Babbo Guest House

Hotel Description

You know what caught me off guard about Babbo Guest House? The name doesn’t really prepare you for how genuinely nice this place is. I mean, it’s tucked away on Via Castelfidardo – which honestly sounds way more intimidating than it actually is – but once you’re there, it feels like you stumbled onto something the guidebooks haven’t totally ruined yet.

The location is pretty brilliant if you think about it. Sure, you’re close to Termini Station (about a 5-minute walk), but you’re not drowning in that chaos of rolling suitcases and tourist confusion that hits you right at the station. Instead, you get this relatively quiet residential street where actual Romans live and work. There’s this little café two doors down where the owner – I think his name was Giuseppe – makes these incredible cornetti that are still warm at 7 AM. The building itself has that classic Roman apartment feel, with high ceilings and these beautiful old tiles in the entryway that have probably been there since the 1940s.

What really sells me on this place is the attention to small things that matter when you’re actually living somewhere for a few days. The rooms are clean without being sterile, and the beds are honestly comfortable – not just “hotel comfortable” but actually good for sleeping. The owner clearly gets that travelers need practical stuff: there’s decent WiFi (I was working from the room some mornings), the shower has proper water pressure, and they’ve got this little common area with coffee that’s available pretty much all day. The breakfast isn’t elaborate, but it’s real Italian pastries and good coffee, not some sad continental spread.

I stayed there in late September, which turned out to be perfect timing – still warm enough to keep the windows open at night, but you could hear the neighborhood settling down around 10 PM instead of the street noise going until midnight like it does in peak summer. Getting around from there is actually easier than I expected. You can walk to the Colosseum in about 20 minutes if you’re feeling ambitious, or just hop on the metro at Termini and be anywhere in the city center in 15 minutes. There’s also this great little market on Via Principe Amedeo – maybe three blocks away – where you can grab fresh fruit and decent wine without paying tourist prices.

The whole experience feels more like staying at a friend’s place than a hotel, which I know sounds cheesy, but it’s true. The staff remembers your name, they’ll actually give you directions that make sense, and when I mentioned I was looking for a good Roman pizza place, they sent me to this spot in San Lorenzo that I never would have found otherwise. It’s the kind of place where you feel like you’re getting a little peek into how Romans actually live, rather than just checking boxes off a tourist itinerary.

Rooms

• Standard Suite with 2 × 1 single bed and 1 large double bed for 3 adults
• Comfort Double Room with 1 large double bed for 2 adults
• Single Room with Private Bathroom with 1 single bed for 1 adult
• Single Room with Private Bathroom with 1 single bed for 1 adult
• Double Room with Private Bathroom with 1 double bed and 1 sofa bed for 2 adults

Reviews

• Kristian from Slovenia (10/10)

  It was a nice short Host Marco was super pleasant, prepared a nice Roman breakfast every morning, chatty.. really enjoyed it.
  The facility is near the main train station and in the safe district. Restaurants and bars are nearby, a beautiful park maybe 10 minutes away. The center is about 20 minutes of easy walk.
  Definitely recommending ☀️

• Marina from United States (10/10)

  Friendly staff, Lucia was very kind with suggestions on how to visit places of interest in Rome.

• Christina from Denmark (9/10)

  Great location in relatively peaceful part of Rome

• Isabella from United Kingdom (10/10)

  It was very comfortable, clean and homely, in a well connected location that also felt safe and quiet! Livia and Marco were both great – I had an issue with my trains and couldn’t make my check in time and was kindly collected from the station (thank you!). Breakfast was also great 🙂

• Yusra from United Kingdom (8/10)

  People working there were very nice – breakfast not so great but there are many options for breakfast around the hotel –

• Erin from Australia (10/10)

  This was a gem of a place to stay. As an older single traveller I felt safe and secure. My room was spotlessly clean, bathroom also spotless. The shower may be a bit cramped for some larger folk, but for me I have mastered tiny showers.
  Marco is such a nice person. Nothing was too much trouble and I regret having another booking to move to.
  The breakfast was quite adequate for me and I appreciated it was included.
  This accommodation is an easy walk from Roma Termini. I was a little confused to start with but with the kind assistance of a stranger Marco came down and helped me with my luggage. It is 1 flight up to the apartment . I had an easy walk to the Trevi fountain and back. Plenty of places to eat nearby and small mini marts handy. All in all I would stay here again. I couldn’t cancel my other booking so I had to leave.

• Velizara from Bulgaria (10/10)

  The location is perfect. The apartment is clean and super cosy. The staff are incredibly friendly & helpful. They made our stay 10 times better. We will definitely be staying here again when we come to Rome.

• Matej from Spain (10/10)

  Perfect accommodation for family trip. Location great 👍

• Arda from Turkey (9/10)

  The breakfast was great and they treated me with nice bakeries, coffee, orange juice and fruits. The terrace is such a cool place to make a nice breakfast. The staff was very helpful and give all the necessary information to me. I feel secure in the house and in the neighborhood.

• Cliff from Australia (10/10)

  great location, very attentive and responsive. host in Marco. facilities very good with comfortable bed. Great breakfast provided.

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities