It's the brown door right
there
by craicthere
It was difficult to find accomodation in Rome that suited me. Hostels had mixed dorms. Hotels don't have single rooms.
The Cressy has single sex dorms for 23 euro a night.
I hadn't booked when I returned to Rome and the dorm was full so they gave me a private room (without bathroom) for 60 euro instead of 75.
In the morning I dicovered why they had looked a bit rattled, because they had put a group of young Spaniards in the woman's dorm. They didn't want me to find out about that. No wonder they didn't want to slip me in.
Look. It suited me down to the ground.
It has no extras at all. No tv, no internet, no kitchen. No common room. No English. I had to speak French to the mother and son team who run the place.
But that was cool. We got by.
I really liked the signora and her son. I like family businesses.
They are not chatty at all. They just leave you alone and the signora changes the beds and gives the place a good swab out with a bucket and mop every morning.
All the rooms are tiled.
Most of the time it has only a few people staying there. I had the dorm to myself on one night.
It seems to get the quieter type of person. It is not party central.
You do have to beg the signora for a towel. Several times. Then the towel is very very tiny. Then you have to beg for soap. Then you have to hide the soap otherwise when she cleans up in the morning she throws it out.
It's on the fifth floor in a security building. The old lift you go up in was a delight. I haven't seen one like that for donkey's years.
They do have fans in the rooms.
Although it was close to Stazione Termini it was very quiet and peaceful and felt like a real haven to me.
Just a bed and a bathroom.
One thing I should mention.
It's a little hard to find the first time because Via Marsala turns into Via Volturno without any warning.
If you have a map you're okay.
But I didn't have a map until I got there.
So I did a bit of a wander around trying to find it.
The area is full of gypsies and homeless people etc etc - but I never struck any trouble.
At least, I never struck any trouble round Stazione Termini.
I struck plenty of trouble in another area. But more of that later.
PS If you must have internet, there is an excellent internet cafe, with smokers' room, just across the road. 5 euro for 3 hours.
