Rome Apartment - Anyone ever stay at Casa Campanella?
Jul 30th, 2007, 07:35 PM
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Rome Apartment - Anyone ever stay at Casa Campanella?
I am hoping to get some opinions on this apartment.
http://www.vrbo.com/104889
www.casacampanella.com/
I have searched quite a few websites and have found no reviews. Thanks.
http://www.vrbo.com/104889
www.casacampanella.com/
I have searched quite a few websites and have found no reviews. Thanks.
Jul 30th, 2007, 08:11 PM
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Suquamish:
As a Fodorite recently explained to me, it is a lot more likely for an apartment not to have reviews. I had to see the point: apartment rentals are one off; if it was rented every week of the year, that would still only be 50 rentals. Hotels have hundreds of guests all the time, and are much easier to review.
Although I read the reviews of Casa Campanella on their website, which all sounded like they were written by the insane, I think I might stay there. Price and location are fabulous. Of course, it isn't a five minute walk to the Forum or Colosseum but then again, crazy people wrote those reviews. They mostly sounded phony to me.
And why was there a need for a fan when the apartment has AC? I would have to ask the owners about that...
But as I said, I think I might book this place. Even if it is too good to be true, I think I could live with it a little while. I am actually going to write to them. thanks!
As a Fodorite recently explained to me, it is a lot more likely for an apartment not to have reviews. I had to see the point: apartment rentals are one off; if it was rented every week of the year, that would still only be 50 rentals. Hotels have hundreds of guests all the time, and are much easier to review.
Although I read the reviews of Casa Campanella on their website, which all sounded like they were written by the insane, I think I might stay there. Price and location are fabulous. Of course, it isn't a five minute walk to the Forum or Colosseum but then again, crazy people wrote those reviews. They mostly sounded phony to me.
And why was there a need for a fan when the apartment has AC? I would have to ask the owners about that...
But as I said, I think I might book this place. Even if it is too good to be true, I think I could live with it a little while. I am actually going to write to them. thanks!
Jul 30th, 2007, 08:48 PM
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This excerpt from a review was pretty funny, I thought:
"The address is ideally located in a residential neighborhood: a 5-minute walk to the Coliseum and the Vatican."
That must be quite a feat to have a location that is a 5-minute walk from *both* of those widely-spaced attractions.
"The address is ideally located in a residential neighborhood: a 5-minute walk to the Coliseum and the Vatican."
That must be quite a feat to have a location that is a 5-minute walk from *both* of those widely-spaced attractions.
Jul 30th, 2007, 10:33 PM
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Please update the thread if you get back more info.
Or if you actually book and stay there.
The VRBO page indicates they will take credit cards as well? That would certainly make things convenient.
No cable TV and not apparent which floor it's on. There is apparently no elevator.
You also have to wonder if it's quiet at night.
Or if you actually book and stay there.
The VRBO page indicates they will take credit cards as well? That would certainly make things convenient.
No cable TV and not apparent which floor it's on. There is apparently no elevator.
You also have to wonder if it's quiet at night.
Jul 30th, 2007, 10:42 PM
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<<Although I read the reviews of Casa Campanella on their website, which all sounded like they were written by the insane, I think I might stay there. >>
Well, tuscanl.e., to each his own.
I always look when people ask an opinion on an apartment listing, because I've always got my eye out for good ones ... I think the picures of this place look a little depressing. Not like it's a dump, just frayed around the edges, with no outstanding feature. There are people who don't set much store by the photos - for good reason - but it is not that hard to make the photos look better than reality, so when they look a little sad, I wonder if that's the best they could make it look!
Well, tuscanl.e., to each his own.
I always look when people ask an opinion on an apartment listing, because I've always got my eye out for good ones ... I think the picures of this place look a little depressing. Not like it's a dump, just frayed around the edges, with no outstanding feature. There are people who don't set much store by the photos - for good reason - but it is not that hard to make the photos look better than reality, so when they look a little sad, I wonder if that's the best they could make it look!
Jul 31st, 2007, 07:24 PM
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I agree with you tuscanlifeedit. The reviews did seem a little crazy. But I am crazy enough to give it a try. I booked it for October. The owner (or manager) Luigi Sini is very responsive. I'll update this post when I return to let you know how it works out.
Jul 31st, 2007, 07:50 PM
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! I finally was moved to go read those comments - I thought they seemed almost boringly sane! (In fact, they had a certain sameness about them, but I don't want to cast aspersions - I want to read Suquamish's review! (No sanity issues there, right, Suq?)
Aug 2nd, 2007, 05:49 AM
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Gosh... but a gas fireplace and an ice maker! LOL...make a little dinner, sit by the fireplace after a busy Roman Holiday ... have a glass of wine or Lemoncello... how bad can it be? You're not buying it you're just sleeping there!
But I do like elevators/lifts. I can be given to a lazy side.
But I do like elevators/lifts. I can be given to a lazy side.
Aug 2nd, 2007, 06:05 AM
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I also am looking for an apartment for 2-3 people next April, and although the price is very good, have not short-listed this apartment because of the "photo gallery".
The pictures look great and artistic: but photos that show a corner of the bed here, and a corner of the sofa there, artistic shot of the table lamp ... instead of showing the layout of the apartment, just gives me the uneasy feeling that they don't want you to see the whole picture and what the apartment really looks like.
If you decide to try this apartment please let us know your feedback upon your return. Thanks.
The pictures look great and artistic: but photos that show a corner of the bed here, and a corner of the sofa there, artistic shot of the table lamp ... instead of showing the layout of the apartment, just gives me the uneasy feeling that they don't want you to see the whole picture and what the apartment really looks like.
If you decide to try this apartment please let us know your feedback upon your return. Thanks.
Aug 2nd, 2007, 07:19 PM
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I was a little confused by the pictures too, at first. You need to double click on them and they will open up. They seem a little dark. I also found this place on an agency site. There are only a couple pictures, but they do make the place look better. I still have not quite figured out if there are really 2BR based on the pictures, but Luigi has assured me that it is a 2BR apartment. I am finding this whole process somewhat entertaining. I hope I will be pleasantly surprised, but I am also ready to find the humor in this whole thing too.
http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p69836
http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p69836
Aug 2nd, 2007, 09:43 PM
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At worst, it looks rather plainly decorated or furnished.
But that size and price are really enticing, as well as good amenities -- AC, washing machine (dryer too?), wireless broadband.
What floor is it on and is there a lift?
Maybe it's a noisy, crowded area.
But that size and price are really enticing, as well as good amenities -- AC, washing machine (dryer too?), wireless broadband.
What floor is it on and is there a lift?
Maybe it's a noisy, crowded area.
Aug 3rd, 2007, 07:35 AM
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Vicolo della Campana is, as the name indicates, a lane; it runs between Via della Scrofa and Via di Monte Brianzo. One of Rome's oldest restaurants, La Campana, is on Vicolo della Campana, but it's not the type of restaurant that attracts noisy crowds. You may hear people chatting on the street, but I doubt that you will find it noisy.
If you go to maps.google.com and enter the street name, you can see precisely where it is.
I would also ask what floor the apartment is on and whether there is an elevator.
If you go to maps.google.com and enter the street name, you can see precisely where it is.
I would also ask what floor the apartment is on and whether there is an elevator.
Nov 10th, 2007, 04:59 PM
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Just to update all on Casa Campanella. We (my mother, husband and I) stayed there for 9 nights in Oct/Nov.
The good -
1) The owner, Luigi, is very responsive and dependable. We flew there during the Air France strike and had to work around cancelled flights. He was very easy to work with and accomodating. He lives in an apartment in the same building.
2) Excellent location.
3) It was very basic, but clean. It had a good shower with excellent water pressure and hot water. (As the picture on the website shows, there are three steps up to the shower. That was not an issue for us.)
4) The washing machine was very handy and there was also a drying rack. Laundry soap was available. There was an ironing board and iron as well. The hair dryer came in handy. Towels were provided.
5) The kitchen was adequate. Nothing special, but was fine for us. We really just used the fridge, so I can't comment on the stove. There were plates, pots, utensils, wine opener, glasses.
6) We did not need heat or air conditioning, but Luigi showed me how to turn the heat on. I saw the air conditioner. It was one of those portable units. It looked new and was about 3 feet tall. I don't know much about these units. There was also a nice looking fan available. Of course, we didn't need that either.
7) There was a grocery store that was very close.
8) It was surprisingly quiet. (It is not near a restaurant as the above post suggested. That is a different street.) There is not much traffic, considering that we were in Rome. With the windows closed, it was very quiet. We had to set an alarm to get up in the morning because the place was so quiet. (There is no clock there, so you need to bring your own.)
9) You only have to walk up one flight of stairs to reach the apartment.
10) We didn't watch TV, but there was a large newer TV available.
11) We did not bring our computer, but there was a wall connection available for internet access. There was wireless, but it was from another floor, so the connection was not real strong. That is what Luigi said anyway.
12) Nice windows in the bathroom, kitchen and main bedroom.
13) For nonsmokers - it did not have a smoky smell. It is supposed to be nonsmoking. But I noticed the the casa campanella website says nonsmoking and the vrbo site says smoking allowed.
The less than good -
1) It really isn't a 2 bedroom in the normal use of the word. I think it is really a one bedroom and the sitting room/living room was turned into another bedroom. So it has 2 bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, but no living room. So when you open the door to the apartment, you enter one of the bedrooms. That bedroom has the TV. So if you want to watch TV, you do so by sitting on the bed. There is a small couch in the other bedroom. I think it converts to a bed, but I did not test it out. Right now there is no door between the two "bedrooms", but I think the plan is to place a door between the two rooms. In any event, to get from the back bedroom to the bathroom, you have to walk through the second bedroom. This was not an issue for us, but could surprise people expecting the privacy that we typically attach to a bedroom.
2) There is no special style to the place. The hard wood floors were kind of beat up and the some of the walls seemed a little beat up too. It was all painted plain white. The stairwell was sort of beat up too and smelled a little musty, but this was limited to the stairwell. These places are old, so I just sort of expect some of these types of things. I don't really care about those kind of things either, but if you want something sort of fancy, check with Luigi to see what sorts of improvements he has made before you book. He seems to be involved in improving the place.
3) The mattress in the main bedroom was fine. It was sort of thin by my standard and placed on wooden slats, but I thought it was comfortable. The mattress in the other room where the TV is, needs to be replaced. It wasn't awful, but it was a foam mattress that was a few inches thick. In my opinion, if there is one thing that would keep me from going back here, it would be that bed. The people who choose this place are generally those who are trying to avoid a pull out sofa, so the beds need to be good. If that bed is improved then I think this place would fill a niche - a less expensive place with two large comfortable beds.
4) The toilet was hard to flush. It was one of those buttons on the wall. It took me about 3-4 tries of pushing hard each flush to get it to work. But when you got it, it flushed well. We actually got a laugh out of it.
5) The keys to this apartment are huge! It was kind of cool to use these old keys. But don't expect to leave the apartment without a backpack or purse for these keys. Definitely not something you can slip into a pocket.
6) We only paid 120 or 125/night for 3, but noticed that it had been increased the last time I looked at the website and it is now 160 night for 3.
Overall, we had a good experience. I think the most scary part about renting an apartment is wondering if the owner/manager will show up, will it be dirty, will there be any hot water, etc. We had a very good experience. I think Luigi appears to be making changes to the place, so just check with him if you have any questions on changes he has made. I found him to be a good guy and someone I would rent from again.
The good -
1) The owner, Luigi, is very responsive and dependable. We flew there during the Air France strike and had to work around cancelled flights. He was very easy to work with and accomodating. He lives in an apartment in the same building.
2) Excellent location.
3) It was very basic, but clean. It had a good shower with excellent water pressure and hot water. (As the picture on the website shows, there are three steps up to the shower. That was not an issue for us.)
4) The washing machine was very handy and there was also a drying rack. Laundry soap was available. There was an ironing board and iron as well. The hair dryer came in handy. Towels were provided.
5) The kitchen was adequate. Nothing special, but was fine for us. We really just used the fridge, so I can't comment on the stove. There were plates, pots, utensils, wine opener, glasses.
6) We did not need heat or air conditioning, but Luigi showed me how to turn the heat on. I saw the air conditioner. It was one of those portable units. It looked new and was about 3 feet tall. I don't know much about these units. There was also a nice looking fan available. Of course, we didn't need that either.
7) There was a grocery store that was very close.
8) It was surprisingly quiet. (It is not near a restaurant as the above post suggested. That is a different street.) There is not much traffic, considering that we were in Rome. With the windows closed, it was very quiet. We had to set an alarm to get up in the morning because the place was so quiet. (There is no clock there, so you need to bring your own.)
9) You only have to walk up one flight of stairs to reach the apartment.
10) We didn't watch TV, but there was a large newer TV available.
11) We did not bring our computer, but there was a wall connection available for internet access. There was wireless, but it was from another floor, so the connection was not real strong. That is what Luigi said anyway.
12) Nice windows in the bathroom, kitchen and main bedroom.
13) For nonsmokers - it did not have a smoky smell. It is supposed to be nonsmoking. But I noticed the the casa campanella website says nonsmoking and the vrbo site says smoking allowed.
The less than good -
1) It really isn't a 2 bedroom in the normal use of the word. I think it is really a one bedroom and the sitting room/living room was turned into another bedroom. So it has 2 bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, but no living room. So when you open the door to the apartment, you enter one of the bedrooms. That bedroom has the TV. So if you want to watch TV, you do so by sitting on the bed. There is a small couch in the other bedroom. I think it converts to a bed, but I did not test it out. Right now there is no door between the two "bedrooms", but I think the plan is to place a door between the two rooms. In any event, to get from the back bedroom to the bathroom, you have to walk through the second bedroom. This was not an issue for us, but could surprise people expecting the privacy that we typically attach to a bedroom.
2) There is no special style to the place. The hard wood floors were kind of beat up and the some of the walls seemed a little beat up too. It was all painted plain white. The stairwell was sort of beat up too and smelled a little musty, but this was limited to the stairwell. These places are old, so I just sort of expect some of these types of things. I don't really care about those kind of things either, but if you want something sort of fancy, check with Luigi to see what sorts of improvements he has made before you book. He seems to be involved in improving the place.
3) The mattress in the main bedroom was fine. It was sort of thin by my standard and placed on wooden slats, but I thought it was comfortable. The mattress in the other room where the TV is, needs to be replaced. It wasn't awful, but it was a foam mattress that was a few inches thick. In my opinion, if there is one thing that would keep me from going back here, it would be that bed. The people who choose this place are generally those who are trying to avoid a pull out sofa, so the beds need to be good. If that bed is improved then I think this place would fill a niche - a less expensive place with two large comfortable beds.
4) The toilet was hard to flush. It was one of those buttons on the wall. It took me about 3-4 tries of pushing hard each flush to get it to work. But when you got it, it flushed well. We actually got a laugh out of it.
5) The keys to this apartment are huge! It was kind of cool to use these old keys. But don't expect to leave the apartment without a backpack or purse for these keys. Definitely not something you can slip into a pocket.
6) We only paid 120 or 125/night for 3, but noticed that it had been increased the last time I looked at the website and it is now 160 night for 3.
Overall, we had a good experience. I think the most scary part about renting an apartment is wondering if the owner/manager will show up, will it be dirty, will there be any hot water, etc. We had a very good experience. I think Luigi appears to be making changes to the place, so just check with him if you have any questions on changes he has made. I found him to be a good guy and someone I would rent from again.
Nov 10th, 2007, 05:17 PM
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Great info. Seems like the main appeal would be the location then.
The site is showing "Under Construction."
The VRBO site says Wifi connection but if it's borrowing from a neighbor, that's not accurate to say it's provided there.
There are a lot of commercial Wifi spots in Europe now too and hotels advertise that there is Wifi but you have to pay like 15 Euros or more a day.
Were you able to pay by credit card at all?
That is key because a lot of apartments are asking for wired money which is not as convenient as a credit card.
Also, I'd rather give a credit card as a security deposit rather than exchange additional cash into Euros to provide a deposit.
The site is showing "Under Construction."
The VRBO site says Wifi connection but if it's borrowing from a neighbor, that's not accurate to say it's provided there.
There are a lot of commercial Wifi spots in Europe now too and hotels advertise that there is Wifi but you have to pay like 15 Euros or more a day.
Were you able to pay by credit card at all?
That is key because a lot of apartments are asking for wired money which is not as convenient as a credit card.
Also, I'd rather give a credit card as a security deposit rather than exchange additional cash into Euros to provide a deposit.
