Due to the value and location of La Papessa, we were able to save money and extend our stay in Rome. That alone is priceless!
Location
Easy walking distance to the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and Piazza Venezia. For anything further, we recommend getting a bus pass as there is a bus stop right across the street that will save your feet for the museums and shopping. Near Piazza Venezia is a taxi stop where you can easily grab a cab if needed (we did so for an early morning Vatican tour). Noises at night weren't too loud considering you’re in the heart of the city.
Some reviews stated La Papessa was hard to find, but we disagree. Pictures of the location were provided before our arrival and if you can find the Pharmacy right next to La Papessa, you’ve basically found it. We walked through the double door entry beside the pharmacy, went to the third floor, and saw the La Papessa sign. We thought it was pretty easy to find overall thanks to the provided pictures.
Language/Staff
Caterina runs the B&B and is wonderful. She speaks fluent English and is happy to help. I highly recommend you install WhatsApp before arriving as that’s the easiest way to contact her (WhatsApp is Italy’s version of texting, and will likely be used by your tour guides, too). She kindly provided pictures of the location (inside and outside so we know we entered the correct door), and answered our questions. Once we checked in, she gave us a map of Rome and explained a few areas of interests/recommendations.
We like functioning as independent travelers so we didn’t make many requests from Caterina, but knew she was available as needed. She did kindly book us transport to the airport, which we recommend you take. Normal taxis cost €48 from inside Rome to the airport; the service she booked was €50 (cash only to the driver), but in a nicer and more spacious vehicle.
We also appreciated Caterina’s instructions on how we can contact her should any emergency arise.
Room
We stayed in the standard room size that came with one double bed. The room was clean and cozy, yet not cramped. The bed was comfortable for my wife and I (both of us are six feet tall), the wi-fi was great (we were near the lobby area), and despite cold temperatures outside the heater inside kept us warm. We did enjoy the bedroom lamps having adjustable lighting, which allowed one person to stay up reading while the other could sleep peacefully.
We did not love the locks on the door as you lock them from the inside and outside with a key. If I had one recommendation, it would be to install different locks at least on the inside allowing you to lock the door without use of the key. That's nitpicking though.
If you’re a late sleeper (past 8 am), you will likely be woken up by cleaning staff, other guests, or outside noises. We generally got up around 7:30 am and slept fine. The cleaning staff were great, but know they will rearrange your room a bit during cleaning. For example, if you have a shirt tossed on a chair, it will be folded and placed with any other clothing items on a table. We did not mind this, but other travelers sensitive about their items may want to specify what they want ahead of time to Caterina. We loved how clean and organized our room always was.
Bathroom
The bathrooms are not luxurious, but are fine. The heating rack for towels doubled as a drying rack for clothes we washed in shower, which saved us money and time versus a laundromat. I didn’t love the bidet in the bathroom (we’re Americans) and opted for the provided toilet paper (it was okay). The bathroom was clean and had hot water, which was what I cared most about.
Breakfast
We did not choose the breakfast option for the room, but did enjoy the complimentary pastries and coffee provided. Since that’s the normal Italian breakfast, that’s all you need. There is a fridge in the room and a microwave in the lobby, so if you did have leftovers or wanted to heat up something you made, you can do so. We did enjoy being able to use the coffee machine anytime of day for free. We also appreciated the free water in the room's fridge as many water fountains in Rome have been turned off thanks to COVID it seems.
Price
Including taxes and fees, we paid $76.75 a night for 9 nights, and thought it was a great value. The great value allowed us to enjoy a longer honeymoon, which was priceless. A great B&B that we highly recommend!
