MariaP408Sydney, New South Wales
6.0Great Location, but Room Expectations Were Not Met - Via Ripetta 229
Liked mostThis was my second time using this hotel group, which operates a range of hotels and apartments throughout Rome. For this stay, I booked the Ripetta Luxury Apartments on Via Ripetta, near Piazza del Popolo — and the location was excellent. Via Ripetta is a fantastic area to stay in Rome. It is close enough to walk to many of the main attractions, but far enough away from the chaos and crowds of the busiest areas. The location was definitely one of the highlights of the stay. The main issue I have experienced with this hotel group, both on this occasion and my previous booking, is that the room you receive does not always seem to match the photos and description of the room category booked. I had booked a Deluxe Suite specifically based on the description and images, including the characteristics of the room, but unfortunately the apartment I received felt quite different and did not have the features I was expecting. When I contacted the hotel, I was advised it was the same room category, but there was still a noticeable difference between what was advertised and what was provided. One of my key requirements was having a washing machine, and thankfully the apartment did include this, which was very useful. Another nice touch with this hotel group is the complimentary minibar and snacks, which is always appreciated. Unfortunately, the bed was extremely hard and uncomfortable. I struggled to sleep and had to add extra pillows underneath me to make it more comfortable. On arrival, we also had an issue with the air conditioning. Someone was sent to investigate, but it took quite some time to resolve what was ultimately just a delay in the system starting. It would have been much easier if we had simply been advised of this upfront. Overall, there are definitely positives — the location is excellent, the apartment concept is convenient, and the complimentary extras are a lovely touch. However, the uncertainty around which room you will actually receive is a significant drawback. With so many accommodation options available in Rome, I would probably look at other properties next time where the room description and experience are more consistent.