Residenza Paolo Vi

First, the positive: this hotel, a former monastery, is in a great location, right next to St. Peter’s Square. The rooms are simple but clean and comfortable. Bathroom was spacious, with toilet, sink, bidet, and shower (shower seat, too, in case you need it). There is some noise if your room is on the street, as ours was. The outside terrace lives up to its reputation online and in photos. We spent time there every night, sometimes just for drinks, a couple of times for dinner. If Francesca is working, lucky you! She’s wonderful. You also can access the area for the Pope’s Sunday Angelus. This would have been a 5-star review across the board, but a very unpleasant experience occurred the morning we departed. The hotel offers transportation between the Rome airport and the hotel, advertised on their website. I had requested, by message to the hotel, a car service on the day we arrived, 19 March, from the airport to the hotel. I knew the price was €85 and accepted that. Our driver, Roberto, was cheery and helpful. He dropped us at the hotel. He never asked us for money, because we’d pay the cost of the trip to the hotel. Upon check-in, I produced my credit card. On 24 March, the day before we were leaving, I asked the young woman at the desk to book us transportation to the airport on the morning of 25 March. She took care of it. Before we checked out, the man at the desk said we had to pay for the shuttle service. Again, I produced my credit card and was charged. Fine. We took our bags down to the street and met Claudio, our driver. When Claudio dropped us off at the airport, he demanded payment of €85. I told him I had just paid at the hotel. He grew belligerent and demanded we pay. I had to call the hotel, and the same man was rude, insulting, and impatient, implying that I was stupid. So the charge was for the shuttle service a week prior? Okay, I was humiliated. I never intended to not pay. So I handed my credit card to the driver, Claudio. Nope, he wouldn’t accept it. Cash only, he said. I used my card EVERYWHERE in Rome, and he wouldn’t take it. As an American about to leave Europe, I had few Euros on me. And I don’t use an ATM while out of the country. Luckily, I had two €50s, one €10, and two €5 notes. I handed the two 50s to Claudio and he made a big show about my not having the correct amount, then rummaged around in his vehicle and dropped coins into my hand - one-euro and 50-cent coins that added up to €10. So actually, he ripped ME off. But here’s the issue: if the transportation is a hotel-offered service, it should be up to the hotel to handle it properly. This was handled very poorly.