LE TRE M - Guesthouse

Mario himself and his garden were the best parts of the accommodation. He is kind, helpful, informative, talkative and flexible, and clearly puts a lot of effort into looking after the place and his guests. The courtyard is a beautiful hidden oasis with mature trees and palms, completely contrasting with the streets outside. The above-ground pool was especially appreciated during the 40°C+ heat, and Mario keeps it clean and covered when necessary. Our private bathroom was small but clean and functional, and the air conditioning worked extremely well. The public transportation connections are also excellent: there is a bus stop almost across the street, with easy connections to the metro, central Rome and the Vatican.

The biggest issue was the neighborhood, and I feel the existing reviews did not prepare us for its reality. When our taxi stopped outside, we genuinely thought we were at the wrong address. The streets were crowded, chaotic and very dirty, with considerable garbage. The neighborhood reminded me more of rougher areas I have experienced in Delhi or Mumbai than what we expected from Rome. There are many Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi businesses, and very little of the Italian/Roman atmosphere we had hoped to experience. My brother, who has never traveled in developing countries, experienced genuine culture shock and needed several days before he felt comfortable walking around. Nothing bad happened to us, but we were cautious, and on Mario’s advice I left my gold jewelry and unnecessary credit cards at the accommodation rather than carrying them. And this is where I would mention the street parking. If you think you gonna park on the street, think ahead. It’s very congested (to be expected in an Italian big city) but we saw a lot of cars with dents, broken windows etc. The accommodation itself is not a hotel but rooms rented within an apartment, with a shared kitchen and terrace, and Mario is around quite frequently. There is no reception, so arrival needs to be coordinated with him. The room was extremely small, with very little space for luggage. There is no elevator, and luggage must be carried up an extremely narrow staircase, which could be a serious issue for anyone with mobility limitations. The pool is above ground and requires climbing up and down ladders, which I found somewhat difficult and not particularly safe. There is also no dedicated parking, and street parking is extremely crowded and difficult. I think it is important to distinguish between an excellent public transportation location and an excellent neighborhood. The transportation connections deserve five stars; the surroundings absolutely do not.

Tout était parfait! De l’accueil personnalisé, amical et détendu à la taille de la chambre (triple), avec une terrasse avec vue sur le jardin, qui a elle seule vaut le prix selon moi. La piscine est située dans un jardin d’Eden, sous les arbres (pin, palmier, bananier…), c’était un plaisir de s’y abandonner sur un matelas pneumatique (2 à disposition). Tout y est calme et beau: cela permet de faire un vrai break avant ou après la cohue du centre-ville. Je reviens sur la terrasse sur le jardin, qui est attenante à la chambre triple uniquement. L’autre partie de la terrasse est sympa aussi, mais elle fait partie des espaces partagés, devant la cuisine commune. Cette dernière est super pratique, propre bien équipée et bien gérée. L’hôte est un homme ultra sympathique! Il prend le temps, explique tout, donne des conseils, et tout un petit dossier d’arrivée :)) On se sent vite chez soi! J’ai même eu la possibilité de faire tourner une machine. Il nous a permis d’arriver plus tôt ET partir plus tard 😍ce qui nous a permis d’avoir beaucoup plus de fluidité avant notre trajet retour. Je le remercie encore :) J’y retournerai sans hésiter !

TOUT ÉTAIT PARFAIT, mais quelques points sont à noter tout de même. La piscine est hors sol et donc avec échelle, ce qui ne se voit pas bien sûr photos, un peu moins pratique pour des personnes plus âgées ou moins mobiles. Autre minuscule point faible, le mobilier de jardin n’invite pas vraiment à s’y poser (alors que ça donnerait bien envie!). Juste table et chaises en plastique sous l’arbre côté piscine, pas grave mais dommage dans ce petit paradis. Et pour finir, c’est un véritable havre de paix, dans un quartier beaucoup moins agréable, il faut le souligner. Beaucoup de commerces (très pratique) et des arrêts bus vers le centre, mais nous n’étions pas à l’aise, avec les deux très jeunes femmes que sont mes filles, pour marcher jusqu’au métro Malatesta, et avons tout fait pour ne pas revenir par ce moyen le soir (très sale et odeur horrible, et exclusivement que des hommes seuls dans la rue - ainsi que dans les bus). Mais je précise au passage que tout s’est bien passé.

Fantastic place to stay when exploring Rome! First of all, our host Mario is someone with a heart of gold! Communication with him was incredibly smooth. He helped us arrange a taxi from the airport and even let us check in early, simply because he could. He also gave us lots of useful tips about public transport, places to visit nearby, where to eat, and a lovely walking route to discover Rome’s historic centre. The location is perfect for exploring Rome by public transport. We took bus 409 several times, combined with the metro. At a tobacconist’s nearby, we bought a €30 public transport pass, which was valid for seven days and could be used on both buses and the metro. Since it was the middle of summer and therefore very hot in Rome, we especially appreciated coming “home” to the apartment. We had a view of a beautiful garden and, because we booked the triple room, we also had a private terrace. In the garden, we spotted a parakeet nest in the tree, bats flying around in the evening, and even a gecko. The swimming pool was also perfect for cooling down after a hot day in the city. The shared kitchen has everything you need if you feel like cooking for yourself, as well as a fridge to keep your food and drinks cool. The room is exactly as shown in the pictures: air conditioning, comfortable beds… everything was clean and in great condition. The bathroom is a little dated, but perfectly functional. Just a few minutes’ walk away, there are supermarkets — we went to the Tigre supermarket — and there are also several great places to eat nearby. At Forno Spiga D’Oro Roma, you can get delicious pastries, pizzas and pasta, and you can also eat there. Another great place is Fatti di Farina Torpignattara. And they are all incredibly friendly! We had a fantastic stay and Mario was a wonderful host. We would absolutely recommend this place to anyone looking to explore Rome!

Wszystko było super i zdecydowanie nie mamy na co narzekać. Gospodarz był bardzo pomocny i przekazał nam przydatne instrukcje dotyczące poruszania się po mieście. Dużym plusem był również fajny ogród z basenem, gdzie można było odpocząć. Okolica spokojna i przyjemna. Wszystko na plus, zdecydowanie polecamy! 😊