johnep1

I stayed at this hotel this past Friday and Saturday and thought that I would let people know what to expect. I used a PC2 (2 night point stretcher) award that cost me 33,000 points. The rooms were available for about $300 a night, so I found this stay to be a good use of points. I called reservations right before I left the states on Thursday to make sure that everything was in computer as it should be. I also found out that I had been pre-booked into an executive floor, non-smoking, king room.

Upon arrival, I was asked to head to the 5th floor for the executive floor reception. There, I was asked to sit down next to the desk while the very nice and courteous agent checked me in and explained the hotel. The lounge has a very nice food and drink selection throughout most of the day, and also has a computer. However, you need to buy a prepaid card to use the internet on the computer.

The bedroom itself was very nice. It looked like it could have been any nice hotel room in the USA though, and did not have any Italian charm to it. But it was very nice and clean. There were 3 martini glasses filled with coffee beans. On top of the beans were Italian cookies, which were quite good.

The hotel has a complimentary shuttle downtown that drops you off near the circus maximus. However, the first shuttle is at 10:00 am and the last one leaves Rome at 10:15 pm. I think they could use a shuttle a bit later, as it is difficult to finish dinner by 10:15 in Rome. However, the shuttle is free and is a nice touch. The one way trip takes about 1/2 hour.

In the morning, you can have breakfast in the lounge or downstairs in the restaurant. I only tried the restaurant, and it was very good. It is buffet style, but they have a very large selection of items.

Upon returning to my room for the 2nd night, I found a box of cookies that were some of the best I've had. I assume that this is provided for all executive floor guests on their last night.

The hotel's location is not very convenient for seeing the city, but the shuttle had it at least viable. I would not stay here for a week, but it was nice for a short stay if you don't want to switch hotels. It is about a 7 minute walk through covered hallways to reach the airport itself. The location is very nice is you have an early flight out of FCO. The rooms are soundproof, and I never heard any noise from the airport.

I am sure that I forgot to mention a few things, and might edit this later if others are interested in this hotel. Also, if you have any questions regarding the FCO Hilton, such as shuttle times, etc..., feel free to email me.

TravelWeary

I stayed here on Sunday night before my early morning return flight and had basically the same experience as a Gold. I was quite impressed too by the professionalism of everyone we met.

And, I agree those cookies are incredible. Don't pass up a chance to buy them in Duty Free at the airport. They are called something like Sodibevi Carezze.

sergio

Excellent report. Looks like the value of a HH point was 2 cent per point to you. It hard to believe that many people spend their points at 1 cent and some close to 1/2 cent.

johnep1

I wish I knew that the cookies were available from the airport Duty Free shop. I would have bought quite a lot. Oh well, this gives me one more reason to go back to Italy.

johnep1

I forgot about this, but the internet in the lounge is quite expensive. I believe 18 Euros for an hour. I purchased a half hour card for 10 Euros, but it did not work in the downstairs computer. So the front desk gave me a one hour card, which also did not work in the downstairs computer. So I took that card back to the 5th floor, and waited until 11 for the lounge to open on Sunday morning. When I was finally able to use the computer, I only used 15 minutes from my 1 hour card.

If anyone is planning a trip to Rome and will be staying at the FCO Hilton, I would be happy to mail you the card with 45 minutes of internet use left on it. I would appreciate it if you would grab me some of the cookies from the FCO duty free store (I will pay you back for them of course) in exchange.

Boring747

Great review. Thank you for the insight! I am scheduled to be at the hotel March 14-18. I am new to the rewards scene, was able to find a internet twin rate of $117.50 per night. I know I won't be seeing cookie or breakfast for that rate. Thanks for the information on the shuttle drop-off point. How close it that to the Termini Station? Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Road King

johnep1, How did you get a point stretcher award. We're possibly staying there 3 nights in April and I can't find ANY p/s dates period? Thanks in advance for your reply!

johnep1

Thank you for the nice comments.

If you're HH gold or diamond, you should get cookies and breakfast regardless of the rate. I received everything and that was with an award stay. For this hotel, your rate is excellent.

The hotel is connected to the airport, but it takes about 7-10 minutes to walk between the 2. The hotel is also connected to the airport train station. The train to termini takes about 30 minutes. However, the departure times are not very reliable. Your train could easily leave 10 minutes early or 20 minutes late.

The best way to get downtown is with the free airport shuttle. It drops you off near the circus maximus.

johnep1

Road King, I don't know what the ps dates are in April. I needed to call and ask for February since it the hotel did not post the dates online.

I first booked my stay using a regular award because ps was not available. I kept calling back every week to see if I could get the room for fewer points. Two days before I left I was able to change to point stretcher.

You should just keep on calling as your stay approaches. Hopefully ps availability will appear.

hhonorman

Road King,

There are no point stretcher dates for the Hilton Rome Airport in April. There were some for Feb, a few for March, but none in April. You may be able to get a regular award for April.

Road King

Thanks for the info guys. I think I'll still try calling up until we go. Figure we have nothing to loose. Although I'm fairly new to F/T I have to say, "This is really a great place!" Full of people willing to help and packed with useful info. People helping people, "Isn't that what it's all about?"

MoJ0

It's a great hotel if you're flying out the next morning early - it's a $$ pain to get in and out of the city, as you mentioned.

One word of warning - I came in on a Thursday night, VERY late (thanks Alitalia) - 2:40am. There is NO good way to get to the hotel from the airport after midnight, when all of the interconnecting skyways are closed & locked.

It's a LONG walk with bags (puff puff puff).

The staff was great, though. I enjoyed my 2.5 hour "nap".

My rate in November was EU119 off of the Hilton website.

-mj

johnep1

That's what I did. I made my standard award reservation and kept calling back to see if there was PS availability. When you call back, DO NOT tell them that you already have a standard award until they tell you if there is PS availability.

Glad that you like FT. It really is a great place with a lot of useful information. In a year and a half here, FT has helped me get AA Plat, $200 or less transcon tickets, $20 tickets to Europe, 100,000 bonus HHonors points, a few 100,000 AA miles (via goldpoints), and quite a few misc miles and points via credit card promos. Not to mention all of the travel assistance that you could ever want. Please here really are generous with their time.

[This message has been edited by johnep1 (edited 03-01-2003).]

sk3

Thanks for this trip report and for all the posters' contributions.

I arrive at FCO at 9 pm so I'm thinking of booking an award night here for one night and then spending the rest of my vacation in town.

So my question is does anyone know if it would be acceptable to stay one night, check out at noon and THEN take their shuttle into the city to avoid taxi charges? Or because I was no longer a guest, would I not be allowed on the shuttle?

And secondly, is there just the one shuttle stop at circus Maximus (I'll probably stay around the Via Veneto area).

Thanks in advance for any replies.

hhonorman

sk3,
You shouldn't have any problem using the shuttle. I don't think you'd have a problem using it even if you weren't a guest of the hotel. They never check to see whether anyone on the bus (new greyhound-like coach that seats 52)is a guest. I just stayed there for 3 nights. The previous reviews of this hotel are quite accurate. It is very nice, has a decent exec. lounge, a great breakfast buffet with full american style breakfast including eggs and bacon, nice rooms, but.... the hotel has a generic-type feel to it; it is VERY far from downtown Rome and quite inconvenient even though there is the free shuttle. On a pointstretcher award stay, I was automatically upgraded to anexec level corner room, got to check in at the exec lounge, had a complimentary, bottle of champagne waiting for me in the room when I arrived, and received a gift box the next day in the room containing an assortment of italian specialty food and liquor, and received turndown service every evening without asking. I'd highly recommend this hotel for anyone needing to be close to the airport, but you may want to find accomodations closer to Rome if you plan on sight seeing in Rome for more than a few days.