The hotel is housed inside a 17th-century palace that was home to the Cardinal Sisto Riario Sforza -- the last Archbishop of Naples -- for three decades. From an aging courtyard, where cars and scooters are parked, a barrel vaulted corridor leads to a weathered staircase and a rustic elevator that resembles a freight lift. The mid-range hotel’s rough exterior can be off-putting, although some find it charmingly dilapidated. The entrance hall is the palace’s finest feature. Golden frescoes crawl up the walls and tall ceilings, and red, white, and black tiles create flower designs on the floor. The well-maintained lobby features a classic lounge area with a purple ceiling and exposed wooden beams. Clean, updated hallways have terra-cotta floor tiles and wooden ceiling planks in some areas.

Iron balconies hang from decaying buildings in narrow alleyways in the historic district of Naples, the gritty but safe home of the Decumani Hotel de Charme. Outside of the hotel are historic, narrow streets, many of which are crumbling and graffiti-ridden. But despite its appearance, the area is safe and some find the grittiness charming. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995, the location is in walking distance to historic monuments, including the Saint Chiara Cloister, the Veiled Christ at the Museo Cappella Sansevero, and Via San Gregorio Armeno. The ferries on the Gulf of Naples that go to Capri, Palermo, and Porto-Vecchio, among other places, are just over 20 minutes away on foot. Also by the water is the Bourbon Tunnel and the Teatro di San Carlo. The lively Arenile di Bagnoli beach club is a 25-minute drive or an hour by public transportation. It’s 20 minutes by car to the Naples International Airport. Pompeii and Vesuvius are a 45-minute car trip away.

Rooms have a classic vibe, with blue textiles, tall windows, antique-style furniture, hardwood floors, and narrow balconies that face other buildings or the interior courtyard. Yellow-and-blue floral bedspreads and upholstered headboards add a soft touch. However, the lack of wall decor and empty space in some rooms give a meager feeling. All rooms have classic writing desks, flat-screen TVs, air-conditioning, safes, and minibars. Deluxe and Triple Rooms are an upgrade from Standard Rooms and offer whirlpool tubs. Deluxe Rooms with lofts have beds upstairs under nice ceiling moldings and plain sitting areas on the ground floor. Bathrooms have blue tiles, charming unfinished wood counters with modern basins, hairdryers, bidets, and showers, though some are on the narrow side. 

The Decumani Hotel de Charme serves a free continental breakfast in the palace’s grand entrance hall, which is adorned with intricate golden designs. Its dining area has comfortable gray sofas and chairs by a grand piano in the lounge section. There's also a small, casual lounge by the lobby, with books and tourism pamphlets. Paid parking is available in the nearby Quick Parking Porto. There's no dedicated concierge, but the 24-hour front desk provides luggage storage and tour information on request. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.