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> SlowTrav > Italy > Vacation Rentals > Reviews > Rome Review 2589: Really Rome, Trilussa Suite
1bed/1bath apartment in Trastevere, Rome 
WhenJanuary 2007, 7 Nights LocationThe apartment is located in the heart of Trastevere, said to be the oldest neighborhood in Rome. Trastevere is located on the west side of the Tiber river within easy, entertaining walking distance of all sights in Rome. The location of the apartment offers a perfect opportunity to experience genuine local living style of Romans. Nearby AmenitiesEverything one may need is within a 500-yard radius from the apartment. Traditional Italian trattorias, pizzerias, hostarias, restaurants, cafes, newspaper stands, book stores, ATMs, grocery stores, bakeries, gelaterias, delis, McDonalds, churches .... you name it! The House/ApartmentThe apartment, located in a historical building, is in very good shape, thanks to the owners' personal interest in updating and maintaining all the utilities and fixtures. The four-storied building houses two rental apartments. The building is quiet yet provides a comforting awareness of the day-to-day activities of the residential neighborhood, typical of life in a city that is full of life, energy and a strong social fabric that holds its residents close together. Within the first two days of our being there, we became known to the owners of the fruitteria-cum-grocery store, the restaurant, the cafe, the deli, the bakeries, etc! GardenGiven the wall-to-wall construction of residential buildings in Rome, there is little room for a garden in the property. However, there are a couple of sitting areas that offer peace and quiet. Furnishings/Cleanliness/Living AreasAll the furniture was in good shape. The apartment was clean, with sufficient chairs for all of us in the apartment. The TV (only Italian channels were available when we stayed), stereo and DVD player worked well. The dining table seats four comfortably. The living room contained a couch, a futon and a chair. Two desks/chairs offered plenty of space for writing, planning, reading maps, using our computer, etc. Wireless connectivity allowed us to stay in touch with the rest of the world as needed. Bedrooms/BathroomsThe bedroom was nice and cozy, with plenty of storage space (closet and dresser). The bed in the bedroom was comfortable, as was the pull-out sofa bed. The bathroom was spacious and well-organized, with the vanity/sink area being separate from the shower/toilet/bidet/washing machine. KitchenThe kitchen was in excellent shape. The utensils were thoughtful, efficient and plenty. We enjoyed cooking on the four-burner gas stove so much that we cooked two dinners and made tea/coffee every day during our seven-night stay. Problems or BonusesWe experienced no problems throughout our stay. The bonuses are plenty! The owner stocked the kitchen with almost everything one may need to survive until one familiarizes oneself with the neighborhood and makes some purchases. We were provided with many things including a full bottle of olive oil, salt, pepper, some spices, breakfast material, coffee powder, tea bags, sugar, etc.! The little library is surprisingly full of books, maps, guides, DVDs that are absolutely relevant to the location. We found the neighborhood map with directions to key points, recommended eateries and tips about each of them, the "potential day-trips" folder, the language map and Italian phrase-book, etc. extremely helpful. We kept finding something really useful and thoughtful almost every day we were there - a small shoe-shine box, small flashlight, anti-perspirant/deodorant spray, room deodorizer, alarm clock, shampoo, soap, moisturizing lotion .... the list goes on! Agency and Representatives (and price)We were treated with respect and warmth by the owner with whom we worked in booking the apartment. The fact that the owner is fluent in English and Italian made not only our communications easy, but also provided us with an "interpreter" when the need arose. The owner did not impose herself on us in any manner, but made it clear that we were welcome to contact her any time we felt the need. The apartment was everything we were led to except based on the descriptions on the website and the owner's blog. The fact that we chose to stay in one city for the entire duration of our stay (7 nights) truly helped us soak in the ambience of a genuine experience. Owing to the really low tourist season (January) that we visited Rome, we got a good deal on the price. During our research, we found that the normal prices offered by the owner are in keeping with the going rates for apartments. Our research also showed hotel rooms to be available for lower rates because of the low season, but we wanted to stay in a place where all four of us (couple and two kids) could have some lung space, and therefore opted for an apartment. We lucked out tremendously on all fronts, as the weather was beautiful (the temperatures remained in the high 50s (farenheit) and rained on only one day, which we spent indoors at the Vatican City), we got low off-season rates, did not encounter long lines anywhere, and we got more time to see each sight and experience Rome! Do you recommend this vacation rental to others?We absolutely recommend this vacation rental to others, including our best friends! Do not hesitate to embark on walks to all the sights, as most sights are within walking distance. Even if a sight is a bit far-off, the route is so enjoyable that we never realized how far/long we were walking! Things to do in this areaPlenty of restaurants, gelaterias, bakeries, grocery stores ... everything worth experiencing. Just the streets are worth discovering! The restaurant downstairs on the ground floor of the property is pretty good (certainly not the best, but we really could not complain about the taste of the food. The waiter, Giancarlos, is very friendly). On Saturday nights, one may be in for a pleasant surprise ... a trio of musicians come here - ostensibly for dinner --and burst into melodious music! They entertained the clientele with some authentic Italian music, making time fly! It was one of the highlights of our stay in Rome! The bakery up the road (unfortunately, we did not find it in the owner's list of key points, but happened upon it accidentally) named "biscotti" something or the other, is really authentic and fabulous, with the owner baking all the items in the store! She was also very helpful in guiding us through the many items available for purchase. She is definitely much cheaper than other bakeries we found in Rome, including the one on the same street as the apartment. This review is the opinion of a Slow Travel member and not of slowtrav.com. |
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