I was in Rome for a week in mid June and staid here at the Hotel Cavour the whole time.

First of all, arriving in Rome can be a real hassle. I took the airport bus, and it seemed that everyone was herded into the bus and then whoever was standing was told to get off and wait for the next bus – total wait time in the heat was about 1 hour. So I would avoid doing this in the future. I got back to the airport via the express train which was near the hotel, and it was easier, but you need to get there early, too, or you may be left standing in the bus and the ride is about 30 minutes.

The area where the hotel is located is very near the metro/bus/train station, and even though the area has a mix of high-end and budget hotels, it is very typical of a budget hotel near a major transportation hub.

You have to look closely to find the actual hotel, as it is listed with others in the same building, but once you locate the building, it’s very easy to find. The entryway is a little shabby and old looking.

Reception went very well, and there were no major surprises. I booked on line, and everything went smoothly. I was given my key and told where my room was located.

When I entered the area where my room was located, it was like a little warren. There were three doors close together and one marked toilet or WC. When I entered the room, I noticed a “hotel” smell, and I also noticed that the room was neat and tidy. There was plenty of room to store my belongings. All the basics were included as was true of the bathroom.

Again, everything had an old-motel look and feel to it. The windows were opaque, but there was no view – it looked into a closed-in area that was frequented by pigeons. You could keep the windows open if you wanted to. A second set of windows covered the first so that you could have relative quiet if you wanted it.

Air conditioning was available and cooled the room pretty fast which was a big plus especially in Rome in June when the temperatures were in the high 80’s and low 90’s. The bed was not attached to the headboard, so if you sat on the bed and rested your back on the headboard, the bed had a tendency to move away from the headboard.

There was one electrical outlet, and it worked just fine with a US two-prong adapter. All of my electronics worked in good order, and I was able to recharge everything without problems.

Wi-fi was available but there was always a very poor connection in the room. You could use the hotel common area or TV room to connect and get a much better signal.

The bathroom was appropriate, however, I noticed that in the morning, there was an odor coming from that area. I’m pretty sure it is a water thing, because I also noted it when I would come back from a day out and the windows only slightly ajar. So be aware, especially if you are sensitive to such things.

I had no trouble sleeping in the room – it was generally pretty quiet, but whatever was located across the way had people up and about usually at 0630 or 0700, so if you leave the windows open or ajar, you will hear conversations and kitchenware clinking very early in the morning.

The staff were usually the same people at the same times with some variations, but they were all very helpful and very nice. They were happy to advise with suggestions on anything you needed in Rome.

Breakfast was included with the cost of the stay, and it was simple but adequate. I brought along some packets of instant coffee, and asked for hot water and milk each morning to make my own coffee. You were also provided with water and orange juice, and two rolls – one a hard roll and the other a sweet roll. Butter, sugar, jam packets, etc., were also available.

So generally, it was an uneventful stay, but I probably would only recommend this hotel to someone who really is on a very tight budget, and doesn’t mind the feel of an old hotel with a lot of idiosyncrasies. I was out most of the day and then again in the evening, so I used the hotel only to nap in the late noontime and to sleep. I was usually out sightseeing most of the time. So, if you are the kind of person who likes the “hotel experience,” this one is probably not for you.

There are plenty of restaurants, markets, shops, etc., very near and around the hotel. I found accessing the major tourist areas very easy to get to by walking or taking the metro, which is also very easy to use as well, but doesn’t really get you everywhere you’d like to go. So plan to do some walking. I found Rome to be very safe walking around days and evenings.

When I booked the hotel, I was quoted a price through the online service I normally use. Everywhere I have used this service, I am always charged what has been quoted. In this case, a two-euro tax per day was added to my bill. Not a big deal, but I add this so that you are not caught by surprise.

We spent one night at the Hotel Cavour before catching a cruise boat for 12 days. As we were already horribly over budget from the day we began planning, I was looking for anything that didn't appear to have rodents, was within a few blocks of major sites or the metro, and under $150/night. That's actually pretty hard in Rome, I found.

Enter the Hotel Cavour. For 75 euros a night (about $110 a night), we got exactly what we paid for. A very clean (but cramped) double room with a sink and bidet, shower & toilet shared for the hall (though we never saw anyone else using it). Bed a bit stiff, but hey, you can only expect so much for 75 euros. Two blocks from Termini, so easy to catch a bus or train to anywhere you please. And, if you have your walking shoes on, you can be at the Colosseum within 20 minutes or so. The staff was friendly and provided a nice walking map (though we found our GPS on our phone to be more useful). Everyone spoke good English. They have a lift, though you will need to drag your bag up a stair or two to get into the office. They also have an included breakfast (though we chose to sleep in to work off the jet lag) and free wifi in the lobby (handy for a last blast of email before hitting the sea). TV is only in Italian, but we didn't come to Italy to watch TV (and watching TV in a language that you speak very little of is actually a lot of fun).

This isn't a place for luxury, but for those wanting to save some pennies while seeing Rome, it's an excellent value. Speaking to others on our trip, we found that many paid double what we did to stay in Rome and had much worse rooms & service!

Was on a very tight budget, and this place fit it. It was secure and safe. Service was awesome- housekeeping and reception were really great. The rooms weren't anything flash, but they were clean. Internet was reliable. And the location was awesome. 5 minutes from Termini, and right on Via Cavour. Awesome.

The location of this hotel was absolutely fantastic and staff was very helpful but it was a bit of a dump. We had a double room but it was dirty, tired and very very basic. The shared bathroom was a joke. The shower was so close to the toilet that you could not sit on it properly. The shower was also constantly blocked and you would end up in a pool of water up to almost your ankles. I guess you get what you pay for.