ZEN HOUSE
I (regrettably) only stayed in Rome for 3 nights. As a result I felt rushed and didn’t get to see everything I wanted to; however the place I stayed was by far the highlight of my short trip!
This B & B is unlike any other you will stay in. Although I wasn’t a huge fan of Rome (everyone thinks I’m crazy for saying that), when I go back to give it another chance, I will stay at Zen House! It is run by a guy called Giacomo, who unfortunately we didn’t get to meet. Instead we were hosted by his brother, who was the loveliest person. There are only have 3 rooms that are rented out (single, double and triple) and you really do feel like you are at home and part of a new family. The rooms are beautiful and our host made us feel very welcome. Getting to know him (I can’t for the life of me remember his name) made our stay especially enjoyable. They also have 2 cats which put a huge smile on my face.
Location:
- Zen House is situated a little way out of the centre.
- I enjoyed this position a lot; it was quiet, had access to lovely parks and local shops and cafes, and also was easy to get into the centre.
- To give you an idea of distances: the Colosseum is about a 25 minute north west; the main Termini station is about a 40 minute walk away or an easy 20 minutes bus/metro ride away – there are really good transport links here!
- You can also get the metro or a bus to Vatican City; it will take about 50 minutes including walking either end.
- Distance wasn’t an issue for me; I like the location a lot and I don’t have any issues with walking about half an hour to the centre.
- It’s down a little street in a typical apartment building – not obvious as a B & B at all so beware of that! It took me a little bit of time to figure out!
Facilities:
- Accommodation: as I mentioned, there are only 3 rooms. Each is decorated differently and they are all beautiful.
- Bathrooms: There are 2 bathrooms and these are shared facilites. Both are your typical family bathroom and have everything you could need.
- Breakfast: you get a lovely personal breakfast every morning, served in the kitchen that is free to use for guests. It consists of some fresh pastries from the bakery, cereals, yogurts and toast as you wish; and as much juice, tea and coffee that you want. Our host was very attentive and served us all – didn’t expect such lovely hospitality.
- They basically let you use whatever you need. Whether that be the washing machine, phone, wifi, hairdryer, kitchen, TV, and he even let me borrow his laptop when I needed it.
Prices:
- I’m taking these price off their actual website; but I believe we booked with hostelworld.
- Single: 34€ per night
- Double: 28€ per night (each)
- Triple: 25€ per night (each)
- For example: booking off hostelworld for mid August, 2 people, 1 night it comes in at £42.80 (55€) for the room.
- Please keep in mind that in Italy there is an extra city tax thing they add on and is typically not included. This is around 2-3€ per night.
- If you are looking for somewhere in Rome, just take a look at other reviews of this hostel. They are faultless!
For a personal and homely experience in a lovely B & B I would recommend highly! When travelling as a couple or in a group the price is very good for Rome I think. As a solo traveller, perhaps not. I think the price is very fair as you do get breakfast and use of the facilities… and it is Rome!
Letters from Lou 