The Best Affordable Hotels in Rome

"From the outside, Mama Shelter isn’t much to write home about: two gray tower blocks to the west of Rome’s center. But step inside and things start to get interesting. Decor is bold and pop-art-themed, with candy-colored tables and chairs, a garden ceiling, and neon lights. There are mismatched carpets and curtains with lemons on them. Somehow, it works. Rooms are much more subtle than the common areas, with neutral, unfussy furniture contrasted with pistachio green and pale pink walls. The bathrooms are an invigorating yellow color with arcade-shaped mirrors designed to echo Roman architecture. They’re big on natural materials: raffia lampshades, rattan headboards, and oak wood furniture. The ground-floor pizzeria is part Italian brassiere, part 1950s fever dream. (The pizza is excellent, too.) The indoor winter garden, meanwhile, has an osteria serving Italian and American classics, from cacio e pepe pasta to beef burgers and fries." - Maresa Manara