismatched reservation. Quite far from downtown, but that could easily be a plus in Rome.