Happy Days Hostel

Disappointing
I started out thinking that the reviews I had read here and other places were maybe just one in a million bad experiences but was quick to find otherwise. I stayed in a ten-person room upstairs which had its own bathroom (kind of) -- the bathroom had a bathtub, which was horribly old and dirty, as well as two sinks. The only toilet that was to be used was downstairs where there were an additional ten or so people -- so one shower and one toilet for twenty people? I also read about bedbugs at this hostel but was hoping again that this might be a one in a million occurrence but was dismayed to find out after talking to a few other people in the hostel, that bedbugs were in fact a frequent occurrence -- at least in the upstairs ten-person room. To top it all off, I was there New Years Eve, and when I returned to the Hostel, which is supposed to be open twenty-four hours, at 2 a.m. I was surprised to find the door locked and shut. after repeatedly banging on the door for a good fifteen minutes I heard a person on the other side trying to unlock and open the door. unfortunately after about five minutes of trying on both our parts, I think she just went back to sleep. after another ten minutes or so of banging on the door, she tried to open again, but not understanding what she was saying due to the fact I didn't speak Italian she went over and opened the kitchen window which was about a floor up. I then had to climb up a foosball table, step on some drainage pipes and hall myself into the window -- about thirty minutes later, I had to help two fellow travelers do the same. As for me, I will never, under any circumstances stay at this Hostel again. I would rather sleep on a metro bench.

Bedbugs, bedbugs, bedbugs
we got all bit up by bedbugs (first time for everything!). also, the front door was left unlocked and open at all times. when we arrived home, no one was there so we felt that our stuff was not safe in there as it was totally unsupervised. luckily, nothing was missing.

I was a bit apprehensive when I arrived, as the building it's in is being renovated, but the hostel itself is fully functioning! It's basically a 3-bed apartment and I think the guy who runs it lives there as well. It's not especially clean, but it's fine for a few days. It's in a really good area very close to the Vatican and within walking distance to central Rome, and everyone we met staying there was really friendly. The free Internet access is really useful, and there's a kitchen, which I think is fully equipped although no one really used it. It's a good place for those who want to get up early, or stay out late.