Hotel Santa Maria

Rooms

All 18 rooms are arranged around the cloister, with covered walkways running in front of the doors. They have been appended onto the original building, so some of the room shapes are unusual. For example, some ceilings are double height while others are low.

There are 8 Double Rooms, 4 Triple Rooms and a Quadruple Room. Delicate apricot tones give them a cosy glow, and softly mottled walls are enlivened by hand-painted borders. Latticed windows frame the leafy views. Wrought-iron lamp fittings, light terracotta floor tiles, floral bedspreads, pale oak-wood furniture and paintings of Trastevere (by a local artist) complete the picture. Beds are firm and comfortable with plain, soft headboards. One of the Doubles is located at the back of the property and features its own patio; we thought this would be an ideal bolthole for a couple after a little more privacy.

There are also some larger suites which come in all shapes and sizes (sleeping 3-6 people). The Junior Suite consists of a double bedroom and a living room, which can be made up as a twin room on request. The Junior Attic Suite is a duplex sleeping up to 4; it resembles a cottage, with quaint low ceilings upstairs (not for the tall). The Senior Suite is an even larger duplex that will sleep 6, with the upper floor (again, you might have to stoop) reached via a wrought-iron spiral staircase. The Attic Suite (sleeps 5) in 2 adjoining rooms, with low slanted ceilings embedded with skylights.

All rooms have flatscreen satellite TVs, WiFi and sparkling (though not huge) bathrooms with showers and/or bathtubs.

Features include:

• Hairdryer
• In-room treatments available
• Minibar
• Safe box
• WiFi

Eating

The great buffet breakfast is served in what was once an artisan’s workshop, with a huge stone fireplace and arched ceilings, or on the sunny terrace surrounded by orange trees. The spread includes scrambled eggs, cheeses, cold meats, breads, yoghurts, cereals, pastries, cakes and fresh fruit. There’s also a choice of teas and coffees, including freshly made cappuccino.

There's a well-stocked wine cellar and bar open all day until 11pm; guests gather in the evening for Happy Hour for some nibbles and to share stories from the day.

Trastevere is one of the best areas of Rome for beguiling eateries to suit all budgets. Try rough-and-ready Da Augusto, dig into some of Rome’s best pizza at Dar Poeta, or indulge in Sicilian dishes at more refined Osteria La Gensola.

Features include:

• Bar
• Breakfast
• Kids' meals
• Restaurants nearby

Activities

• Visit Piazza Santa Maria and its exquisitely mosaicked church, just around the corner
  
• Nearby Santa Cecilia has a moving sculpture of the martyr’s perfectly preserved body, as it was when her grave was opened over 1000 years after her death
  
• Meander through the tranquil, exotic Botanical Gardens; see the neighbouring art collection of Palazzo Corsini and the Raphael frescoes at Villa Farnesina opposite
  
• Borrow bikes from the hotel and explore on 2 wheels
  
• Walk up to San Pietro in Monteiro and visit the tiny Bramante tempietto, a classical masterpiece fitted snugly into a cloister
  
• Wander further up the hill and overlook Rome from the dizzy heights of Gianicolo
  
• Take the crossing over to the boat-shaped Tiber Island, the world's smallest inhabited island, in the middle of the river
  
• Explore the major sites by taking one of the many tours available. The hotel can arrange city walks from 1-4 hours, visits to the Vatican, and small-group tours (all guides are licensed and speak fluent English)
  
• After all that exertion, relax in the sun on the rooftop terrace overlooking the citrus trees and cute townhouse balconies

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Cycling
• Historical sites
• Language courses
• Museums / galleries
• Nightlife
• Private guided tours
• Shopping / markets
• Traditional cultures

Kids

Santa Maria is a really good place for families thanks to the strength of its accommodation and location. You're in a buzzing area in the centre of Rome but it's secluded; you're also walking distance from the Forum, and the large multi-bed rooms and suites here work really well, whatever the age of your children or number you're travelling with.

There's plenty to get children excited in Rome, from the Colosseum and stories of lions and gladiators to the Trevi fountain and street-corner gelato sellers. Eating out is easy and even the most fussy should find something to their taste.

Best for:

All ages

Family friendly accommodation:

Take your pick - there are Double, Triple and Quadruple Rooms, all of which can accommodate an additional baby cot. Plus there are the 4 large suites: Junior Mansard Suite (sleeps 4), Junior Suite (sleeps 4 + 1 baby), Mansard Suite (sleeps 5 + 1 baby) and Senior Suite (sleeps 6 + 1 baby).

Cots Available

Distances:

• Airport: 30 minutes
• Doctor: 5 minutes
• Shops: 2 minutes

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Hotel Santa Maria is in the buzzing Trastevere area of central Rome, likened to Paris' Left Bank for its cosmopolitan air.

By Air:
Rome is served by 2 airports: Leonardo da Vinci/Fiumicino (30km), where most international flights arrive, and Ciampino/G.B.Pastine (20km), for domestic and a few international flights. Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.

From the Airport
It’s 30 minutes to an hour (depending on traffic) by taxi from either Fiumicino or Ciampino airports. Santa Maria can arrange a taxi transfer for you from the airport. Or you could take public transport (see below).

By Public Transport:
From Fiumicino, there's the FS train to Fara Sabina, which leaves regularly and stops at Trastevere station, a short taxi or tram ride from the hotel. A less handy alternative is the Leonardo Express train to Termini Station which is faster (non-stop) and more expensive, but Termini is further from the hotel. From Ciampino you can catch the airport bus and then the local bus or metro.

By Car:
Taking a car into Rome is no joke, but if you do decide to hire a car, see our car rental recommendations.

Detailed directions will be sent when you confirm your booking.

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