WHEN IN ROME: CHECKING INTO THE ROME TIMES HOTEL
As they say, when in Rome live as the Romans do; so just make sure you are local enough to see all the sights the locals see everyday. With so many ancient, classical and historic buildings to check off our list and only 3 nights in Rome our main goal was find a hotel that was in the heart of it all.
Our choice of accommodation for our Italian getaway was Rome Times Hotel which is situated pretty much in smack-bang in the middle of the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain, and everything else in between.
Checking Into Rome Times Hotel Annex
Our warm welcome inside the beautifully modern reception lay opposite the bar/breakfast room, which personally seemed small in comparison to most of the European hotels we have stayed in. Upon arrival we were informed that our room was set up in the adjacent building known as the Annex building.
Some may find the inconvenience of no reception desk or breakfast room located in the Annex building due to the lacking of connection between the buildings (we were travelling just before winter and informed to come outside the building to reception to receive coffee refills for our room) however, it's just a short walk outside and into the main building which is not a huge issue. We personally enjoyed the Annex building due to the privacy of our entrance being away from the congestion of the bar/reception/breakfast area.
When stepping inside we were surprised, as always, by how modern these old Roman buildings can look on the inside. The large balcony atop our hotel was the perfect place to watch the sunset, sunrise and the city of Rome pass by.
The Room
Our Junior Suite was huge and comfortably fit the three of us. With a stocked fridge of free drinks, (yes you read that correctly - minibar that is free is always a win!) fast free WiFi, flat screen TV and enough space to make you really feel at home - this was the perfect room for us.
The large windows ensure our spacious room was brightly lit and high enough to allow a quiet and peaceful nights rest on our kings sized bed. The Italian wooden floors and elegant furniture were also welcoming on our return each night.
The Area
We found Rome to be quite walkable on foot, especially when our home base, in the area of Monti, meant that the Colosseum and Trevi Fountain were about 10-15 minutes walk away.
The only place that was a good hour walk away was Vatican City. If you do plan to visit Vatican City as your priority, maybe book a closer hotel, but if it is on your list as well as the others then either brave the walk (like we did) or catch an Uber.
Quick walking distance guide:
Trevi Fountain (10 min)
Colosseum/Palatine Hill/Roman Forum (12 min)
Pantheon (18 min)
Piazza Navona (25 min)
Vatican City/Sistine Chapel (50min)
Our Final Thoughts
Our only negative was the assortment of delicious breakfast buffet options being tied down by a tiny room. We travelled to Rome in what you could say is low season so we were quite disappointed with the small breakfast room resulting in a long wait every day - I would hate to imagine what it would be like getting a meal in the morning during high season.
The convenience of the hotel to the local sights makes this hotel a very promising option. The beautifully spacious rooms made us feel at home in Rome and you can't ever fault a hotel for offering modern features, high speed internet access and a free minibar (it's honestly the small things).
If you want to see what we got up to in Rome including a full video room tour, check out our Italy playlist.
You can book a Junior Suite for AUD$263 per night.
Flying The Nest was welcomed as a guest to Rome Times Hotel, however all opinions are our own.
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