Where should you stay in Rome?! The city is huge and there are so many different accommodation options for every budget. Combining a hostel mentality with a boutique hotel reality, Blue Hostel would definitely be one of my top choices for accommodation in Rome! I stayed here for 3 nights on my recent trip to Rome and I can’t recommend it enough.

The name “hostel” is almost a bit misleading, as Blue Hostel doesn’t have any dorm rooms, only private rooms. It’s also much nicer than a lot of the hostels I’ve stayed at! (And trust me, I’ve stayed at a LOT of hostels over the years.) There are just a few private rooms, and the building is actually a refurbished 17^th-century convent, and still has some of the original features. Talk about unique!

Location

Blue Hostel is located about a 10-minute walk from Rome Termini station, the main transport hub in Rome. This was very convenient, as we were arriving into Rome and leaving by the airport shuttle bus. It’s also literally right down the street from Santa Maria Maggiore, a stunning basilica dating back to the 5^th-century. There’s a Metro station down the street too, so you can easily get across Rome in no time. It’s also about a 15-minute walk from the Colosseum, making it easy for us to get there bright and early with our skip-the-line tickets! The central location is a huge plus and made getting around Rome easy. The only thing to note is that Blue Hostel is up several flights of stairs, so anyone with mobility problems would probably struggle (although staff are always happy to help bring bags up!).

Room

We had an en-suite double room for our stay in Rome, and it was phenomenal. The bed was so comfortable, a must after a long day walking around exploring Rome’s must-see sights! Our room even had the original ceiling beams, dating back to the 1800s! I especially loved the big windows that opened up onto a quiet Roman courtyard!

There’s a small fridge in the room, along with a TV, desk, clothes rail, and bookshelf with a selection of Rome/travel books! I loved this little touch, it made the room really feel like a home. The room is also fully equipped with air conditioning (which I can imagine is a must in the summer months). All the rooms are en-suite, so there’s no running down the hallway when you need the bathroom. The rooms are cleaned every day—I definitely appreciated it!

On our last night there was an issue with hot water (they couldn’t get anyone out to sort it as it was Christmas) and they very kindly upgraded us to the suite! The suite was even nicer than our double room: it had a bedroom, living room, kitchen, and a gorgeous walk-in shower. If I were coming back to Rome and wanted an apartment and access to a kitchen, I would definitely recommend the suite! It was absolutely huge—I’m really glad we had a chance to feel spoiled and stay in the suite!

Amenities

Blue Hostel had quite a few different amenities that definitely made a difference to our stay! Besides the TV, A/C, and small fridge, we were welcomed with chilled tap water in re-useable glass bottles for our stay. It’s just fine to drink the tap water in Rome and at Blue Hostel! We also had an espresso machine in our room (!), which Adam quickly became obsessed with! There are also some very nice toiletries for us in the bathroom when we arrived. The wifi works well throughout Blue Hostel, which was a must for me as a blogger. Probably the best part was the unique Blue Hostel map of Rome we got when we checked in. There were so many restaurants/cafes/bars dotted around the city, and recommendations close by for breakfasts and quick eats. The map is designed with places the staff recommend for their personal preferences. I loved it and it was basically our Bible on our trip to Rome!

Staff

There’s no full-time reception in Blue Hostel, but this didn’t really bother me. I simply told them about what time we’d be arrive, and someone was there to greet us. Andrea showed us around, and gave us a complete run-down of good places to eat nearby. He was also really easy to get in touch with on WhatsApp, which I really appreciated! We actually managed to lock ourselves out even though we had a key (embarrassing), and Andrea offered to come over and help us. (Thankfully, we got it open as soon as he said he’d come help!!) Ercole was also super quick and helpful responding to emails and making sure someone would be there when we arrived. I really felt more like a friend than a guest at Blue Hostel, and it was really appreciated.

Value

Blue Hostel is definitely a boutique hostel with very high standard accommodation. Therefore, it is a bit more expensive than perhaps a regular hostel. If you’re wanting a cheap dorm room, this probably isn’t the place for you. However, if you’re a couple traveling together (like Adam and I were), or simply wanting an exceptional place to stay in Rome (with a personal touch) without resorting to expensive hotels, it’s a fabulous place to stay. It is well worth the extra money to stay in a place as nice as Blue Hostel. Keep in mind that like everywhere else in Rome, city tax isn’t included in the room rate—it’s an extra €3.50 per person, per night.

Verdict: Would I Return?

Absolutely. I would highly recommend this to anyone visiting Rome. The location is phenomenal, and very convenient for getting around Rome. I love that the property has kept some of the historic features, and our room was a perfect place to relax after a long day of exploring. The room has everything you need to feel at home, and the staff are easy to get in touch with and have loads of insider tips they’ll share with you about Rome. If you can splurge, I’d definitely recommend booking their suite (family room) which has a full kitchen—I could have happily moved in there if I’d have had more time in Rome! Blue Hostel is by far one of the most unique places I’ve ever stayed at, and I’d return in a heartbeat if (or when!) I next get back to Rome!

You can book Blue Hostel through Hostelworld, Booking.com, or direct through Blue Hostel’s website!

I stayed at Blue Hostel on a discounted media rate in exchange for an honest review and social media promotion. All opinions (and photos) are of course my own!

Have you ever stayed somewhere you loved in Rome?!

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