Hotel Santa Maria Rome

This place is fantastic! It is an escape from the hordes of tourists. The breakfast is fabulous. Santa Maria Trastevere square has a lot of locals in the evenings, who eat at the restaurants, and eat gelato and talk on the steps of the fountain. (The hotel is just off of the square.) There was even a bathtub in the room (the only one we had in Italy.) The hotel is kept very quiet in the evenings/night by the hotel staff.

I spent a considerable amount of time researching possibilities for accommodation for a family of 4 for a 3 day nite stay in Rome. If you are reading this site you know by now that most places in Rome charge by person per night (which can be very expensive). I was looking for a relatively central place which provided ease to walk to major attractions, something with a cultural vibe to enjoy the experience rather than hit the usual cluster of Holiday Inn, Delta, Sheraton locations. The Hotel Santa Maria certainly had a unique character of its own. Our accommodation was on the top loft, a separate bedroom with full bath and a sitting room which also had twin beds and a half bath. While it does not fit the typical hotel room we as Canadians or Americans are accustomed to, it was spotlessly clean and very comfortable. Personally I loved the tolling of the nearby church bell. The continental breakfast was fresh and provided a fairly broad variety in comparison to other continental breakfasts offered throughout Italy. While the female front desk people were not the most friendly or charming, the male staff were. We had a wide array of choices for restaurants within the Travestere area and the Piazza Navona and Campo d'Fiori were a 10-15 min walk away. Rome is expensive - we looked for a key location, something clean and comfortable and at a price that was negotiable by cash. We got that with the Hotel Santa Maria.

This place is truly a gem! In a city crowded with tourists, cars and scooters at every turn it was wonderful to return to this quiet hotel with it's serene courtyard surrounded by orange trees and enjoy a drink and a nibble in the early evening before dinner. It is not in the middle of all the "action" but within easy walking distance of all the major sites and only a few blocks from the pedestrian bridges across the Tiber. A quick taxi ride from the Vatican after walking all day was 6 Euro including tip. Staff was friendly and attentive to all our needs, making dinner reservations, wake up calls and arranging for transportation to and from the airport. We arrived 24 hours late due to flight problems and were graciously not charged for the missed night. The best stay in our 3 week trip.

This hotel is in a great neighborhood, within walking distance to many of places we wanted to visit, and to public transportation. The hotel is tucked away in Trastevere, an artsy neighborhood with lots of restaurants, shops and piazzas. Real people live in this neighborhood, not just tourists.

Our room was a triple and very spacious. The bathroom was also enormous. All of the rooms are off of a courtyard and it was often noisy as guests returned to their rooms or congregated outside talking. However, there was no neighborhood noise except for the church bell which rang every 15 minutes!

The breakfast was fantastic and the staff was very friendly and helpful.

We would definitely return!

My brother and I stayed at Hotel Santa Maria from March 24 till March 28, 2004. Although we had trouble finding the hotel, it was well worth the effort. Located in Trastevere, the hotel was situated in a little village, with narrow cobbled alleys, a laundromat, internet café, bars and restaurants. The village gave you a feel for a traditional Italian residence. The hotel was also within walking distance of the Colosseum (about 20-30 mins) and Vatican (about 20-30 mins). The front desk staff were English speaking, and were friendly and helpful. Our twin room was spacious, clean, very well kept and overlooked a beautiful little courtyard. The highlight of this hotel was the breakfast. Included in the price of the room, breakfast consisted of scrambled eggs, ham, pastries, fruit juice, yoghurt, cereal and cakes. We ate so well at breakfast that we did not need to eat lunch. While we were there, the hotel also offered a 7% discount if you paid cash upon checking-out. Overall, this was one of the best hotels we ve stayed at, and we'll definitely stay there again next time.

My wife and I spent six nights in this hotel. It was a perfect setting for our first visit to Rome, with a welcoming garden setting to sit and relax in after sight-seeing. The staff is efficient, friendly without being in the way. They made several arrangements for us (taxis, directions, dinner reservations, confirming tickets). They serve an excellent breakfast (better plan on doing a LOT of walking to compensate!). Rooms are fresh and clean, typical size for Europe (small-ish, but not too bad); great bathroom. The Trastevere neighborhood has an historic bohemian feel, but is quite trendy as well. Apparently it's popular with young Romans (and other "foreigners") - kind of boisterous on weekend nights around Piazza S.

Maria. Highly recommended!!

Clean and quiet, wonderful breakfast plus bar service throughout the day and evening. My mother and I stayed in room 8, which was a double, for a cost of euros 186/night. The room was very bright and clean( bathroom was also very nice). There was a TV complete with satellite television that offered CNN Int'l. Mini bar, breakfast and air conditioning was also included in the rate. The hotel was spotlessly clean and very comfortable. The bathroom was modern - pedestal sink, tub with handheld shower head, toilet and bidet. There were no problems with hot water. The breakfast (served from 7:30 to 10:30) consisted of coffee made to order, juices, breads and pastries, yogurt and fruit, cereals, meats and cheeses. All items were fresh daily and very plentiful. There was an indoor seating area as well as tables outside in the lovely central courtyard. The breakfast room also served as a bar that offered service all day and pretty much all night if anyone wanted cocktails, wines or coffee. We had a lovely bottle of prosecco one evening before dinner. The staff was very professional and courteous. The location may be difficult to get to with a lot of luggage. The cab that dropped us off said he was unable to drive right to the hotel, so he dropped us a couple streets away. But, when we left at the end of our stay, the cab that was called for us came right up to the reception area of the hotel. There are plenty of restaurants in the immediate area so we only left the neighborhood one night for dinner. Campo Fiori and the Jewish Ghetto are right across the River and Piazza Navona and Pantheon are an easy 15 minute walk. We only took a cab three times, and we never even rode the bus or metro. We took tours with Roman Promenades which made our visit in Rome memorable, our guides were friendly and expert, with them we avoided lines outside the museums and they gave us many interesting information about Rome and the Vatican.To contact them www.romanpromenades.comI highly recommend this hotel, especially for anyone who is interested in staying in the centre of Rome. I feel this hotel offers fabulous value.

Hotel Santa MariaThanks for the wonderful hotel and great breakfasts! I must admit to being a bit scared while walking through Rome -- seeing all of the graffiti and well worn buildings. After entering the gate of the hotel I was astonished, everything was quite beautiful. The garden, with the orange trees, tasteful decorations and plesant atmosphere was a welcome end to all of our "busy" days meandering the streets of Rome.

The rooms are very comfortable and well maintained. I am amazed that the hotel is only three star! I have stayed at many five star hotels in Paris, Belgium, Wales and across the planet that simply do not compare.

The tour given by Roman Promenades (----------------) was a wonderful tour. We spent three amazing days - one seeing the Roman Forum, the others visiting the Vatican and the Catacombs. (No waiting on line!) I cannot recommend this company - and especially Stefano - highly enough.

Well done!! Joseph Kennedy Joseph Kennedy and Kyrin Blythin London, UK 12/29/03

My husband and I stayed at the Hotel Santa Maria in August with three friends. What a gem! A quiet oasis with a friendly staff, great breakfast and a very convenient location. Can't tell you how many hours we spent relaxing with a bottle of wine in the lovely courtyard after very long, hot days touring Rome. We walked everywhere. The rooms were simple, clean and comfortable - we lacked for nothing from the accommodations or the staff. Excellent value in a city with very expensive hotel rooms. Will definitely recommend to all our friends and look forward to returning on our next stay in Rome.

This hotel was quite a find! It is just behind the main church in Trastevere - Santa Maria but it is off a small road with no traffic so it is very quiet. The rooms all circle around an open courtyard filled with citrus trees. The rooms were very comfortable and clean. The staff was great as well. And the best part is Aldo - a sweet dog that sometime hangs around.