Portafortuna GUESTHOUSE – close to COLOSSEUM

Hotel Description

Look, I’ll be honest – when I first walked up to Portafortuna GUESTHOUSE, I wasn’t expecting much from the outside. Via Carlo Alberto isn’t exactly Rome’s prettiest street, and being so close to Termini Station, well… you know how train station neighborhoods can be. But here’s the thing that surprised me: this little place actually gets it right in ways that matter.

The location is genuinely brilliant once you understand Rome’s layout. Yeah, you’re a 15-minute walk from the Colosseum (not exactly “close” but not terrible either), but more importantly, you’re right on top of the metro. I mean literally – Vittorio Emanuele station is maybe two blocks away, and from there you can hit anywhere in the city without dealing with Rome’s absolutely chaotic bus system. Plus, and this is something most people don’t realize, Via Carlo Alberto puts you in this weird sweet spot where you’re near all the tourist stuff but surrounded by actual Romans going about their daily lives. There’s this fantastic little alimentari right around the corner where the owner – Maria, I think – makes these incredible sandwiches for like 4 euros. The kind of place you’d never find if you stayed in the touristy areas.

The guesthouse itself feels more like staying at your Italian aunt’s place than a hotel, which honestly works in its favor. The rooms are clean and comfortable enough – nothing fancy, but you get a decent bed, working AC (crucial in summer), and bathrooms that actually have hot water when you need it. What I really appreciated was how quiet it gets at night. I was worried about train noise, but the building faces away from the main tracks, and the windows are surprisingly good at keeping street sounds out. The staff genuinely seems to care about helping you figure out Rome – they’ll draw you little maps, tell you which metro cars are less crowded, that sort of thing. During my stay, the guy at the front desk actually walked me outside to point out the best route to avoid the morning commuter rush when I was heading to the Vatican.

It’s not perfect, I should mention – the WiFi can be spotty on the upper floors, and if you’re someone who needs a lot of space to spread out, these rooms might feel a bit cramped. But honestly? For the price point and what you get in return, it’s a solid choice. Especially if you’re the type of traveler who wants to actually experience Rome rather than just check monuments off a list. You’ll wake up to the sound of real Romans heading to work, grab espresso at the bar across the street (where no one speaks English and that’s actually perfect), and then hop on the metro to wherever your day takes you. The 7.9 rating makes sense – it’s not luxury, but it’s authentic Rome without the tourist markup.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $137. Economy Double Room with 1 large double bed for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $153. Comfort Triple Room with 3 single beds for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $157. Superior Double Room with 1 extra-large double bed for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $164. Classic Triple Room with 1 single bed and 1 extra-large double bed for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $122. Single Room with Private External Bathroom with 1 single bed for Max persons: 1
• Estimated price from: $133. Standard Single Room with 1 single bed for Max persons: 1

Reviews

• Very good – Tamara from Armenia – 30 June 2025 (8/10)

  It was clean, the host was so lovely, the location is great.
  
  What could be improved: Maybe the bathroom part, was old but clean.

• central, clean, helpful staff – Nilufar from Azerbaijan – 2 May 2025 (8/10)

  The room is a little bit narrow. But the staff is extremely helpful. It is very central and everything you are looking for is nearby. It is very nice that the teen station is close by.
  
  What could be improved: the room is too small

• Superb – Jie from China – 21 February 2025 (9/10)

  Since this was a work trip I really needed fast wifi and I'm happy that Portafortuna actually provided one. The staff was very kind and always available. I liked the location, well connected and with many restaurants in the area.

• A really nice place, perfect for a short stay! – Micheal from United States – 18 February 2025 (9/10)

  We've arrived late at night but we easily checked in online and received very clear instructions to enter. The room was very cozy and spacious, I had a very comfortable night. The staff was very available and kind and I was happy with how quickly I received answers to my questions/issues!
  
  What could be improved: There was nothing that I really didn't like, the showerhead didn't work right at first but as soon as I reported it the staff brought me a new one!

• Great location, good price. – Rafael from Canada – 22 October 2024 (8/10)

  Awesome Price and location.
  
  What could be improved: Broken shower; its not really a queen bed but 2 single beds pushed together, so it would be weird travelling as a couple.

• really nice place to stay – Millie from United Kingdom – 18 October 2024 (8/10)

  the location was perfect and the host was brilliant, so friendly and attentive
  
  What could be improved: couldn’t fault it

• Superb – Diliara from Russia – 12 October 2024 (9/10)

  Very good location and very friendly staff ready to help.
  It was easy to find the apartment and also to check-in.
  Thank you!

• Great value with a few small issues, but comfortable, good location, and great hosts. – Henry from United States – 27 September 2024 (7/10)

  Easy to access, although 2 pins and a key card are required. Great communal outdoor space, accessible 24 hours. Comfortable beds with in room desk and refrigerator. Communal microwave oven provided.
  
  What could be improved: The front door handle to our room was broken and difficult to use (easy fix). The shower head was also broken (easy fix). And we saw a few ants in the room. If the staff spend a bit of time addressing these issues, the place will be perfect!

• Very good – Kathy from Canada – 24 September 2024 (8/10)

  Open spacious room. Slippers & Toiletries were supplied. Cute courtyard off our room.
  
  What could be improved: A little pricy, but it was a last-minute booking

• 100% Recommended – Konstantinos from Greece – 17 September 2024 (9/10)

  The room was large and spacious and very clean. Our hosts were very kind and ready to help us with anything we needed. Its location impeccable for direct access to attractions and public transport.

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities