You'll find this apartment in a quiet neighbourhood on the west side of Rome. The building was constructed in the 1950s, and there's a definite retro vibe inside, with bright colours and clean lines that are oh so on-trend. We love how fresh and luminous the living area feels, and the two balconies (one in each bedroom) are a huge plus. Just pour yourself a glass of wine and you've got yourself a perfect spot to unwind after a day out and about. Meals are easy to rustle up in the sleek kitchen, but as Italy is famous for its cuisine, chances are you'll want to eat out. This flat is in a residential district away from the bustling tourist areas, but we appreciated the sense of calm and local culture that you'll find here. There's a great viewpoint just seven minutes away – Belvedere di Via Piccolomini – which has a "shrinking dome" optical illusion of St Peter's. The Vatican is about a twenty-minute walk away, but there's a bus nearby that takes you to the city centre.

Home truths:
*The lift is quite small and has manual doors
*When we measured the wi-fi, it was only running at 7Mbps
*The kitchen's decently equipped, given the size, but it doesn't have a dishwasher
*Two people can sleep on a sofa bed in the living room, but it would be a squeeze
*The door to the second bedroom catches on the floor a little – nothing major, just worth knowing about
*The hosts can provide a cot if you’re travelling with a little one – just request when booking
*They also have another flat in the same building, so if you’re a larger group, you may be able to rent both at the same time