Authentic Roman Experience
Submitted: August 7, 2012
Stayed: July 2012
Loved the apartment.
Hints:
1. To use the lift, go inside. CLOSE the doors, Then push 5. The apt is on the fifth floor. Make sure the elevator has come to a complete stop before trying to open the door. It goes up a little bit above the floor and comes back down before finally settling in. Close the doors again when you get off so it will go back up or down for the next person.
2. Have Cash. I emailed the owner and she indicated that we could pay with Euros when we got there or by PayPal. I planned on PayPal, but the housekeeper had no clue about that. (I probably should have worked that our better with the owner and told her definitely that we were planning on Pay Pal.) We had to go on search of an ATM to withdraw enough for the rent.
3. Learn some basic Italian. (Or have a translation book or a computer with you that can translate words. I would recommend that the owner have some basic instructions written in English (and other languages) that the housekeeper could give to the renter. This would probably ease confusion. There were three small cans in the kitchen labeled in Italian. I assumed one was for paper, one for food items and one for other trash.
There was a washer in the kitchen and a dryer upstairs. Again, English instructions would have been helpful. Fortunately, my friend had an American washer just like this one, so she knew how to set the dials. The drier was tricky. Clothes didn't seem to get dry until we figured out that there was no drain, so I looked for a water reservoir which needed to be emptied. There it was. We watered the plants on the terrace with it. I would have hung more on the terrace, but couldn't fi
4. Make sure the housekeeper shows you how to use the keys for the apartment and practice with them to be sure you can unlock it. I found that you had to turn the key several times to completely unlock the door. There are 3 keys. One for the front door, one for the door between the front and the elevator, and one for the apartment. I felt very safe.
5. Look carefully outside the door before stepping outside the apartment building. It opens onto a main road, and the drivers are crazy.
6. Turn to your left immediately after coming out of the apartment building and left at the end of the block. There is a wonderful Gelato shop too easily available to this apartment!
7. If you buy a hop-on/hop-off bus ticket for Rome, there is a stop near the synagogue. The bus stop is near there, too.
8. Enjoy the artwork.
Recommended for:
Age 55+,
Tourists without a Car,
Sightseeing,
Romantic Getaway
Helpful votes: 1/1
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