The location is perfect: a few minutes’ walk from La Piazza e Basilica di San Pietro in one direction and Castel Sant’Angelo in the other, on a very quiet little street. Although the tourist bustle is only about a hundred metres away, the apartment itself is very quiet and peaceful. There are excellent trattorias, restaurants, sandwich shops and other places to eat and drink nearby, particularly Al Passetto di Borgo, about 50 metres away. Do not let its outward appearance put you off: it serves excellent, traditional food, including the best carbonara we have eaten in Rome in recent years. Or Osteria Nuvolari on nearby Via degli Ombrellari, with a superb coda alla vaccinara. The girl who welcomed us was exceptionally warm, friendly and polite. She greeted us cheerfully even though our late flight meant we did not arrive until around 11.30 pm. She did not initially know where the terrace shown in the Booking.com photographs was either, but found it one floor above. She was unsure whether it was exclusively for our use or shared with other residents, but believed it was private. She promised to check and get back to us, but we received no further clarification. The kitchen had plenty of clean crockery and cutlery, an excellent new gas hob, a large sink and two good moka pots. Both rooms had air conditioning that worked very well. We also found several small umbrellas in the wardrobe, which was a thoughtful and useful touch. With an accurate description of its facilities and limitations, this apartment could be an excellent choice for guests whose main priority is being close to the Vatican, particularly those visiting for religious reasons. The location has a great deal to offer. What matters is that guests know exactly what to expect before booking, so they can decide whether the apartment suits their needs.

The terrace is even featured in the apartment’s name on Booking.com, and it was the deciding factor when we booked. The photographs and description gave us the impression that it was part of the apartment and available for our private use. In fact, it is one floor above, reached via the communal staircase and behind two locked doors. We found it dirty and understood it to be shared with other residents, although this was never clarified despite a promise to check. The listing includes photographs of the terrace table set for a meal, complete with plates and glasses, further reinforcing the impression that it is part of the apartment. In practice, eating there would mean carrying food, plates and drinks upstairs via the communal staircase. The listing should clearly explain these arrangements and state whether the terrace is private or shared. We did not measure the apartment, but the indoor space felt substantially smaller than the advertised 80 square metres. We wondered whether that figure included the separate terrace. The listing should clarify how the advertised floor area is calculated and distinguish the indoor accommodation from any outdoor space. The bathroom and its doorway are exceptionally narrow, and the photographs do not convey just how cramped they are. I had to enter sideways and could barely fit into the shower. My partner could not use it because there was simply too little space. We appreciate that the apartment’s layout leaves little room for a larger bathroom. The issue is that its size is not accurately represented in the listing, so guests cannot judge beforehand whether it will meet their needs. There is an excellent overhead rainfall shower but no handheld shower, and insufficient room to bend down. Adding a handheld shower would seem a straightforward improvement and would make it possible to wash properly in such a confined space. Its absence should also be clearly stated in the listing, rather than left for guests to discover on arri