Bed and Breakfast Rifugio San Francesco - Lido di Ostia, Rome

I was dissapointed about the hotel (it was not actually an hotel, it was an appartment composed of 2 rooms). My plane landed somewhat late so the taxi hardly found the place. there was nobody waiting for me I had to call (from my mobile telephone, if not what would I do)and I had to wait someone for about 15 minutes to open the door. The rooms was dirty and mouldy and I paid 50 Euros only for sleeping.

At 11 PM the place was closed, no one was there to receive us. Only after several phonecalls a man arrived by car and took us to the room at the first floor.He took his money and before he leaved he gave us a tiket for breakfast in a coffee house "at the next corner"-no address, no name, so in the morning was very difficult to find the place.The "breakfast" was a cup of coffee and a little cake not fresh at all. Wasn't hot water in the bath-room.

When we arrived at the B & B we found out from someone living there that you had to ring the phone number to get the owner to come and let you in. This had not been mentioned on any of the correspondence during the reservation period. The B & B is a room (one of three) in an apartment in a residential building. I did not enjoy our stay here and we're glad it was for only one night. It appeared that the other two rooms were being lived in long-term by a family. So it did feel like you were in someone else's house. This was definitely not value for money especially considering it was not the beach-season. In fact, it was the most expensive accommodation we had during our entire trip around Europe. The breakfast was also a disappointing arrangement. You were given a coupon for a bar down the street.

This "bed and breakfast" was definitely substandard. They provide you with old sheets, dirty blankets, and raggedy bathtowels (they only give you towels if you ask for them). The apartment has an unpleasant odor and you can hear everything from the other rooms. Breakfast is in the form of a voucher that you can take to the bar on the corner so hopefully you're hungry when the bar is open and you don't plan on having breakfast on a Sunday. We were very dissatisfied with this lodging and would not stay there again.

The name of the places is promissing, the actual place not. I arrived at the building, but there was nobody to open the door. The neighbors were not helpful: they just shouted at me. A signpost showed a telefon number, but I had no cellular phone with me --- so I was actually lost. After all, I ask on old Italian woman to use her telephone. The owner of the hotel had difficulties to understand English, so he propoesed Spanish, but he did not understand it either. Finally my Italian was sufficient to make him understand that I was waiting in front of the building ... After another 30 minutes two young women arrived to open for me ... the pretended not to understand the problem. I should have phoned before. But the confirmation mail of the place did not say a word of that. I was really furious - and they were just nice and kept smiling. So: do not forget your cellular phone - and have a course of fluent Italian before. For the rest: it was OK.

First problem was that no one was there. You had to finally call a number at the door, then found out that the owners weren't at the B&B address. There was no one who spoke much English, the place was difficult to find, there was no breakfast to speak of, just vouchers for the morning down the street at a local bar. The owner's husband came to the property, insisted on a cash payment up front, wouldn't take a credit card. That was never explained in their ads or in their confirmation. His English was very, very minimal........all in all not a good experience