Mercure Roma Piazza Bologna

At first glance, this hotel looks like an office building, from its boxy exterior and revolving glass door to the interior corridor lined with long benches that leads to the hotel's meeting room. A pair of small steel elevators leads to guest rooms. Colorful abstract paintings hang near the reception desk, and the travertine-floored lobby is a mostly functional space. For relaxation options, there is a nice, covered courtyard where guests can sip coffee and read while sitting on retro chairs beside small metal tables, and the bar and breakfast area are bright and modern, with a wall-size window, colorful stools, and small, high- and low-top lounge chairs and tables. Although there are some services for business travelers at this hotel, tourists make up most of the clientele here.

Situated on the corner of two narrow streets in a quiet residential area, the hotel is surrounded by modern apartment buildings and is down the street (a four-minute walk) from Piazza Bologna and its metro station. There are a couple of restaurants in the area, as well as the lovely Villa Torlonia and Villa Massimo parks a few blocks away. Termini Station, Rome’s main train station, is eight minutes away via metro, and there are bus stops two minutes from the hotel. The Colosseum is 10 minutes away on the metro, and attractions, such as the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain, can be reached in about 25 minutes on public transit. Leonardo da Vinci International Airport is a little more than an hour away on public transportation, or 45 minutes away by car.

The 113 modern rooms at Mercure Roma all have neutral walls, eye-catching variegated navy-and-white carpets, comfortable beds with attractive wooden headboards, small lamps and nightstands, and abstract prints hanging on the walls. All come with free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, electric kettles, desks, air-conditioning, and minibars, and there is one simple armchair for additional seating. We did see a bit of wear and tear on the contemporary red cabinet doors on the desks. Vibrant bathrooms have bright tiles in various shades of blue, and come with deep sinks, long white counters, shower/tub combos, magnifying makeup mirrors, toiletries, and hairdryers.

At rates like this for a three-pearl hotel, it's rare to find some of the features offered here, including the small fitness center with a bike, treadmill, and universal machine. The hotel also has a meeting room that can fit up to 30 guests and also provides business services. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel. A buffet breakfast is available for a hefty extra charge, and a small modern bar serves many local wines, beer, cocktails, and coffee drinks. The hotel also has a nice courtyard area with plentiful of seating. Parking is available in a garage beneath hotel for a daily fee and dry cleaning services are available. Pets are allowed but are subject to fees and restrictions.