After reading a number of negative reviews of this hotel, I was a bit apprehensive about my trip to Rome. It was my first time there and I wanted everything to be perfect! We arrived at the hotel at night and the surrounding area looked dirty, unfriendly and a little intimidating. However, I was very pleasantly surprised by the Midi Hotel. We were buzzed in at the door which made us feel very safe, and upon entering we were delighted to see a very clean and open reception area with a staff member who spoke perfect English.

Our room was on the first floor, overlooking the conservatory for breakfast, and the garden. We had a balcony, which was great for sitting out after a long day of walking, and also very handy as my partner smokes (ash trays are provided). Our room was small and compact, but very cosy and comfortable, however the bathroom was tiny and the toilet was awkwardly placed and hard to use. There is a bedet, in the centre of the room and the toilet is between the shower and a wall and is very cramped. We are both tall so it was a little awkward, but this is only a minor issue. The shower was small, with a fixed shower head and a detachable one, and the water pressure was great. The corner of our shower had a leak, so afterwards we put a towel down to dry up the water, which wasn't much. We didn't use the TV or mini bar, we really just wanted a place to sleep. The bed was very comfortable, and there wasn't much noise at the back of the hotel, so if you don't like noise I would recommend asking for a room at the back. The room had shutter and glass doors that lead onto the balcony, and it was nice to leave the shutters open as it was quite warm at night (even in March).

The breakfast was pretty basic, bread that you had the option to make toast with, pre packed croissants, cereal and juice. We only ate breakfast one day of the four we stayed, not because we didn't like it but because we were either out quite early or we slept in a bit.

The location of the hotel is great, close enough to the Termini station and within walking distance to many sights. We got Roma Passes on our first day and would recommend them for free entrance to two museums or archeological sites,and free travel on all metro, bus and tram routes (they cost €25 and are valid for three days). We used the metro a lot and it was very easy to find our way around. There is a great restaurant, a street away on Via Manzoni called RED, and we ate there every night. The food is seriously nice, and very reasonably priced, and the staff are very welcoming and friendly and speak English as well as Italian. They really love to hear a few words in Italian, as do most other Italians. They seem to make more of an effort to help you if you make an attempt to use their language.

Overall, the Midi Hotel was a fantastic base for us over the four days we spent in Rome. The location and price were perfect, as well as helpful staff, some of whom went that extra mile to help us. I had an excellent time in Rome and I can't wait to go back already. I would recommend this hotel to anyone, and I would definitely stay there again.