I booked and paid a 50-euro deposit for a room at Lucretia's Rooms through BBPlanet.it. The B&B manager Riccardo promptly e-mailed me his contact information and directions, and asked me my arrival time, etc. However, my questions to him about the location and the room were not answered. I should have taken this as an ominous sign.

Eight before my arrival, I SMSed and e-mailed the manager saying that I needed to cancel my booking. No response. Two days later, I figured the cancellation had to be done though the BBPlanet.it website and got an instant reply saying that my deposit had been forfeited because I didn't not cancel 7 days before my arrival. E-mails to the non-existent customer care e-mail address bounced. Because the deposit was paid to a foreign merchant so many months ahead, the bank that issued my credit card told me that it could not pursue the matter.

I found it highly dishonest of the B&B manager to have ignored my cancellation requests. I paid excessively for internet access to contact him. The least he could have done was to refer me back to the booking agency. But what's in it for him to do the right thing?

Although I didn't stay at this B&B, I did go to the area to check out its location beforehand and I can say that it is hard to find as there are no signs to indicate its location. At night, the area is very dark and there is zero activity in the area. If you're new to the area, it's not convenient to get to (train + tram from airport). It's also in a dull neighborhood, way too far away from places of interest like the lively Trastevere district. For that price, you can easily find accommodation that is more central, closer to main transportation stops and with more interesting surroundings.