58 Via Cavour - Another Nice Option Near Termini
Written: Mar 03 '05 (Updated Oct 21 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Lavish newly remodeled rooms
Cons: Breakfast could be improved.
The Bottom Line: A nice room at a good price and a convenient, if not beautiful, location.
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| lyagushka's Full Review: 58 Le Real de Luxe (58 Via Cavour) |
On our final visit to Italy during our residence in Europe, we planned our usual one-night stopover in Rome. We opted, as usual, for maximum convenience by staying close to Termini train station. 58 Via Cavour seemed promising based on its location just two blocks from the station, its non-smoking rooms and reasonable prices. We decided we could splurge just a bit for one night, and booked ourselves a junior suite. In the depths of winter, we secured the room for just €80 per night.
We had no trouble finding 58 Via Cavour, despite the odd numbering system used on some Roman streets, including via Cavour. As is often the case, the B&B resides inside an enormous building divided up into apartments, many of which house businesses. We pushed the button for the B&B on the plate outside and were buzzed in immediately. The cage elevator in the cavernous entry-way took us up to the reception on the fourth (fifth) floor, where we were greeted by the owner. He greeted us warmly and then asked for a passport to register us, something that used to be universal in Italian hotels, but seems more hit and miss these days. He then showed us to our suite on the second floor.
He explained to us that the lights for the entire suite worked with a card attached to our keychain. We had to place the card in a slot right near the entrance, and all the lights but one turned off about a minute after the card was removed. This was a nice energy-saving device. But as the key chain included a key for the street entrance to the building, it might have been a little difficult if one of us wanted to go out while the other stayed in. Fortunately, we discovered that the door to the street was left open during the day. Before leaving, he recommended a restaurant called Stella Nuova which was just around the corner from the B&B.
Our first impressions of our junior suite were very positive. The unit had obviously been recently remodeled, and fairly lavishly at that. The sponge painted walls had a thin burnishing of real gold (the owner made a point to tell me when I was paying the bill the next day) over yellow-ochre paint. Murano glass wall lamps and a massive chandelier complimented the rich textiles used to decorate the suite. The high-ceilinged unit was tiled throughout but I was pleased to find that the floor wasn't too cold, even in February. This is probably because the suite is in the middle of a massive building.
Our king-sized bed had a firm mattress but no extra pillows. On one side of the bed there was a panel of light switches for the entire suite, yet the one lamp above that side of the bed didn't seem to respond to any of them. Maybe the light bulb was just burnt out. The suite also contained a wall-mounted TV, a luggage rack, a stylish modern leather armchair and two bedside tables. There was nice wood paneling on two of the walls and an original oil painting on the wall. A small safe under the tiny wall-mounted cocktail table provided a discreet place to stash our valuables, had we traveled with any. Our closet had real hangers.
We had one large floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the street. Some extra soundproofing had been added in the form of double panes and heavy interior shutters, but still some street noise entered the suite, even outside of rush hour. But I'm a fairly light sleeper and the noise didn't bother me once I put my earplugs in. The low-frequency rumble of the occasional tram or subway car was almost a lulling sound.
Near the door to the suite was a tiny "kitchenette" that seemed to have been conceptually abandoned half way through execution. It contained a refrigerator built into the wall, a countertop with a large kitchen sink and a ventilator hood above it but no heating elements at all, not even a microwave or a coffeepot. I had to wonder whether it was still an ongoing renovation or if the owner had decided not to bother with the idea of a kitchenette.
The junior suite had a compact but very modern bath. The room was very well appointed, with a heated towel rack, hairdryer, nice toiletries, marble countertop around the basin sink, a jacuzzi shower and a nice bidet. A nice bidet, by the way, is one that has steady water temperature and doesn't get one's shoes and socks wet. There was no tub, but the bathroom was tiled throughout with buff stone-colored tiles, that may actually have been real stone. There was plenty of hot water and good pressure when I showered at peak morning shower time.
There was a slight miscommunication around breakfast. When we checked in, we were given a choice about the timing of breakfast, so we arranged for the meal at 8:30. The owner told us that was fine. At 8:30 the next morning, we went up to the reception on the fourth floor, and asked the woman working there where the breakfast room was. Since she spoke no English, we were forced to use our exceedingly primitive Italian. Lack of a common vocabulary drove her to the phone, to get the owner on the line. He told us our breakfast would be arriving any minute at our suite.
It was in fact delivered just a few minutes later, brought up on a tray from a street cafe below. We didn't get any choice in what was delivered, not even when it came to the drinks. Two croissants with fruit preserves along with two cappuccinos showed up. I was disappointed, since I'm not a coffee drinker. I know breakfast isn't much in Italy, but I was at least hoping for a cup of tea, even if it was "brewed" in my cup. Fortunately, the manager offered me a cup of tea when I went upstairs shortly afterwards to pay the bill.
We found the owner friendly, welcoming and eager to please. I think 58 Via Cavour will do well in the future. A few days after we returned from our trip, I got an email from the owner. He asked if there were any suggestions I could make to improve the B&B for future travelers, or if I had any complaints. I told him I was happy with our stay and did mention that I'm a tea drinker and would have preferred some option when it came to my breakfast beverage. I also suggested that he might put equipment and supplies for making coffee and tea in the suite itself. He thanked me for the suggestion, so maybe it'll be there the next time we stay there. In any case, it's unusual in my experience for a hotel owner to ask for feedback in this way, and I take it as a good sign about 58 Via Cavour.
There were lots of small details about the room that showed the owner cared about his business. Two complimentary bottles of mineral water in the refrigerator, for example, and the stencil designs on the ceiling. We felt that we definitely got a good room and a good location for the price. For those who want to stay within easy walking distance of Termini, I would highly recommend 58 Via Cavour in Rome. It's also centrally located enough to walk to the Spanish Steps, the Colosseum and the Roman Forum.
If you're looking for a room in Rome and 58 Via Cavour is booked up, you might try 69 Manin Street. It's basic, cheap, and close to Termini, and as such I'd recommend it very highly.
For information on other parts of Italy, visit some of these reviews:
• Umbria - Italy's Green Heart, with links for lodging, etc.
• Florence - another one of Italy's big three
• Venice - the good, the bad and the gorgeous of La Serenissima
• Venicescapes Cultural Association - offers outstanding walking tours of Venice
• Eating In Italy - still the best guide to restaurants and dining in northern Italy
• Bassano del Grappa - a wonderful medieval town not far from Venice, in the foothills of the Dolomiti
• Umbrian cuisine - quite possibly the best regional cucina in Italy
Recommended:
Yes
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