The Inn at the Spanish Steps

"We chose this hotel to celebrate a special anniversary and paid approximately €1,400 for our stay, expecting the level of service and accommodation advertised. Unfortunately, our experience was deeply disappointing. We had reserved an **Ambassador Suite**, but at check-in we were informed that it was unavailable due to a "problem." No explanation was provided even though we asked them, and we were offered another suite instead. When we inspected the alternative suite, we found what we believed to be a serious security issue. The terrace door could be opened from the outside and did not appear to lock securely. We immediately informed the hotel staff, who examined the door with us. During this inspection, a staff member even attempted to secure the door by propping it with a mop, which reinforced our concern that the door could not be properly secured. Because we did not feel safe staying in that room, we had no choice but to refuse it. The hotel eventually relocated us to a much smaller twin room. Although we had paid for an Ambassador Suite, we were accommodated in a room of a lower category, and no refund was offered for the difference in value. What was even more disappointing was what happened after our stay. When we requested a partial refund, the hotel replied that there had been no problem with the balcony door. This response was completely inconsistent with what we experienced on site, where the issue had been examined by hotel staff and temporary measures had even been attempted. Despite the downgrade in accommodation, the hotel also refused to compensate us for the difference between the suite we had booked and the room we actually received. To summarize: * The Ambassador Suite we booked was not provided. * The alternative room raised serious security concerns. * A member of the hotel staff attempted a temporary solution by propping the balcony door with a mop. * We were relocated to a much smaller room of a lower category. * The hotel later stated that there had been been no issue with the door and refused any refund or compensation. Every hotel can encounter unexpected problems. What matters is how those problems are handled afterward. Unfortunately, in our case, the hotel denied the problem we had experienced, refused to compensate us for the downgrade, and ultimately ignored our request for a fair resolution. Based on our experience, we would not recommend staying at this hotel."

"We recently stayed at the Inn at the Spanish Steps in two suites for three nights during our family trip to Rome. Given the price point—over $6,500 USD for the stay—our expectations were for a luxury experience. Unfortunately, the hotel fell far short. To be fair, the location near the Spanish Steps is excellent, and Rome itself was magical. However, future guests deserve to know what to expect. First, we were disappointed to learn that the suites are not located in the main hotel building but rather in a separate building several blocks away. This may not matter to some travelers, but for guests with mobility or back issues, it is important information that should be made much more clear during booking. Additionally, the elevator stops between floors, requiring guests to walk either up or down a half flight of stairs even after using the elevator. Again, this may be charming in a historic building, but it can be challenging for travelers with physical limitations. The problems continued once we entered the room. A blanket pulled from the closet had visible blood stains on both sides, as well as black hairs on it. Housekeeping replaced it promptly, but this should never occur in a property marketed as luxury accommodations. More concerning was the repeated failure of our suite’s lock. We spent nearly an hour in the room while maintenance attempted repairs, including replacing batteries and working on the lock mechanism. Despite this, when we returned close to midnight, the lock failed again and our family was locked out of the suite for approximately 30 minutes while staff worked to gain entry. The following morning, when we had planned to rest before touring Rome, maintenance again arrived to work on the same issue. They returned later that day as well. It became difficult to even use the suite comfortably while repairs were ongoing. Additional issues included: * A makeup mirror light that was reported multiple times but never repaired. * An ice request placed around 4 PM that was never delivered. * Later being told no ice was available because the bar had closed. What was most disappointing was management’s response. After sending a detailed email outlining these concerns, we received a reply stating that the door had been fixed “immediately” and that the room had been “spotless.” That description simply does not align with our experience. We understand that problems can occur in any hotel, especially in historic buildings. What distinguishes excellent hotels from average ones is how those problems are acknowledged and resolved. Rome was unforgettable, but unfortunately our experience at the Inn at the Spanish Steps did not meet the standards we expected from a luxury property charging premium suite rates."

"I stayed with my family at this hotel in one of their Suite rooms. First of the all the hotel is at the best location in Rome right across the Spanish Steps which is a beauty. Trevi Fountain, Piazza Novana, Pantheon are all 10 mins walk from the hotel. Metro station is also 4-5 mins walk from there which you can use to go to Colosseum, Vatican and some of the other areas. There are many cafes and pizzerias near to the hotel. Our room was very spacious and had a small kitchentte stocked with requisite cutlery. The breakfast is served on each floor and had decent spread from European standards. What really stood out was the service. One thing to note is that the hotel is spread across various buildings and cabs dont reach them. They had porter service for carrying luggage till rooms and till taxi stand also which was roughly 200 m away. Hence handling luggage here was a breeze. Overall staff at the reception and breakfast area were all extremely helpful. Will highly recommend this hotel for its location and service. Couple of things to note - (a) our room was a duplex room which can be a bit of challenge with elderly people (b) cabs will stop slightly away from the hotel but its manageable distance, (c) entrance is a small door which can be easily missed, the hotel is next to Prada showroom."