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We stayed at the Gambrinus the weekend after Easter. The positives are :-1. Proximity to the station.2. Right opposite the most fantastic pizza restaurant we have ever been to.3. Walking distance to Villa Borghese and the Spanish Steps.4. Quiet neighbourhood.5. Comfortable bed.The "not so positives" are:-1. Our standard room was tiny - room for the bed and not much else.2. The bathroom "pod" reminded me of the sort that you get in budget chain hotels in the US - tiny shower, soap and shampoo and cheap loo roll in wall-mounted dispensers.3. The internet didn't work.4. DIY breakfast (coffee from machines was a huge disappointment) and poor quality food. 5. No proper bar.I think we would only stay here again if they were offering a super cheap deal. We were out and about for the duration of our stay and really only used it to shower and sleep on that basis.

We booked this holiday at the last moment, and we were drawn to the Gambrinus from the great reviews and boy did it live up to it's expectations! It is perfectly located just a short walk from the Termini and close to lots of lovely restaurants and cafes, we were amazed at our 'standard' room, (405) it was gorgeous and the view stunning, whenever we were in our room we threw open the windows and shutters and pulled the curtains back and stood in awe at the beauty of the parks below. Booking in was a doddle and the Reception staff were always so friendly, kind and helpful, they just could not do enough for us... The breakfast was lovely each morning too and well worth going B&B, fresh pastries every day and easy to use self service drinks machines, our waiter was so kind, caring and polite every time he saw us he had a smile on his face despite being rushed off his feet.We decided straight away to purchase a Roma card from the Terra cafe at the Termini and it was a godsend, we saved a fortune in the costs of entrance to attractions not to mention time in queuing for entry, it was so lovely to just walk into a chosen attraction and avoid the crowds, well worth the 90 Euros trust me on this one, you can even use it for 3 days on all transport in Rome (avoid Taxis, they are extortionate!!!) When you arrive at the airport hop on a coach that will take you to the main Termini, they are as cheap as 6 Euro, ours was 10 Euro as we were keen to start exploring Rome. Also buy a meal deal in the Terra cafe, they were 5 Euros and included a Panini, fruit and water, bargain...We stayed for 5 days and we did everything we possibly could, Trevi fountain, the Vatican, (avoid Fridays as it is packed, and Wednesdays are half days) Museums, Panthanon, Besilica at the Vatican, but be warned, it is steep and very tiring, as you get to the top it is extremely narrow and leans in, I am slim and found it Claustraphobic, thing is as you have already climed up you have to continue as you cannot turn around and come back down due to the tightness of the space and because others are behind you, the only way down is when you get to the top and then find the exit, but it was well worth the view stunning!!!The Colosseum was amazing, but again if you have trouble with mobility, the steps to the top are very steep, I am only 5' 7" and have trouble with my legs and back, and it was a struggle, but: '...when in Rome...' The Spanish steps were beautiful and the Bocca Della Verite (The mouth of truth) was amazing and the 'guide' was so kind and funny, he even opened the gates for a young couple with children to go first as they were getting a little tired of the queue, so kind :) If you are a Audrey Hepburn fan and love the film 'Roman Holiday' you have to do all the sights, travelling is so easy with the Roma pass and the Metros and buses so easy to follow and always on time, or at least whilst we were there. If you do get a little tired as we did as there really are an awful lot of hills and steps in Rome, just hop on the Metro to wherever and then back to the Termini and there is a bus that you can catch that takes you to the hotel (can't remember the number sorry)Eating out is costly, in the day we would buy Pizza on the go or Mc Donald's, in the evening the Restaurant right opposite the hotel is gorgeous, but I would advise booking as on the weekdays were fine but on the Saturday it was packed and we had to wait for 3/4 of an hour, but it was well worth it...There was another fabulous Restaurant near to the Termini Hokkaido, a Japenease Restaurant that was all you can eat for 19 Euros, you are given a pad and pen you mark what you want and they bring it to you, scrummy... Main advice, a comfortable pair of walking shoes and enjoy the stunning surroundings, Rome has been a long awaited dream come true for me and it lived up to my expectations and more, I was mesmorised and so in love wit everything, the people were kind, caring, patient and welcoming. The

I came back from Rome this week and was itching to review this little gem of a hotel.When you take any city break the basic things you require is somewhere, clean, comfortable, quiet, close to attractions and with good service as a base to experience the city. The Gambrinus has all of these in abundance. We found it especially clean and exceptionally comfortable with a huge bed and plenty of space in the rooms with all the expected amenities (Free Tea/coffee, Toiletries, hair-dryer and iron, big modern TV with BBC worldwide ect). The rooms were classy and lavishly decorated too and have been well looked-after.The breakfast (8 euro pp if you dont have it as part of your stay) was a basic but fantastic spread with a great selection of cereals, fruit, pastries, breads, cheeses and meats. The breakfast room is in a rustic basement of the hotel which they have done their best to decorate quaintly. There is very little to fault about this hotel so any negative points may feel a little bit harsh but so you know what to expect. There are not so great points that may be of interest.We arrived quite late in the evening via a very short walk from Rome's mains train station; Termini (which has a quick and cheap direct link to Fiumicino airport). Although we were clearly quite flustered, tired and hungry the reception staff took no measure to hasten our check-in and actually left us hanging around for a while. Although I originally took this to be quite rude I came to understand during the week that this is more due to the the Italian relaxed attitude rather than bad service - the cultural difference may be subtle but is important to understand (Yes you, Brit's and Americans!). The staff member actually turned out to be very polite and helpful but just a little busy. He immediately got our bags taken up to our room and pulled out a free map with our location and marked on it a nice trattoria around the corner that he recommended for eating at that time of night, which did the job. The staff are actually to be commended for being so helpful and friendly my first impression was very wrong. Especially the breakfast-room staff, who'll brighten up your day!In the morning we had to be out early so the same gentleman booked us a taxi "Pronto" from the hotels own official Taxi hotline which came in less than 5 mins, this was something the staff did for us several times in the week and this helped us get around so well and in less time than planned. A great help.Which leads me to my only real issue with the hotel, location. I booked the hotel based on Tripadvisor reviewer raving about the hotel's location. I have to be honset and say that they aren't accurate.In all honesty I would have picked a hotel a little closer to the city centre if I'd have known. My wife and I love to walk to experience a city and are happy to walk for hours to get a good feel of a place, since Rome has a very minimal underground/subway system and infamously expensive taxis it's essential to walk somewhere most of the time. I was hoping to walk from the hotel to all the main attractions but having got a Taxi to both the Colosseum and the Vatican on separate days and walking back it was clear it was more than a stroll to anything of merit. (Taxis were around 12 euro for both). it took us around 45mins to walk from these attractions back to the hotel, it really is out-of-town and the area although very safe and pretty is a bit dull, (equivalent to staying around Whitehall in London) it's practically right in the middle of all the Italian official government buildings, so you'll see lots of Police and Army but not much else.That said, as a result of the government trade there are several fantastic, inexpensive restaurants very close to the hotel and in contrast to all I've just mentioned the hotel isn't really that far a walk from the Spanish Steps 10 - 20mins and is in the same area to one of the main parks in Rome 'Villa Borghese Gardens' which was one of our unexpected Rome

My five night stay at this hotel was very positive. The reception staff was helpful and friendly; they took the initiative to show the way to different sites right away on a map when I checked in. Though very compact and small, my single room was clean and the bed was firm and comfortable for me. Although the room faced the traffic on the street, I didn't get disturbed by the noise. The best part of all was probably the breakfast buffet. It offered healthy items like plain yogurt, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and fresh cut kiwi and pine apple fruit in addition to eggs and traditional treats. The breakfast staff, Ruel and Pina, were super friendly and helpful when I needed to eat before regularly scheduled buffet hours to make it in time for a guided tour. Location was perfect with easy access to many sites through the bus system and I was able to walk 1.2 km with my two suitcases from the train station (Termini) to the hotel feeling perfectly safe the first day I arrived in Rome without knowing a word of Italian other than Gracia.

This Hotel is located slightly out of the real heart of Rome but ceertainly within walking distance. It literally is about a 12 minute walk from the Termini Station where you will also find the bus terminal for Rome. The Hotel was staffed by very polite and obliging staff. Full of helpfull advice on where to go, how to get there etc. The room we stayed was at the back of the Hotel but was clean, warm, Well maintained and comfortable. The daily maid service was excellant. We opted for the breakfast. This was plentifull. Whether it was a continental breakfast or scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage , mushrooms etc, it was there. Plenty of choices of coffee, tea and fruit juices. a perfect set up for the sightseeing day ahead. although they did not cater for any other meals, literally opposite was a fabulous place called the Al Forno della Soffitta (see seperate review) Worth noting is that Italian Hotels now charge a tax when checking out. In our case it was 3 euro per person per night. Our tour operator was unaware of this until now and could be costly for a longer stay etc. suggest you ask about this when booking. We have asked out operator to refund us this. (Dial a flight)