Sheraton Roma Hotel & Conference Center

There's a bustle of modernity via computers clicking and printers whizzing at the Sheraton Roma, but the building itself looks pretty much as it did when it was constructed in 1983. And yet, the hotel serves up comfort and reliability with several extra frills. The lobby is reminiscent of an airport terminal with a lot of glass and a view to the entryway of pavement and palm trees. Huge beige drum lights illuminate the round coffered ceilings. Floors are glossy tile, and there are varying shades of brown throughout, from the dark wood reception desk to the huge sofas and coffee tables swallowed up in a vast lobby that also includes a busy business center with computers, printers, and copy machines. AQVI Restaurant and Bar offer Mediterranean fare in a generic but upscale atmosphere of contemporary furnishings and dark wood walls. The pool breaks the monotony: Amorphous in shape, it is surrounded by loungers and umbrellas and fringed by a vegetable garden and mini pizzeria. It's used by hotel guests and, for a fee, the public. Another opportunity to unwind can be found in the hotel's 24-hour gym with a comprehensive array of machines, free weights, and for a fee, trainers. The bigger, more expensive, Executive guest rooms come with free access to the hotel's club floor: a dark wood space with a hushed, private setting for breakfast, all-day drinks, and snacks. The club floor also includes a roomy terrace with loungers and umbrella tables. In the hotel, there's an arcade of shops that sell newspapers, tobacco, and souvenirs. The main focus for many of the guests drawn to this out-of-the-way hotel are the big, flexible conference rooms with space for 2,000 and all of the audio-visual technology needed for meetings. Many of the guests here are business travelers to be sure, but there are also families and couples who like the pool and the Starwood reward program. 

Sheraton Roma Hotel is in the E.U.R. district, once a Fascist stronghold in the south of the city that includes the complex for what was to be the Universal Exposition of 1942. Today, the closest destination on foot is the exhibition space Palazzo dei Congressi, a 15-minute walk away. Popular with hotel guests are two malls: the EURoma2, an eight-minute drive, and the White Gallery, a five-minute drive. Another draw are two outlet malls: the Castel Romano, a 19-minute drive from the hotel, and the Valmontone, a 50-minute drive away. Historic Rome and all of its charms is not terribly far but requires a car, bus, or train. It's a 16-minute drive or a 22-minute train ride to the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. It's 26 minutes by car to the Trevi Fountain or one hour and nine minutes by train. Both the elegant shops of the Via Veneto and Vatican City are 27 minutes by car or 32 minutes and 50 minutes by train, respectively. The Spanish Steps and Piazza Navona are a 30-minute drive from this hotel. By car, the Pantheon is a 31-minute drive or a 38-minute train ride. Rome's Fiumicino Airport is a 20-minute drive; the hotel can arrange transfers for a fee.

There are few surprises in guest rooms at the Sheraton Roma. Expect to find the requisite patterned carpets, beige and brown-toned decorating scheme with many dark wood accents and occasionally, an armchair in purple crushed velvet. The windows, with drapes and sheers, have views to the highway or hillsides of trees. Sheraton beds are well-regarded for their comfortable mattresses. Club Level Rooms have leather headboards, gray and brown fabric wall coverings, sitting areas, and sometimes, glass dining tables and upholstered chairs, with a pop of color supplied by a lipstick-red sofa. All rooms include flat-screen TVs, air-conditioning, safes, electric kettles, minibars, a daily newspaper, bathrobes, and slippers. The bathrooms, all with tubs and glass shower partitions, are beige marble with white porcelain fittings. They include hairdryers, magnifying mirrors, and Portigia toiletries. Travelers should ask whether their room includes free Wi-Fi; as of 2015, the hotel was offering free Wi-Fi to rooms booked by individuals but charging for Wi-Fi if the booking was for a group.

The large outdoor pool at this hotel is a big draw; swimmers here can smell the tomatoes ripening on the vines in the garden next to the pool and catch the scent of pizzas in the outdoor kitchen, also poolside. AQVI is the hotel's restaurant and bar serving Mediterranean food and free breakfast buffet. There is also a 24-hour fitness center, two squash courts, and a running track. The hotel offers babysitting, 24-hour room service, laundry, pressing, and dry cleaning, for a fee. The hotel is handicapped accessible. Many a wedding and other social event is held at the Sheraton Roma, as its conference center is vast enough for a big party. The business center, with conference room space for 2,000, has as many as 30 separate rooms and includes a Starwood Meeting Concierge to help with supplies and logistics. The lobby itself includes a raft of computers, faxes, and copiers; Wi-Fi is free here and in all common areas. The hotel has a shopping arcade for sundries. There is a garage and outdoor, guarded parking for a fee but some rates may include free parking. The hotel is pet-friendly for small- and medium-size pets. For guests who want to pedal around a neighborhood with its own brand of history, the hotel offers bikes to rent for a fee. There are also guided tours, for a fee.