Mr & Mrs Smith

Wow, Mario de’ Fiori 37 was everything we expected and wanted it to be. We stayed in a suite, which was a lovely size, and the decoration and attention to detail was fantastic. The location couldn't have been better; a quiet road but not deserted, right in the middle of everything. Most attractions were a walkable distance. We had been given recommendations from friends and family for restaurants, but decided to ask the concierge for local Roman restaurants – the kind locals would eat at. On recommendation we went to Dal Clemente, Antica Pesa, and Roscioli; all three nights were 10/10. There’s a great little Italian cafe around the corner for breakfast, and if you are not too far away from the hotel then there is a great pizzeria too. We would thoroughly recommend Mario de’ Fiori 37. Also, if you really want to treat yourself then book a guided tour through the concierge to visit the Vatican and Sistine Chapel. A fantastic young guy named Alessio took us and it was the best four hours of the trip.
 

A luxury flat right off Via Condotti and near the Trevi fountain. Mario de' Fiori 37 is a hotel with a small number of flats and great design. Our room had a sitting area with French chairs and a bed with a hanging canopy, complete with a large flatscreen TV and candles surrounding the gold fireplace to set the ambience. Our luxurious bathroom had a large bath tub and was decorated with gold and metallic tiles. There was also a rain shower attachment for those who don't enjoy a soak in the tub. The toilet in the bathroom had a private screen, which is nice when staying with friends. There is a coffee point near the bed with espresso/tea making facilities.

We enjoyed a nice bottle of prosecco when we arrived and then went off to Il Brillo Parlante. A lovely wine bar and restaurant near Piazza del Popolo. We had spaghetti with tomato and basil, bruschetta with lovely tasting olive oil and ended with a salad of spinach, pine nuts, raisins and shaved parmesan. We enjoyed our lovely flat with great service and recommendations. I think this is a great choice for couples and friends!

Join the rush at the weekend and get down to Gusto in Piazza Augusto Imperatore for brunch. The brunch opens at 12:30 and you pick up a tray and help yourself to the myriad of dishes on offer (though I probably wouldn't put the meat skewers next to the pancakes and syrup) and you can go back for more. Reasonably priced, you pay by weight, and when we went (at the end of August), it was packed with locals and their families. Although the brunch is only available at the weekend; to our disappointment when we turned up on Tuesday – though they still offer a very reasonable single plate from the buffet for under €10.

The hotel recommended a restaurant for us for Saturday night that was local and served traditional "Roman" food! Hostaria da Pietro. We would have completely overlooked this restaurant down a small street with no outside tables. The staff were very friendly, service fast and food was amazing. With the added bonus of being great value for money as it is not a touristy place, it is obviously a favourite for locals. The price for a 3 course meal with a bottle of good wine and fizzy water was approx the price we paid for lunch the next day at a pizzeria near the Forum (very touristy!)