Osimar Hotel

With a few boxy balconies, the Osimar Hotel is a six-floor unadorned building that looks much like its neighboring apartments. Cozy leather sofas -- albeit a bit worn -- provide seating in the lobby by the small bar with a few magazines and newspapers for reading material. There’s no lounge space in the lobby, but a quaint terrace, with pops of greenery, offers metal patio furniture and umbrellas for relaxing outdoors. Travelers with mobility issues should note that the hotel doesn’t have an elevator. Overall this property is an inexpensive and no-frills base for couples who don’t mind the longer journey via subway and on foot to Rome’s attractions.

This hotel is located on the border of Municipio IV and Municipio II in a residential area that’s a bit isolated from the city center and can be difficult for guests to find. It takes 15 minutes to walk to the Bologna subway, the closest station. There aren’t many options for dining near the hotel, which sits beside the Tiburtina Railway Station tracks. However, Bologna Piazza, 12 minutes away on foot, is surrounded by markets, banks, restaurants, bars, and shops. Rome’s main attractions can be reached by public transportation. By subway, it takes 20 minutes to reach the Colosseum. And by bus, the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, and the Trevi Fountain can be reached in a 30-minute trip. The Sistine Chapel is a 45-minute bus ride. Driving to the Leonardo da Vinci International Airport takes 40 minutes.

Spacious, sparse rooms have basic furnishings that are clean, but overall the decor is a bit dull and dated. Earth-tone furnishings, low-pile carpeting, and wooden furniture -- headboards, desks, and wardrobe closets -- are traditional. The hotel offers Single Rooms and Doubles for Single Use for one person, Double and Twin Rooms for two people, and Triple Rooms for three. Rooms with balconies that overlook the residential area can be requested. All rooms have air-conditioning, sparsely stocked minibars, free Wi-Fi, desks, and 24-inch flat-screen TVs. Old-fashioned bathrooms mainly have hairdryers and showers. Some have heated towel racks and bidets. Roll-in showers are available. Rollaway beds and cribs can be requested.

Clean and plain, the Osimar Hotel’s facilities merely serve a functional purpose. The small breakfast lounge features classic wooden chairs and a morning spread of coffee and tea, juice, pastries, fruit, meat, and cheese. Breakfast is included with many room rates, and in-room dining can be ordered. Well-used leather chairs and cocktail tables are beside the small bar in the lobby. Outdoor dining is also available on the hotel’s terrace, filled with tables, chairs, and umbrellas. Guidebooks can be purchased at the front desk and there’s also a stack of free maps on the counter for guests to grab before a day of sightseeing. Wi-Fi is free throughout.