Once a private residence, the Relais Fontana was born in 2009 and occupies four floors of a beautiful ancient building. Entered through a small glass door on a busy and narrow pedestrian street, the hotel features a hallway decorated with a couple of tables, benches, lamps, antique heirlooms, and paintings on the walls. There is a small, cozy bar down the hallway, featuring white walls and stools, and the reception desk is located up the first flight of stairs. There are six clocks behind the desk revealing the time in locations around the world, and the breakfast room and terrace are around the corner. The terrace, open in the summer, is small with just a handful of tables. Covered by a canopy, it is a popular place for guests to sit and sip wine in the afternoons.

This hotel is located on a narrow, cobblestone pedestrian street in central Rome, surrounded by souvenir shops, cafes, bars, and throngs of people. Trevi Fountain is practically next door -- a one-minute walk from the hotel. The hotel’s location is unbeatable in many's eyes, as most of Rome’s other main tourist attractions are also within easy walking distance. The Spanish Steps are a nine-minute walk away, the Coliseum is 19 minutes from the hotel, and Termini train station 20. Even Vatican City can be reached on foot in less than 40 minutes or 30 minutes via the 46 bus. There are several bus stops within a five-minute walk of the hotel, and the Barberini Metro station is as well. Leonardo da Vinci International Airport is about 55 minutes away via public transportation or about 45 minutes by car.

There are 24 rooms at this hotel and while beds are firm (bordering on hard) and decor is almost non-existent, all are relatively spacious, clean ,and well-equipped with modern comforts such as individual climate control, mini-fridges, large flat-screen TVs with several international channels, Wi-Fi access, safes, and coffee/tea-making facilities. Most rooms feature hardwood floors and some have clean, fresh paint while others have striped or paisley print wallpaper that is not particularly attractive. Some rooms face the street and others have views of surrounding buildings. When windows are open, there is considerable street noise, but Trevi Fountain and its horde of spectators is visible from some rooms. The Triple Room category, an unusual option among Rome hotels, features a dividing wall between the double and single bed in each. Bathrooms are modern with stylish lights over the mirrors, hairdryers, towel dryers, and bidets, but some have tiny cramped showers while others are more spacious with larger glass showers.

The Relais offers free Wi-Fi access in all rooms and includes a buffet breakfast with most rooms. All rooms have kettles for coffee or tea and the hotel has a small bar serving wine, cocktails, and a limited selection of snacks such as chips and peanuts. A lovely terrace is open in the summer months for sipping bar beverages or eating breakfast. The hotel offers laundry service for an extra fee. There is no parking available in the immediate vicinity.