The best of Rome 1 - Buzz into the Beehive

The Beehive is a small but stylish hotel in Rome that has the feel of a boutique establishment, but on a hostel budget.

The tiled floors sparkle and there is an abundance of artwork on the walls. In addition to a handful of private rooms they have an 8-bed dormitory, so backpackers and couples alike will feel at home. None of the rooms are en-suite, but there are plentiful and clean toilets along the hall. They have one PC in the lounge with free internet access.

The vegetarian restaurant downstairs served up the best food we had in Rome, all freshly cooked and remarkably cheap. Two huge plates of homemade pasta with 2 glasses of wine plus a basket of chewy bread cost €18. Throw in appetisers and request a full bottle of wine and it still only cost €25.

It's the type of kitchen where you can talk to the cook at work, who might ask how spicy you want your meal and offer recipe ideas. For breakfast we had organic yoghurt, muesli and Fair Trade tea.

It was relaxing to return from a long day on the hot cobbles of Rome to come back to our cool, quiet room. Down in the lounge, we listened to the smooth sounds of jazz piped-in from University of California-Long Beach public radio, which sounded particularly smooth some times of the day because of the 9-hour time difference ('nod off...to Insomnia FM').

On reading the comments of their guestbook, it's clear 90% of the guests are American, all highly complimentary of this oasis. Sometimes it felt protective about this status - where only English is spoken and all you hear are Americans swapping horror stories about bad coffee, the lack of public toilets and rude waiters.

The one slight hassle with the place is its location. We soon learned Rome's Termini Station is a long way from anywhere interesting and that the Metro isn't that convenient for touring the historic core of the city. We felt it wise to avoid the bus station and plaza in front of Termini after dark. The neighbourhood itself is fine and felt comparatively safe, but the local restaurants served overpriced and bland junk. Thankfully, the folks at the Beehive will give you their own superb guidebook with recommendations for eating and sightseeing.

After sorting out your rubbish into the recycling bins you can enjoy the art on the walls, have a stretch in the yoga studio and feast on fresh pasta in the wonderful kitchen. With organic food, wine and olive oil plus handmade soaps you'll savour an eco-chic experience. Take a tip, The Beehive is hip!

INFO Take the exit on the east side of Termini Station (head right with the tracks behind you if you've just come in by train). The street ahead is Via Marghera. The Beehive is 3 blocks straight on, an easy 5-minute walk. Look for the high wall and a buzzer to ring on left of the street. Though prices have gone up since we stayed there, it remains competively priced in an expensive city.