Suite Artis Barberini

While researching a family vacation in Rome, we decided on the Suite Artis Barberini for its location. That is the only thing it kinda has going for it, the location. In all fairness, we never stayed there. We reserved, paid and went to the Suite Artis Barberini, but we never would have stayed. The 13 flights of stairs and no lift, the absolutely ridiculous room they call a "suite" and the complete disregard for the guests well being. There are no windows in the first floor of the "suite" that you can see out of. It is the darkest, saddest room we have ever seen. The rest of the "suite" is on the floor above it. So now you've had to climb 15 flights of stairs, just yo use a bathroom. The name is mis leading, the hotel is not a hotel. It doesn't even qualify as a B&B. How they can put Suites or Artis in their name is just boggling. The only accurate description is Barberini. It is on the square. We lost out on everything we paid for the dungeonous room and the subsequent quest rooms we booked to accommodate our family. That's ok, we chalk it up to experience. We don't you to have the same thing happen to you. Stay anywhere else. There are a million hotels in the area. Any of them are better than this unsafe, mismanaged, poorly described "accommodation". There is no better word to describe this place. We went to the Hotel Imperiale. They were great, the hotel was great. It was across the street from the U.S. Embassy. How safe is that? Stay there. The price is the same and they have a lift, a bar, a restaurant, breakfast included and they were SO nice. Avoid the Suites Artis Barberini. At all costs. You've been warned . . . . . .

OK soo I have been reading a lot about this hotel and was skeptical but I booked anyways. My father 64 came in from NY and I found this hotel advertised with room for 4 with a view. Awesome but I also noticed peoples reviews being both REALLY bad or good. lets get into them. FIRST yes the hotel is in Barberni Sq... A nice Square that has some cool history and a great fountain. It is also a great spot for travelers since it has bus stops, sub way stops and hop on/hop off stops. all in the square. there are some nice spots in the square as well but nothing great. also a movie theater that is across the street from the hotel. However the square is NOT the best location and some of the locals did strike me as a bit dodgy. with this the hotel front door was locked when we arrived, buzzed us in and we went in YES THERE ARE A TON of steps to get to the top. this hotel is NOT for people who can't or don't like steps. ( this had us plan our day around coming back) the stairwell was lit well and the staff was a lovely girl at the top of the steps. ROOM: ok so with the nice Sqaure below us I was expecting a great view...not so much our room was for four people had a queen size bed and two couches that pulled out. This room is NOT for 2 families maybe just some friends out drinking or 3 people the rooms are not divided its as if the living room was attached to the bedroom open plan. Queen size bed was decent and my father said the couch / bed was decent. THERE was NO view at all.... just a skylight that was pretty in the morning but this room was advertised as with a view. our room did have a Jacuzzi hot tub...again another bonus if you want it but not for a family of three. few other things that should be addressed NO FREE coffee or tea... the mini bar WAS reasonably priced, for a mini bar but to pay for coffee and tea... this was NOT helping the hotels cause at all. all in all not a bad traveler lay over room was clean and comfy, had a great mini bar. just wasn't worth the price I paid for 1 night. had a TON of steps, no view, pay for coffee and tea... not going to recommend this to any of my friends.

Firstly the hotel is in an amazing Location but there's 13 flights of stairs to get to the hotel which is on the top floors of the building. Which was ok for us but wouldn't be suitable for everyone. Couldn't fault our Stay here the staff were really nice and friendly. Air con worked brilliantly. Would stay again!

I've been to Rome a few times and after reading some of the reviews (and seeing some of the photos) I was a little worried that we'd made the wrong choice with this place but I couldn't have been more wrong. Yes there were a lot of steps (about a 3 storey climb) and yes it's a challenge even without the luggage, mainly as we're really unfit, but the cleanliness and quality of the room and the location totally made up for it. The room we stayed in was a standard room but it was a good size (believe me I've stayed in some small rooms in Rome before), it had a fridge with a selection of drinks (chargeable) which we used to chill the water we bought from the shop next door. There was a good sized bed and a lovely bathroom, the shower was a standard size and I managed to fit in it so it couldn't have been that small. We had a view of Barberini Square and didn't really notice the noise. Yes you could hear the background noise of the traffic but you're in a city centre not the middle of nowhere. The lady on reception in the daytime was lovely and the man in the evening was also very nice although he did laugh at us wheezing our way up the stairs a couple of times. If you aren't very mobile or you want high-end luxury this isn't the place for you. If you want a clean, comfortable room in the centre of a gorgeous city and you want some money left over to enjoy the wonderful food and wine of Rome then you can't go wrong here.

This B&B is on an excellent location. Accommodation is somewhat average. Aside from the fact that it is on the 3rd floor w/o elevator (which we did not mind except when carrying heavy luggage up and down), it is clean, with towels replenished every day and sheets changed every 2-3 days. Overall: satisfactory and OK for the price paid. If you are not on the budget, then you would probably prefer checking into a regular hotel. Stayed 7 nights as a couple in a quite small room with private tiny bathroom that had all the facilities, but with the shower so small a normal person could barely fit in! TV is not of much use to foreigners (only basic Italian channels). We did not have breakfast included, but there is a range of cafes nearby that sell sandwiches/pastry and coffee. Beware, though, if you like to sit and eat/drink, there is a service charge, so a takeaway latte of 1.50 EUR can cost you up to 4.00 EUR or more, depending on a cafe. The area is packed with restaurants and bars nearby, with a modest lunch/dinner for two ranging from EUR 40.00 to EUR 50.00. General tip: count on spending around EUR 80.00 per day for food/water/snack/drinks for two, no fancy stuff included. B&B staff is kind and outgoing, not all speak English. If your room overlooks Piazza Barberini, then it will likely be noisy (due to traffic), so have that in mind if you are not an early riser. If you are tall, the bed is likely going to be a bit short. Heating is based on one A/C in the room. Our room was equipped with an electric kettle and sachets of Nescafe/tea/creamer, but there was a charge for that. No fridge in the room. You may consider bringing your own bath/shower gel and shampoo/conditioner as toiletries provided are really basic. Might also consider bringing your own hairdryer, as the one in the bathroom (hand dryer look-alike) warms up quickly and takes ages to dry long hair. Make sure you read the fine print prior to booking, as there is a city tax charge per person/day of 3.50 EUR. Once we made the booking - although it said "book now - pay later", the B&B automatically reserved a portion of money on my credit card (I was promised it would be 'released' on the day of our check out... we are yet to see how that works)... WiFi is slow, works most of the time. It is close to the Metro and within a walking distance to major attractions such as Spanish Steps, Fontana di Trevi, Piazza Navona, etc.

My number one concern is safety for my family. Slippery stairs, inadequate or intermittent stairway lighting which is difficult to locate, no communication (telephone) service from room to reception, no overnight staff, non-registered people can access the building and with no peepholes In doors you don't know who's on the other side, only one way in and out of the building, no help with baggage for 93 to 103 steps to rooms (depending on room location). CANCEL BEFORE ACCEPTING A KEY OR ENTERING THE ROOM or you won't get a refund even if you don't stay. We were told by a local that these types of rentals are becoming a problem for Rome officials, but there are not enough inspection personnel to keep ahead of these unsafe properties which take advantage of travelers. What a shame to fall prey to these owners!

This "hotel" is a complete fraud and scam. There is no signage on the door. We had to step over a homeless person who was sleeping on the doorstep. We got inside and it was just a small corridor. My mom and I climbed the 96 steps to the "reception" which is basically just a desk on a landing between steps. My dad and husband waited downstairs with our luggage. There was absolutely NO lighting in the stairwell and I fell carrying my 1 year old son because I couldn't see. Our room was one of the suites. While it was large and clean, there was NO view. My parents are in their 60's and they didn't come to Rome to climb 96 steps everyday. It was unbelievable. We soon realized that there is no staff overnight. This means that anyone who can get into the building can come all the way up to your room door and you can't see who they are. No peep hole. No overnight staff coupled with no lighting in the hall was just too much. There is no elevator. We immediately left and went to another hotel around the corner that was MUCH better. The hotel manager or owner, whomever she is, is a complete scam artist. We told her that we were not going to stay in the hotel because it was unsafe and that I fell. Her response was "I've had other families stay here with no issues". She told us she would charge is for the first night and then refund our money. When we went back the next day she changed her song and said it was the high season and if we hadn't checked in in the first place, she would have refunded us. DO NOT STAY HERE. It is unsafe. This is not a hotel it's a fake attempt at being a hotel and ripping people off. I will be filing a complaint with some type of authority in Rome. I feel so badly for folks coming back for the holy year who will be ripped off by this hotel owner. There are NO pros about this place. Don't listen to any of the good reviews.

A lovely hotel conveniently situated in Rome. The hotel room was clean, comfortable and quiet. It was a great place to unwind after spending the day gallivanting around town. Would recommend to people on a budget. Can't ask for more!

Great location, friendly staff ( especialy the lady who worked day time). There were indeed 90 stairs to climb but for us it was ok. The room was extremely clean and spatious enough. The hotel is easy to reach and at a 5 minute walk from the Spanish Steps.