Hotel Vecchia Maremma

From the description I expected the hotel to be in the town, it wasn't; it was on the major highway from Rome north. Staff was less than friendly. We would have preferred to stay in the town. OK facilities, tour buses stop here.

It was a rainy night on the SS1, driving south from Pisa to Rome. The reservation with Venere.com could only tell me that the Vecchia was located at Via Aurelia Nord Km 146.4, and I counted down the markers and hoped for the best. Sure enough, just past 146, a huge sign for the Vecchia Maremma, brilliantly lit, emerged from the rain. There is no easier hotel to find. * The Vecchia is a true budget hotel, but manages to raise above the genre in several ways. There is free covered parking, and pool and playground within the landscaped grounds. The lobby is warm and cheerful, with two television / entertainment areas, a bar, and a small grocery and souvenier store. The desk clerk did not speak English, but understood the details in the reservation printout, and quickly checked me in, handing me both a key and a TV remote for the room. * The rooms are up a flight of stairs (there is no lift) and are, in every sense of the word, institutional. Rooms are tiled floors and plaster walls with budget chairs and a 12" TV, echoing and cold. The blankets and towels are thin. The window had a shutter over it to keep out light and road noise: small holes provided ventilation. There is no internet connection available. However, the room is clean, well lit, the water is abundant and hot, the area is quiet and there is an in-room safe. * In contrast, the dining room downstairs is quite good. The waiter spoke english, and helped to translate the menu. The pasta was very good, and the filet was well cooked and seasoned. They provided a good quality glass of wine, all at a very reasonable price. * In summary, this is a clean budget accomodation with a good restaurant on premisis. It's a convenient waypoint an hour from the Rome airport, and makes a good overnight waypoint.