Lonely Planet Review
Slick and professional, the Alessandro is a cheerful, well-run hostel near Termini. Staffed by efficient Australians, it has a large kitchen, a laundry and a friendly common room while beds are in eight to 12-person dormitories. There are two other Alessandro hostels in the area.
A great place to chow down on pizza with backpackers from around the world, the common room is the centre of life at the Alessandro. As you neck cans of beer from the vending machine in the corner, ponder the surreal wall painting - add a melted clock and leaping tiger and you've got your own Salvador Dali. Opened three years ago, the hostel has already established an excellent reputation thanks to its spacious dorms (including a female-only dorm), clean bathrooms, extensive facilities and welcoming vibe. The international up-for-it crew who run the place are backpackers themselves so know the score and are willing to help. Make sure to pick up a free city map - it's one of the best around, with plenty of useful information.
Review by author
Duncan Garwood