I was in Rome, Italy on a leisure trip with two other friends.  Rome was one city out of our three destination vacation package. This was my very first vacation out of the United States and a 30th birthday/graduation present to myself.

My friends and I wanted the best experience possible. We wanted certain features, like a safety box for our passports and important documents. It was also important to us that the hotel be conveniently located near tourist attractions and/or public transportation. Our hotel guide provided a list of five star hotels which fit our requirements and received positive reviews from other travelers.

After spending a few days going over the list [...]