Dharma Style Hotel

Hotel Selene Rome, a pale yellow, masonry building near the Roman Opera, is designed for sleeping and eating breakfast, not lingering. Its street-level reception desk brightened by two folkloric paintings and good lighting, is nearly closet-sized. There is a staircase to the elevator. On the second floor, a collection of upholstered furniture, a few generic landscape paintings, and sconce lighting provide a small lounge. The modestly-lit breakfast room has gray, striated wallpaper, two rather nice windows, and basic tables and chairs. Breakfast food and beverages are arranged on a wooden counter along one wall. But throughout the property, there's only flickers of personality, such as the hallway displaying an old radio on casters or the massive bookcase with some leather-bound volumes behind the glass. 

The Hotel Selene Rome is smack in the heart of many of Rome's top tourist sites, and it's convenient to public transportation. The Teatro dell' Opera Di Roma is a one-minute walk. The Piazza della Repubblica is a three-minute walk. Cinema Moderno, in a vast elegant building with an arcade, is a four-minute walk. The Piazza Venezi, a main hub of the city and home to Italy's tomb of the unknown soldier, and the massive monument to its first king, Vittorio Emanuele II, is a 10-minute walk.

The closest metro stop is Repubblica, a three-minute walk. From here, there's transportation to many sites, including the 10-minute trip to the Spanish Steps, a trip that is also a nine-minute drive. The Trevi Fountain is an eight-minute drive and 13-minute train ride. These two attractions are about a 15 minute walk apart at a brisk pace. The Roman Colosseum and Forum are a 12-minute drive or an eight-minute train ride. 

Fiumicino Airport is a 38-minute drive without traffic. Termini Station is a six-minute walk. From here, there's a 30-minute train to the airport. There are also slower trains, making the journey about 47 minutes long.

Rooms at the Hotel Selene Roma are spacious and high-ceilinged, making for a dramatic canvas to decorate. Unfortunately, the decorating lacks imagination. Most of the rooms, some accommodating as many as four beds, are painted a Halloween-orange with some white wall and black trim. The beds, with Per Dormire linens and plain, granite-colored sheets, sit beneath massive black leather headboards that are surrounded by up-lighted, wood trim. The floors are wood and the furnishings spare: a black leather armchair or small bench paired with a tiny desk.

Other rooms have contemporary wallpaper in grape with lilac swirls and smaller, pewter leather headboards. The rooms have either 42-inch or 26-inch flat-screen TVs. Each has free Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, minibar, safe, electric kettles with coffee and tea supplies, and biscuits. 

The bathrooms are partially marble, either cream or deep beige with walls painted either cranberry or pale pink. All have bidets. Smaller rooms have glass-enclosed showers with handheld showerheads; the bigger rooms have shower/bath combinations with partial, frosted glass. Hairdryers are the old-fashioned vacuum-hose kind. One nice touch: Staff will baby-proof a room upon request and bring cribs, extra cots, highchairs, and for older children, Nintendo and MP3 players. 

Breakfast is free at the Hotel Selene Roma, and the staff will prepare food to accommodate food allergies. The food on offer is buffet style and includes Italian items such as cheese, meats, and pastries. Wi-Fi is also free. The hotel offers discounts for dining at nearby Ristorante Cotto. The reception desk is staffed around the clock, offering assistance with directions, tickets, and, for a fee, airport transfers.