Ripetta Relais — Hotel in Rome

My boyfriend and I stayed at iRooms Ripetta for a few nights in February 2014. We originally booked the iRooms Spanish Steps but a week before I received an email informing me of building works at the Spanish Steps hotel and that we had been moved to the Ripetta hotel (still in an iZen room). ||||I was a little worried about the location as I have not stayed in this area before and was worried it would be a little out of the way - fortunately it was only a 5 minute walk away from the Spanish Steps.||||After being ripped off by a couple of taxi drivers (we were too tired to argue) we arrived in a very unassuming street. iRooms Ripetta is rather hidden away in a residential looking building and there is no sign to tell you it's there, just the name next to the intercom. After being buzzed through we noticed a rather strong smell of drains but we kind of got used to it and just knew to not breathe too deeply near the entrance! People with mobility issues should be aware that the building has no lift and there are three flights of stairs up to the hotel (this shouldn't be an issue for most and the manager, Valerio, is happy to help with luggage).||||Valerio was incredibly welcoming and checked us in quickly. He gave us a quick tour of the room and showed us how the jacuzzi and lighting system worked and then provided us with a map on which he marked up the tourist hotspots and best places to eat - very helpful! I think Valerio is at the hotel between 8am and 5 or 6pm but he does leave you a card with his mobile number and really does give the impression that you can call at any hour.||||The room was large and very clean, modern and minimal - perfect for us. The bed was comfortable and featured mood lighting underneath which could be changed with a remote control. There was a huge jacuzzi in the room which was perfect for soaking tired legs in after a day of sightseeing. The bathroom featured a shower unit big enough for two with a lovely rainfall showerhead.||||iRooms Ripetta does not have a restaurant but who goes to Rome to eat in their hotel?! Breakfast was at a cafe right across the road. They made AMAZING coffee and had some rather tasty pastries and sandwiches on offer. There was also a complimentary mini fridge in the room which provided us with water, soft drinks, chocolate and Peroni beer (much to my boyfriend's delight). The mini fridge was restocked every day.||||The only negatives I can think of with this hotel are the lack of shelving in the bathroom (all my make and hair products had to be put under the sink on the floor) and the lack of coat hangers on the clothes rail (six in total) - although it would be easy enough to bring a few in your suitcase.||||If I were to return to Rome I would have no hesitation in booking iRooms Ripetta again. I think it would be difficult to find another hotel of similar quality for...

We stayed at Ripetta Relais for 3 nights and enjoyed our stay. With this being our first time in Rome, we found the location of the hotel to be excellent and perfect for seeing a lot of the major sites within walking distance and a metro station a few minutes walk away to visit places slightly further. ||||We found that the Pantheon, Spanish Steps and surrounding shopping area, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona all within 15-20 minutes walk. Villa Borghese and the Borghese gardens is right on the hotels doorstep also. We found lots of restaurants within walking distance. I think the restaurants right on the same street looked quite good, but we always like to venture a little bit further. Metro station Flaminio is a couple minutes walk away and we used this to get to the Colosseum/Roman Forum area which took about 10-15 minutes and also to get to the Vatican. ||||The staff at Ripetta Relais were friendly but always seemed a little bit nervous, I don't know if that was a language barrier thing. I wish I could have tried better Italian! The hotel is very small which gives it a nice boutique feel. The breakfast room was lacking in a bit of atmosphere though as we were the only people eating yet the morning we used it and it's right next to the reception desk, so didn't feel quite as relaxed as I have experienced in other hotels. Good selection of food on offer with coffee and tea. We had 2 early morning bookings the other 2 days for the Colosseum and the Vatican so weren't able to have the breakfast these mornings as it didn't start until 8. Perhaps this could be worth adding as a lot of attractions in Rome you need to get to early to beat the queues, so if breakfast had been from 7 or 7.30 we would have been able to eat before we left. ||||The room itself was quite good, I found it a bit 'cold' looking and dark with lots of grey paint and very small narrow windows, so it didn't really feel that cosy. I was aware that the rooms had a modern feel, but it was more concrete looking in design than I was expecting from the pictures. We stayed in the iCube room. The bed was very comfortable though and the red lit-up walk in shower was different and very powerful giant shower head and power hose shower. I just thought the overall room needed a bit of a spruce, there were a lot of scratches and scuffed paintwork around the room, particularly in the bathroom that made the room seem a bit scruffy and in need of repair. ||||We did really appreciate the complimentary drinks in the mini fridge each day, especially with the weather being so hot. The hotel terrace on the roof was also lovely to have a quick drink before going out to dinner. ||||I think I would stay here again, mostly for the location and the price was good. I would hope perhaps the rooms get a lick of paint soon, or perhaps request a room on the lighter side of the...

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this “hotel” is not what modern culture refers to as a hotel. It’s more an upscale hostel that jammed itself into the cracks of an old building. There is no signage outside like a standard hotel, rather a door bell like you ring for an apartment with the words “Repetta Relais” as one of its tenants. The concierge was very kind in helping us locate the venue, checking in and telling us about the hotel. They leave at 8pm and then you’re on your own. Atypical yet again, you get a large keychain accompanied by multiple keys that get you into multiple doors leading up to your room. Again, the hotel is slightly maze-like and worked into an old building. If you don’t mind carrying a bulky set of keys, then it’s not terrible I guess. But what quickly created a downward spiral were two things: mold and odor. I don’t need a fancy room or big room, but I do ask for clean. When you stand in the middle of the room and easily spot large areas of black mold in every corner-not good. When the shower has strips of black mold covering the once white caulking-not good. When the entirety of the curtains are spotted with mold-not good. When the tapestry on the wall is pilling with dust-not good. Can you imagine what you’re inhaling? And when your sink drain smells like something crawled down there and died, and literally makes you nauseous, that’s really not good. Even my husband who doesn’t get grossed out easily couldn’t handle the smell. We tried running the water with no improvement. The leg of the sink fell off for no reason while we were brushing our teeth. The soap holder and toothbrush holder were made of wood and turning black from previous moisture exposure. Need I say anymore? Again, the concierge we worked with was very kind, and the location is fairly central, but that’s not enough to salvage any stay at this venue. Save yourself the hassle and find a legitimate hotel! Sorry, Ripetta Relais, you need to up your game and hire a real...