Terrace Cancelleria

This apartment could not have been better located for us. Cute street near so many things; we didn't have to use transit to get to any main sights. Lots of great restaurants and shops nearby too. Patio was lovely. Main issue was insistence on cash payment - we did not expect this and it involved multiple bank withdrawals and carrying/handing off much more cash than we'd normally carry around. Having not sampled many Rome rentals, I can't judge how unusual some of the other quirks were - this is an old building, like most central Rome rentals, and was undergoing some reno in the entry way when we arrived. Steps are steep, and beware of head-banging on beams and frames. We had some problems with the shower, but the owner did send someone to fix. Kitchen met our needs except no chef knife of any kind - hard to cut a carrot with a small serrated blade. It's not a hotel (no check in desk) - you need to arrange to meet the owner and get the keys. The place could use some TLC - a little bit of effort and it could be much better appointed. I wouldn't rule it out because the neighbourhood is so good and the price seemed okay for six people in Rome.

Had a great stay at Terrace Cancelleria, the apartment is in an excellent location, being walking distance from all the main sites. It is 100m from Campo di Fiori, which is a lively piazza so expect to hear the buzz of street noise late into the night and traffic 1st thing in the morning. Apartment is in a maisonette arrangement, with 1 double bedroom on the mezzanine, up a spiral staircase, above the lounge (my 8-year old daughter used this one) and the other double bedroom off the lobby landing; decor is clean and rustic, with exposed timber beams (below head height). Apartment is on the top floor, up steep steps, so expect to be a little out of breath when you eventually get up to the door (there is no lift). Email communications from the landlord Francesco before and during our stay was excellent, as were the reliable airport transfers he arranged for us. We arrived at 11:00hrs and were allowed to leave our bags in the room whilst it was being prepared. The only problem I found being, it is not clear which buzzer you press for the apartment from the street level door but I gave him a call and his friend let us in a 2 minutes later. Francesco arrived later in the afternoon and importantly explained that the hot water boiler switch is right next to the bathroom light switch (in the same fitting); be aware, it looks exactly the same as the light switch (don't switch the boiler off unless you like cold showers). There are large French doors opening high above the street, and protected by iron work at waist height, these let in plenty of light and fresh air. The balcony is also nice place to sit and relax, and again it is very high above the street level, so, these will be a worry for parents with curious children. In sum great location, appropriately priced for a nicely presented apartment.

We stayed at Terrace Cancelleria with a group of 6 people and were really pleased with the apartment. We agreed with Francesco (the landlord) that he would arrange a transport for us from the airport and a it went perfectly: a minivan was waiting for us at the airport and took us straight to the apartment. Francesco was there waiting for us and showed us around, gave us tips about where to go in Rome etc. Later we discovered that the apartment was a great "base camp" for our trip. Location was excellent and you could walk to most of the main attractions. The apartment had everything you needed to make and serve breakfast for example. Beds were ok (even the sofa bed) and it was great to have your own terrace. The apartment is not brand new or recently renovated so it is a bit worn out but the price is so reasonable that you really cannot expect the place to be luxurious. Note that there is no elevator and the stairs to the fourth floor are pretty steep.