Hotel Eliseo

I spent 4 nights (21 - 25 June, 2026) at the Hotel Eliseo in Rome, which ended with a shameful incident. On the check-out day, while heaving my breakfast on the 6th floor (around 7:30-8:00 am) 100€ was stolen from my wallet left by chance in the Room N304. The receptionist Mr. Leonardo, who I met for the first time while my staying period at the hotel, strongly refused to contact me either with the hotel Manager or previous shift from the reception staff, blaming me for not taking proper care of my money. Therefore, probably he was already aware of this incident. So. I had terrible experience on this trip.

I went on this trip with every expectation of having a brilliant time; going to Rome was on my bucket list as an Ancient History student. I travel a lot, and so I'm really not fussy when it comes to somewhere I'm staying; I just treat it like somewhere to rest my head. It does not have to be particularly fancy or delightful. I'm no stranger to a hostel. The cost to stay at this place is not reflected in the price point at all. It is shockingly poor. As a solo traveller, I explicitly look for places to stay with Wi-Fi; when you're young and alone in a foreign country, it's a matter of safety really. Being able to contact your friends and family, access banking, make emergency calls, etc. But of the 9 nights I stayed, the wifi was only semi-functional on the first day, which meant an additional cost to an already incredibly expensive stay to get an unlimited ESIM. I finally asked on day 3 what the script was, and the man shrugged and said someone was coming later. The hotel is in need of closing and a deep clean. There are gross, suspect marks on the wallpaper, black markings near the door, areas are thick with dust, and the curtains are quite nasty to touch. Other reviews reflect this, but honestly I just thought people were being fussy. Please believe me when I say that they are not. The fridge is ceremonial at best; somehow the inside is hotter than room temp, and the room temperature never gets especially cool because the air conditioning is also very poor. I was in Rome during a heatwave, and thankfully I had a room that faced away from the sun for the majority of the day. I can't imagine how unpleasant it would have been if the sun was beating down full force on my window. I've also never stayed in a European hotel where they charged for bottled water. Everywhere I've stayed has given two complimentary waters per day at no extra charge, and these places are a fraction of this hotel's price. It was only on Day 4/5 that I was actually given the slip where the pricing is included - Soft drinks I understand charging for. But water is a bit cheeky. So I think I ended up being charged 6 euros for the 3 bottles I had, only 500ml, so priced at 2 euros each. I can't stress enough what a rip-off that is. I bought a six-pack of 1.5l bottles, and it cost about 3 euros. I can't stress enough how overpriced this entire place is for a stay that doesn't even reach the threshold of mediocre. I'm a polite person; I greet everyone with a smile and a hello, and I never typically complain. This is my first TripAdvisor post where I am complaining; I usually only leave positive reviews. But I've never felt so unwelcome before; there was only one member of staff who was kind to me, and my standards for that became so low. He was my favourite because he smiled and always made an effort to greet me. Breakfast was good. There was a decent selection, and the croissants were delicious! It was the same thing offered every morning; the only thing on rotation was the fruit: sometimes a plum, sometimes a nectarine. So after nine days I was a bit knackered with the choice, but it was decent. There's an older woman who always ensured I had coffee, but the one day she wasn't on, I was actually ignored by the gentleman who was on coffee duty. Every table was offered but me. I don't know if it's because I wore my headphones, but I made sure to make eye contact and try to initiate an interaction, but I went without coffee that morning. My experience at this hotel really spoiled my trip; I didn't enjoy this holiday and was actually so grateful to be home again. Which is so rare because I loathe my country. I think I'm particularly sensitive to the way people treat me; I hate to feel like a burden or a nuisance, and that's precisely how I felt my entire stay. I really wouldn't recommend staying here unless you have thick skin and don't care what people think of you. And if you're particularly eager to overpay for a terrible experience.

Very poor experience. I stayed at this hotel for two nights and I strongly discourage anyone from choosing this property. The hotel is clearly outdated and poorly maintained. The room had peeling wallpaper, an unpleasant smell, and a bathroom in unacceptable condition, including a leaking bidet. Even more concerning, the bed sheet cover was not changed for the entire duration of my stay, which is simply unacceptable for any hotel. The room layout was also impractical: the internal window shutters could not be opened because the television was placed in front of them, completely blocking access. This reflects a lack of attention to comfort and functionality. What made the experience even worse was the attitude of the reception staff. They were not welcoming, not inclined to listen, and showed very little attention to the customer. When a colleague of mine came to briefly meet me to discuss a work project, he was not allowed to enter the hotel. The staff even mentioned they would call the police, which felt completely disproportionate for a simple and common request. The conversation took place with raised voices and a rude, unprofessional tone. Overall, the hotel is old, poorly maintained, and the service is far below expectations. Between the bad smell, lack of cleanliness, maintenance issues, and unprofessional staff, this was one of the worst hotel experiences I have had. I would definitely not stay here again and strongly recommend choosing a different hotel.