Domus Sessoriana - Rome

9.2

We received a very reasonable price through Venere.com and so I wasn't expecting such a good hotel. Our room was very clean and quiet and as an ancient historian I was delighted to find the Roman and early Christian ruins incorporated into the structure which was itself attached to the church of S. Croce. Although the area of Rome is not the best for a tourist, the hotel was within its own grounds with a monastery next door. Two buses run outside the door, but really I found walking the best way. The roof garden afforded a wonderful sunset over Rome. The lift and stairwell are huge and have some really nice paintings if you are into late 19th century or religious art. Breakfast was the usual "light" European meal (eg bread, croissants, cheese, ham, cereals, juice, coffee etc) but there was ample food. The bathroom was clean and tidy, although the toilet was placed in the corner so that any tall person would have his/her knees under the wash-hand basin. I certainly will stay there again. The only downside was a lack of a restaurant or even a coffee bar. This meant that after a very tiring day we had to go out to find somewhere to eat. There is a coffee machine which caters really to Italian tastes so all coffees were very thick, very, very strong and incredibly sweet with only a hint of milk in the 'milk coffees'.

4.6

The hotel has potential to be a nice hotel, but the hallway to the rooms and the room we had smelled very musty, were dirty, plants on the balconies were all dead due to lack of care, and we had no towels in the room and after calling the front desk twice we finally got one. We had to take Benadryl because of the must and dust. Also the bell-boy was very unsettling because of his appearance and demeanor. We had reservations for two nights but only stayed one even though we did not get a refund for the second.

8.9

The hotel is nearby the metro and it was very good. The breakfast was fine.

8.3

Molto bello! Specialmente la terrazza. La collezione potrebbe essere un po meglio: non il caffe da una macchina. Ci ritornerei volentieri.

8.8

We spent part of our summer holiday in Rome at Domus Sessoriana, which we have visited one time before. We got a room with a lovely balcony but with no chairs on the balcony. However, we asked for chairs and a few hours later two chairs had been placed there. What appeals most to us at the hotel is the extraordinary atmosphere conveyed by the proximity of a church and a convent. This atmosphere has a spellbinging effect also on people that are not religious. Our room and bathroom were cleaned meticulously every day by friendly cleaning staff and we got very good service at reception.

9.9

Staing at a monastary the rooms are not overstated but comfortable and bigger than most in Rome. Great breakfast included. More in a traditional area than touristy!

8.9

This hotel is great: beautiful, clean and very well placed. Bus and metro station in very closed. I would recommend to everybody and if I will come back to Rome I will go there again for sure.

7.6

I've used this hotel for job travel. Rooms are small but confortable. It was ok.

9.8

We got a tip for this hotel from a friend who had studied a couple of years in Italy. The building is lovely, an old monastery built on a Roman wall and adapted to a hotel with a charm. Although they have a very nice elevator, we had to carry our luggage a bit, since there are some stairs to go before getting into the room. It didn't bother us, but it might be important for somebody. Location is very good - some 10 minutes walking distance to the underground, a bus station is just in front of the building. A walk to the Colosseum takes pleasant 20-30 minutes, but you should be advised to take a city ticket and ride buses which go through downtown (for our 4-days stay the 5-day ticket had the best value). For the breakfast you should keep your expectations low, the stuff doesn't change and no trace of Italian cappuccino - for a good coffee go to a coffee bar in the city.

9.6

We thought that the lovely facilities were under-utilised. For instance, there is a lovely rooftop terrace with breathtaking views of the city: why not put some tables and chairs up there,or perhaps an eaterie of some kind? We were led to believe that the hotel had a bar: it was disappointing that this turned out NOT to be the case; the rooms had mini-bars, but its not quite the same. Nevertheless, everything was great, no complaints. Probably a hotel more suitable for mature travellers(perhaps 30-40+?).

8.4

The hotel itself was very spacious and cleaned up, most of the employees were very friendly and helpful and polite. The breakfast was OK, nothing extraordinary but basic (like usual in Italy). The metro station is about 600-700m away from the hotel, which was very helpful. The homepage does not mention the roof terrace... about 200-250qm huge, phantastic view... usually it should be commercialised on the web-page. The cleaning personnel worked absolutely OK. Nothing to say...! We would choose this hotel again for our next Rome-Trip... and we only paid 69 EUR per night for a double room, which was everything but expensive in Rome. We liked it very much, the room was clean, nice (like the pictures), we had a private terrace and very huge (but a 4 person room for us). The usual standrad rooms were OK in size, but also nice. Have a lot of fun in Rome.

9.9

Wir waren über's Wochenende in ROM. Das Hotel ist außergewöhnlich. Gute Ausgangsbasis, da die Station zur Hauptmetro nicht weit ist. Exclusiv ist die Dachterasse.

3.4

The hotel was quite far from the centre of Rome which made for a long walk from the Termini through somewhat questionable neighbourhood at night. The room was very small, especially for the price paid.

9.9

The staff was warm and welcoming (speak many languages). I had a lot of luggage so the directions from the metro stop to the church were not as good as I would have liked. It's actually a right in front of the large church toward the park, the gentle walk by the park...then the Domus which is in the St Croce of Jerusalem...is there at the end of the park. Not far, just easier once you know you are going the right direction. Down the street in front was a great pizza/restaurant with food from Napoli..very good. Friendly service (Aida Angelini) open late. At Via G, Sommeiller, 6 Hostaria Degli Artisti (email hostariadegliartisti@hotmail.com) The place was very clean and the sites in church alone were amazing..relics room had a piece of the cross. The garden deck was super for the view and at night many of the guests sat up there enjoying the breeze (we all had AC). Internet connection was a lifesaver and I got a card for a small price at the desk to use it. Just a note about the tour company VAS Tours that has brochures at the place - they do sightseeing tours of Rome...okay but I heard many complaints from those on VAS tours-- they did not stop everywhere on the night tour as planned and the Sistine Chapel tour was more like a cattle call -- no priority to the group. It was ok for me, but others were not thrilled. The monks have a quaint gift shop in the church with homemade preserves, etc...they are really nice. Late night, I found the monks chasing a rat out of the church entry with brooms, and later at 1 am they were scrubbing graffiti from the city buses out front. (no worry the rat was not staying there...just ran in from the park by mistake!) The rooms were nice and clean. Mine was a single but still a good size, the bathroom was huge. Nice view overlooking the garden. Be prepared, there is a lift, but a few stairs up then down to get there...a very long hallway if you are at the end. I was at the end and up another spiral stairs, then at the end

9.9

We spent four marvellous days in March at Hotel Domus Sessoriana. We have visited Rome a few times before but this was the first time our visit was complete. The atmosphere of the hotel sent us back to the Roman empire, medieval Rome, Bernini's Rome - as well as modern Rome. In addition we experienced excellent service at the reception, a fantastic view from the roof terrace, a spacious, clean, simple and elegant room, nice breakfast and - above all - marvellous architecture and atmosphere all over. It was certainly not the last time we used Domus Sessoriana as base camp for the exploration of Rome.

9.1

Good value for money, not very close to the down town but with very good acces to the underground and also to the tram (5-10 minutes to the colisseo). I would recomend it

9.2

Lovely space, very individual. Tram No 3 is a life line to the centre of things, as well as the metro. The pumped air made a background noise that bothered us a bit, but otherwise a great place to stay as long as you don't mind a little bit of a hike to get back to hotel. Do go and look at the relics in the basilica and the exhibition of Nene the little girl who is being sanctified. Excellent breakfast.

8.5

We spent 4 nights at the end of 2005 at Domus Sessoriana. We liked the hotel. Being almost inside the basicilca gives it a nice atmosphere. Good breakfast, helpful staff, large room. A couple of drawbacks though: the water wasn't as hot as we would have liked it to be, specially in the morning. The location is all right for visiting sights. Bus stop right outside and not far from the Metro. It's a bit unconvenient to return at night though. We didn't realize that some buses stopped early in the evening and the Metro stops at about midnight. This resulted in a couple of unplanned taxitrips (10-12 Euro).

9.6

The only tiny little hickup about the Domus Sessoriana is that it is located somewhat off the centre.

9.8

Very nice hotel! Italian breakfast as expected! Highly recommended!

9.8

Loved our stay. Great b'fasts, especially the granola, blueberry yogurt and fresh coffee. Such an interesting place, helpful friendly staff, beautiful cathedral, spacious accommo-dations, lovely view from the rooftop terrace, and the monks make and sell wonderful liquer and chocolates. We are sending all our friends here. Just know the hotel is NOT marked other than small gold lettering on a plain door (NOT obvious) to the right of the cathedral's main entrance. Tell your taxi driver you want to go to Santa Croce in Gerusalemme (Sacred Heart Cathedral).

8.1

Been here before and would come back again. Unique hotel in a good location for public transport (bus/tram/metro)to the central attractions of Rome. Sad that it situated in a bit of a run down area which suffers from grafitti and litter (like most of Rome). Some good local restaurants nearby together with a very accommodating bar directly opposite - recommended. Roof terrace is excellent for watching Roman sunsets with a bottle of wine.

8.2

Very beautiful place to stay. Quiet and nevertheless near by a central bus station. Not in the touristic heart of the city but in a good area. Restaurants in the nearby are good to very good. The charms of the rooms belonging to a monastery but furnished in a very elegant descrete design will call us back to this place. The entrance is hidden on the left side of the staircase leading into the church Santa Croce in Gerusalemme. Heardly to be recognised as an entrance at all... Good car parking possibilities

9.9

excellent stay, highly recommanded

9.6

This hotel is totally unique. It's a beautiful building and the roof terrace is excellent, although unfortunately hardly anyone seems to use it! The area is fine - good transport links, only 10 minutes on a tram to the Colosseum. There's a fabulous restaurant hidden away nearby, which the staff at the hotel can direct you to. The area is quiet, and as a lesbian couple, we found the people there generally much friendlier, less hostile and more accepting of us than the rest of Rome's rather rude and narrow-minded inhabitants. We had quite a stressful time (we have short hair and got stared at, laughed at and sneered at constantly) but this hotel made our holiday. The staff are lovely and the atmosphere is very serene.

8.7

I liked the Domus Sessoriana very much. It's a bit off the centre but there are at least three bus lines running past it and more from the near Lateran Church. The rooms are spacious with high ceilings and the historic building is impressive. The hotel itself is quiet but the busy streets are audible when the windows are open. Great view from the roof terrace. The reception staff were very helpful and friendly and spoke English. Breakfast was good and filling. No bar or inhouse restaurant but there are a couple of reasonable restaurants nearby. An excellent place to explore the city from.

8.5

Quietness of the hotel and wide space provided in all facilities made it a very pleasant stay for us. And the fact that the building used to be a monastery is very charming! Two churches nearby are a 'must see' attraction when you're in Rome. Definitely a good experience!!

8.7

We enjoyed our stay. We had a glitch both on arrival and departing with airport transfers, this might have been down to mis-understanding our English. Staying over an historic church was a welcome extra. There was no sense of being in a monastry at all. If you want to be shown round you have to ask in advance, but visits are not encouraged as it is a private institution. This was the first time we booked a hotel over the internet, after booking we were emailed a 'phone number which connected us to the hotel and we confirmed directly that all was in order, it was.

8.7

It is an interesting place to stay. Very nice, but a little sparse in the way of services (which may have to be expected from a converted monastary). I would recommend it for short visits, but after a few days the lack of restaurants/bars starts to wear on you

8.2

historic place, very quiet, near metro (when it rides!, place to be!

9.8

It was great... just make sure you don't confuse "Via" and "Piazza," otherwise you'll wander up and down the former in confusion. The air conditioner did not work very well in the room we stayed in the first night, so it was a bit warmer than we would have liked, but upon mentioning this to the front desk, they switched us to another room at the same rate for the second night, and it was just fine. Rooms are small, as are most non-luxury European hotel rooms, and in the second room we were in, the bathroom sink was only useable if the bathroom door was shut. However, there was enough space overall. It was surprisingly quiet, despite being firmly within the city boundaries. Breakfast buffet was German, not Italian, standard - plenty of rolls, ham and cheese, jams and Nutella, cereal and yogurt.

3.2

Does not commensurate to charges and service quality personal and impersonal both poor.

9.8

Ottimo albergo ad un prezzo estremamente contenuto. Unico difetto non funzionava la presa di corrente in bagno. Non è stata richiesta la riparazione perchè siamo stati solo 2 notti (sabato e domenica). Servizio eccellente, Ho richiesto di cambiare la lampadina del comodino ed in mezz'ora è stata sostituita.

3.2

WOULD NEVER, NEVER, NEVER STAY IN THIS LOCATION AGAIN.

8.3

Room excellent. Breakfast good. Views of Rome and access to public transport very good. Very unusual hotel well worth staying at just for the architecture.

9.9

A real find. Off the beaten path, but the opportunity to stay at such a historic site more than compensates, and central areas are easily accessible by bus.

9.5

Amazing hotel in a basilic, great ambiance.

9.8

We were very happy at the Domus Sessoriana. The room was not what you would call gorgeously decorated, but this is a converted monastery, which more than makes up for it. We opened our window and had of a large garden where a monk was taking a walk, and later we heard plainsong drifting through the air.Bathroom was large, facilities excellent, breakfast buffet was extensive. Heck, even the elevator was large by Roman standards. The one drawback you might consider is the location, which is in a far corner of the city. You' can walk some places, but its a hike, and you may spend a bit more on cabs

7.3

Ein wirklich angenehmes, sehr schönes Haus in guter Lage mit einem für ital. Verhältnisse sehr guten Frühstücks-Buffet.

7.4

we had a great stay, although the staff were not very welcoming when we arrived. The breakfast was very good and the rooms were of a good standard The area was good for walking to the main attractions but at night was poor for restaurants which was a trek!!

9.6

wenn rom, dann NUR noch in diesem hotel. TOPP !!!

6.0

I Booked for February and they confirmed me for January....Didn't catch it till the BILL came in!!

8.5

We decided to stay in the Domus Sessoriana after seeing it on the Internet. When we arrived, the staff were very friendly and were very helpful. Our room was quite basic but really clean. The situation of the hotel was excellent for travelling around Rome and is within walking distance of loads of attractions. The transport service in the city is brilliant and so easy to use. We made the mistake of getting a taxi from the airport to the hotel when we arrived in Rome which cost us about £70. On our return we found it was better to get the metro to termini then change to a direct train through to the airport which cost about a fiver !!! All in all I would definitely recommend this hotel and I will definitely be going back again this year. attended

8.6

Domus Sessoriana... I liked it very much, but it is a bit different from your run-of-the-mill hotel. First, it is located in a wing of the Santa Croce Gerusalemme church, and as such has a decidedly different feel. The hallways leading to the rooms are high arched Gothic, painted a warm creamy white color... the ambience is unique walking through, and it feels normal to speak in hushed tones. The rooms are clean, quiet, and very spacious, and our window looked out onto the monk's garden. Someone has said in these reviews that it would not be a good place for a honeymoon, and I probably agree somewhat with that statement, but if you want very quiet surroundings and you can keep the "vocalizations" down, it would be an OK place to stay. The other issue mentioned in these reviews is the location of the hotel. It is a bit out of the way for most of the tourist sights, but the public transportation is relatively good and cheap, and you can get to just about anywhere if you know the routes. There are three ways to go public transpo., and we did them all: the bus,the tram, and the subway. The buses and the tram have stops VERY close to the hotel, the Metro is about 700 meters from the hotel, towards San Giovanni in Laterano. The most useful Tram is the #3 Tram which stops (literally) in front of the hotel. This tram will take you all the way to Villa Borghese to the north, and all the way to Trasevere in the southwest... of course there are many stops along the way, so you sometimes have to ask a local, or keep a sharp eye out for the stop you want. The buses are good, too, but I'm already a little sketchy on the #s... the 649 goes from the Termini to the hotel (and vice-versa), and (I think) the 82 goes to Largo Argentina, which is good for Piazza Navona and Campo d'Fiori, and also for Trastevere, if you don't mind a little walk. I also think the 60 (or 62?) is another useful bus... check the signs which are at the bus stops and look to see if the stop you want is on it.

7.7

I would recommend this hotel to toursits who love art and want to be slightly off the beaten track.

3.2

This was one of the more expensive hotels but it turned out to be in a very run down area. The photogragh that they advertise with is NOTHING like what you will get and the staff are the least friendly people I met during the whole of my stay. Rome is a wonderful place - don't ruin your holiday by staying in this hotel....

6.4

Don't be swayed by the mystique surrounding its history, it's just another hotel room. Hot/warm water was possible before 7 am but nonexistent by 8 am. Noise in the hall, including door closings, echoed throughout the floor. Breakfast was good but the coffee was "brewed" by touching a button on a machine. The elevator seemed to have a mind of its own. We also had to ask the front desk for additional toilet paper. Once you adapt your wake up schedule, buy (bring!) earplugs, and accept the fact you're drinking instant coffee, I guess it isn't a particularly bad stay.

9.1

1. I would appreciate if the internet page informs about possibilities to reach the hotel by taxi from Termini or from Airport including a guess of the expected price. 2. the reception calles a tyxi to termini for us; the taxi started by 15 € (which we did nocht accept of course). The hotel should inform guests about prices to expect and inform taxi drivers to use fair prices. 3. overall the hotel was very nice: friendly and calm athmosphere, staff was very friendly, room and breakfast really good. we recommend this hotel.

6.7

Please do not se the photo with the tennis court if it is not possible to use the court to play tennis... We were a bit disappointed with this. Besides that our stay at Sessoriana was very nice! Best regards, Allan

9.3

The building is a former monastery and has its own special charm, so for those looking for something special it is it! The location is fine as well: public transport (tram, bus) just opposite and major sightseeing places like Colosseum and St. Maria Maggiore within walking distance.

8.4

In general a very pleasant stay. As a single travaller I have stayed in many places that offer too small single rooms with poor service, but here, at the Domus, I had a nice single room, not real big, but spacious enough, a small double bed (size 1,5), a spacious and clean bathroom, and a good working airco. As my room was on top of the building I used the huge roofterrace a lot. I have to say, there is no bar in this hotel, so bring your own drinks to enjoy the view at St. Giovani. The people at the desk were very kind and helpfull and they offer internet (with prepaid cards) Three complaints: - Sat TV is not available. You can see Italian tv and BBC and CNN, the regular hotel channels. - Breakfast is as you might expect in Italy, but the coffe is really nasty! They use a self service Douwe Egberst machine that offers the kind of horrible brew that peolpe drink daily at any Dutch office. I escaped every morning to the bar at the other side of the street. - the curtains in my room wer broken

8.3

un albergo da raccomandare agli amici, specie se prediligono i materassi molto duri... sorprendentemente buono il caffè all'americana della colazione.

5.7

A livelli di prezzi differenti corrispondono camere con caratteristiche diverse. Così quella da noi occupata prevedeva evidentemente lo sciacquone del gabinetto non funzionante e dopo il secondo giorno di soggiorno viste le ripetute proteste ci è stata cambiata camera.

8.2

The hotel is quite impressive if you like to be somehwere quanit and different and the rooms are lovely. The breakfast was very good and the service was good as well. I highly recommend this hotel and would definitely come back to stay there. It is very spacious clean and extremely well maintained. Definitely go visit the church that is just down the street as it is one of the most beautiful churches in from. You will not be far from the Colluseum it is a very nice walk there. I would suggest you do not take a taxi cab from the train station as they over charge you a ridiculous amount. A very beautiful and memorable stay.

8.0

Our stay in the "Domus Sessoriana" was really pleasant - the staff was friendly, the rooms were air-conditioned and clean and the breakfast rather substantial for italian conditions. The whole hotel reflects the flair of the old cistercian Basilica with its huge halls and corridors as well as its spartan rooms. Its located in the center of rome and easy to reach with the subway (Station "San Giovanni") and then two more stations by tram. I recommend this hotel to everybody who visits rome for a couple of days - maybe not for a longer stay because you dont have a bar or restaurant in the hotel and smoking is prohibited in the whole building (ancient basilica).

9.2

Wir waren 1 Woche im Domus Sessoriana zu Gast. Das Hotel ist für alle, die etwas Besonderes suchen, sehr zu empfehlen. Das wundervolle Gebäude, die majestätischen Flure zu den Zimmern, die moderne, aber stilvolle Möblierung der Zimmer.. Wir waren sehr beeindruckt und begeistert!! Das Frühstück ist für italienische Verhältnisse sehr umfangreich, die Lage des Hotels ist etwas abseits zum (riesigen) Stadtkern (daher ist die Straße auf den meisten Stadtplänen, leider um ca. 1 cm verfehlt) aber die S-Bahn hält vor dem Gebäude, und zur nächsten Metro-Station sind es 5 Geh-Minuten. Also eine sehr gute Ausgangslage um die Stadt zu erkunden. Einen kleinen Abzug gibt es für das nicht existierende (trotz angegebenen SAT-TV´s) deutsche Fernsehen; die Flure wurden jeden Tag gewischt, unser Zimmer in dieser Woche leider kein einziges Mal; der Abfluß der Dusche war so verstopft, dass man höchstens 3 Minuten am Stück duschen konnte.. Aber das waren auch schon fast die einzigen Mankos. Wir haben unseren Aufenthalt sehr genossen und werden mit Sicherheit wiederkommen. P.S. Die Zimmer sind alle Nichtraucherzimmer..

9.2

I had a wonderful stay at this hotel. I was very pleased with the location. It was easy to walk to from the train station (about a 10 minute walk) and there were lots of good restaurants in the area. I also enjoyed going to the mass located in the church adjacent to the hotel. Everyone was extremely friendly and I enjoyed my stay immensely!

7.8

This is a lovely hotel, nice rooms and bathrooms, and wonderful views from the terrace area on top of the building. The staff, except for one guy at reception who was a bit rude, were all friendly & helpfull. The only pitfall would be that for our requirements, sightseeing mainly, it was too far from the main sights/areas of Rome.

9.7

Our arrival was somewhat marred by the proverbial, "I have some good news and some bad news!" The bad news was that they didn't have a room for us the first night because renovations were being done and somehow, it had affected the room we were to have??? The good news, apparently, was that they'd move us to another hotel and pay the taxi, to and fro. It was a disappointment in that we wanted to stay at the Domus Sessoriana for the full three nights and the whole thing wasted several hours of precious time for us. The hotel to which we were relocated was pretty ordinary, but clean, but we were charged the same rate as at the Domus. Because a large American bus tour had been staying at the Domus during our intended stay, I can't help but wonder whether our room might have been forfeited to accommodate that tour! I hope not. The two nights we did spend at the Domus were excellent. The room and bathroom were very spacious, clean and modern, with large wooden storage units. The hallways were huge with artwork dispayed throughout. The breakfast was absolutely excellent, with a large variety of goodies from which to choose. The hotel is situated about two long blocks from the nearest metro stop, so it's certainly walkable with luggage (the two blocks, however, has a fair number of homeless living on the park benches). Although the Domus Sessoriana is situated a fair distance from the main Roman sites, I'd certainly recommend it as it offers excellent value.

9.8

Would have preferred a bar in hotel. We visited roof terrace and felt that this was under utilised/exploited. A hotel with a difference. Excellent for a short stay. The whole place has character, excellent service, quite stunning interior.

4.5

We were attracted by the photographs posted on the web page and the fact that the facility is part of an old church which in our past experience stands for cleanliness and quietness. Nice lobby and public areas but cramped room which is okay but not with tiny window overlooking a noisy expressway. The room was dim, our table lamp was broken and was left standing there tilted. Our main concern was the faint urine smell in the room (apparently in other rooms too). Hotel breakfasts never interest us but relatively meager and only replenished when asked. My husband rates it an overpriced youth hostel.

9.8

This hotel is actually part of the Santa Croce Church, which makes the stay even more unique. Also, there is a beautiful view from the terrace on the roof.

4.4

Noisy due to floorplan and proximity to hospital served by ambulances with blaring sirens at all hours. A/c did not work. Could not keep window open due to construcion scaffolding covering entire wing of hotel we were in. This gave easy access to anyone wanting to enter room through window. Safe did not work. Bath was small and only had shower. OK location on tram route to Colosseum

8.3

Overall a very pleasant stay. I'd recommended this hotel for a visit to Rome. Located in a unique and historic building in a nice area. Hard to beat if you are looking for a different hotel experience. All Staff were very friendly, pleasant and helpful. Rooms are quite sparse (but very clean) which is in keeping with the sense of staying in such an historic building. Booking through Venere.com was simple and painless.

8.9

I am very happy with the Domus Sessoriana. This is the third time I book this hotel and I am very happy [it is a charming and unique place - very professional staff]. In general, I am also very happy with Venere.com. I think it is a very reliable service and the best one I have used to date.

9.6

Welcoming staff, spacious clean rooms in an amazing setting. 5 mins from the nearest metro and an excellent base to explore the city.