Hotel Il Papavero

The Hotel il Papavero occupies three buildings—a main building and next-door second building, plus an annex about a 15-minute walk away—which isn't the most convenient for larger groups. The interiors, while a bit dated, offer the charming Old World feel of a typical European tourist hotel. Public spaces feature barrel-vaulted ceilings, exposed brickwork, paintings, and wood furniture upholstered in vivid red. Guests gather in lounges to chat, read, and use the public computers, and in the communal kitchen. The hotel draws mostly budget-minded leisure travelers, but the atmosphere here is cheery and laid-back rather than a party scene. 

The Hotel il Papavero is in the Castro Pretorio (XVIII rione) area of central Rome, in a busy neighborhood filled with tourist-oriented shops, bars, cafes, and restaurants. A supermarket and mini-markets are also within a short walk of the hotel. The Piava/XX Septembre bus stop is a three-minute walk, and Termini Station, which contains a shopping mall and restaurants, is a little more than a five-minute walk. Nearby sights within about five minutes on foot include the 19th-century Basilica Sacro Cuore di Gesu church, Roman National Museum, Diocletian Baths, and Piazza della Repubblica, with its famous Fountain of the Naiads. The hotel is not as convenient to major Rome attractions as some other hotels, but it’s within 10 to 25 minutes by bus or metro from Via del Corso shopping, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, Roman Forum, Colosseum, and St. Peter’s Basilica. Leonardo da Vinci International Airport is a little more than 30 minutes by car from the Hotel il Papavero or about 45 minutes by train from Termini Station.  

Hotel il Papavero offers several categories of regular hotel rooms, plus mixed and female-only dorms, housed in the hotel's three buildings. All are well-maintained and have a spare, simple look, with bare walls and inexpensive furniture. Decor in guest rooms is old-fashioned—and to some, dated—with bedspreads and upholstery in scarlet, burgundy, or sunflower yellow. Dorms are spartan but pleasant, with metal bunk beds and tile floors. 

Amenities are thin, with only flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi, but there are no kettles and not all units have AC. The dorm rooms have lockers to store valuables, but there aren’t always enough to go around, and guests need to provide their own locks. All bathrooms are en-suite—dorms included—and they contain stall showers, hairdryers, and some have bidets, but there are no toiletries.  

Units are on the small side, starting at 118 square feet. Some have views of the street or inner courtyard.

The Hotel il Papavero has limited property amenities, with no leisure facilities, breakfast buffet, or full-service restaurant. The communal kitchen features a sink, full-size refrigerator, microwave, toaster, cookware, tableware, and electric kettle for instant coffee and tea. There are two guest lounges, one with a TV and another with books, magazines, and several public computers. The hotel also offers maps and tourist info, luggage storage, airport transfer (for a fee), and a coffee machine and stocked refrigerator with drinks for purchase. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout each building, but there's no parking. The front desk is open 24 hours a day, and unlike other hostels there is no curfew, but guests have to be buzzed into the annex building during overnight hours. The annex building also has no elevator. Small pets are allowed in the rooms at no extra charge.