The Rome Airport (FCO) Hilton is pretty good y’all

Wait! Before you totally give up on airport Hilton’s (because they’re seemingly all the same), you’ve got to check out the one at the Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO).

It’s easily the most unique airport Hilton that I’ve ever stayed at. It felt more like a boutique hotel than a stodgy corporate / cookie cutter property, and I can’t recommend it highly enough if you’re looking for a place to stay that’s close to the airport.

A full review of my one night stay at the Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) Hilton

How embarrassing is it that I flew halfway around the world only to stay at an airport Hilton? In my defense, staying the night at The St. Regis in central Rome the night before canceled out my choice to play it safe with the FCO Hilton.

I also decided to splurge on a suite rather than an individual room. As you’re about to see, it was the right choice.

Location

The Hilton FCO is located adjacent to both Terminals 1 and 3. It’s certainly not the most convenient airport hotel that I’ve ever stayed at, as it requires a bit of walking to reach. The good news is that all of that walk is indoors – so you’ll never have to worry about having to hoof it in the rain (or frigid cold).

Walk to Hilton from the Rome Fiumicino Airport — Yes. It’s OK to curse once you realize how long of a walk is it is to the Hilton from any Terminal at FCO. It wouldn’t be fair to use the really bad words though – I mean, it’s an indoor walk so it’s not *that* bad.

Entrance to Hilton Hotel at Rome Fiumicino Airport — See? Even the outside part is inside. Quit yer bitchin’!

The lobby (and checking in)

They certainly didn’t impress me as I walked through the main entrance. Not only did everything look like a stodgy airport Hilton, it smelled like one as well. It was a little musty, and I detected a hint of cheap cleaning products wafting in the air. Same ‘ol same ‘ol.

Hilton FCO check-in desk — And the award for the most inconspicuously bland hotel check-in desk goes to…(do I even have to say it?)

Hilton FCO lobby — The rest of the lobby looks fairly decent though. Not very Italian, but decent.

Hilton FCO lobby and restaurant — Maybe the architects misunderstood the request for “Italian” as “airport Hilton”? The bottom picture is the lobby restaurant BTW.

Checking in took no more than 5 minutes. There were only two people ahead of me (and three people working the front desk), so they had me on my way lickety split.

Getting to my room

Only because I have no shame, I have no issues telling you that I got lost on my way to the elevator. Nothing was labeled very well, so I had to figure things out of my own. Which is a tall ask considering how often I get lost in my own home.

Hilton FCO elevator — *“Please…for the love of all that is holy…what I really need to see is a picture of the ****ing elevator!”* (words that I assume no one has ever spoken while searching for a thorough review of the FCO Hilton).

Hilton FCO seventh floor — This is what I saw upon exiting the elevator on the 7th floor. Looks like I’ve got a choice to make. Do I go left? Or right? Seriously, I had no idea…

Hilton FCO 7th floor guest room hallway — I went left. It was the right choice.

Hilton FCO door to room 7027 — Whoa. It got red (and Italian) all up in here real quick, didn’t it? 7027 is my room for the night.

The room

Things took a huge turn for the better when I opened the door to my room. Actually, it was a full suite, and right away I knew I was in for a good time. The main living space was just as large as the bedroom. The best part? It felt like an apartment rather than a hotel room. It just had that vibe to it.

Hilton FCO suite — OK. I was not expecting such an apartment-like experience. The hell kind of airport Hilton is this, anyway?

Hilton FCO suite main living room — As long as you can ignore the odd placement of the TV, I’m willing to bet that you’re having a hard time finding something critical to say about this. *“hILtOn sUcKs!”* most certainly does not apply here.

Hilton FCO suite wood floors — Wood floors even. I wasn’t planning on liking this so much!

Scott standing in Hilton FCO suite — *“Just wait ’til they get a load of this!”*

Hilton FCO suite couch — On one hand, I really hate how this couch reminds me of a candy cane (the kind that you can get a box of 100 for $2 down at the local gas station).

Scott sitting on the couch in a Hilton FCO suite — On the other hand, it’s comfortable AF. I’m so conflicted.

Watching TV in a Hilton FCO suite — That TV alignment tho. Somebody wasn’t using their noggin’.

Hilton FCO suite chairs and furniture — The rest of the furniture in this room isn’t as scandalous as the couch – but it’s all nice nonetheless.

Hilton FCO suite European style plugs — You brought your European plug adapter with you, right?

Hilton FCO suite storage unit — That right there is the refreshment / storage unit. Let’s go in for a closer look…

Hilton FCO suite refrigerator — Complementary bottles of water, a refrigerator, and wood. Lots and lots of wood.

Hilton FCO suite closet space — The closet space. Because there’s always at least one person who needs to see the closet space. $20 says it’s the same guy who needed to see pictures of the elevator.

Hilton FCO suite doorway to bedroom — Oh! Did I mention that there’s a bedroom as well? The doorway to it is a bit narrow, but as you’re about to see, it’s worth the squeeze…

Hilton FCO suite bedroom — The bedroom (and one hell of a lumpy bed).

Hilton FCO suite bed — Lumpy or not, it was still really comfortable. Never doubt of the Italians when it comes to bedding!

Hilton FCO suite TV in bedroom — They did a much better job with TV alignment in the bedroom. Just sayin’.

FCO Hilton suite bathrobes — Wait a sec. Bathrobes too? You ain’t never gonna see this kind of hospitality at the ORD Hilton.

FCO Hilton suite bedroom furniture — I’ll never understand the “I’ll just sit here and watch you while you sleep” chair in hotel rooms, but this one’s got one of those too.

The view

You’d think that a major hotel that was adjacent to a major airport would offer rooms with excellent views, right? While my top floor suite featured two very large windows (which let in a lot of light), they overlooked exactly nothing except rooftop. So close, yet so far…

Room service

If you’re not feeling in the mood to grab a meal at the on-site restaurant (located adjacent to the lobby), fear not. Room service is excellent. I didn’t find it to be all that outrageously priced actually – which unfortunately caused me to order more food than I could ever possibly eat. At least it was good. Quality was excellent as well.

The bathroom

I had mixed feelings about the bathroom. On one hand, it was absolutely huge with plenty of room to spread out. On the other hand, the shower was the darkest and gloomiest standalone showers that I have ever experienced in a hotel room. Only the cryogenic-style shower in the Sheraton at CDG creeped me out more.

FCO Hilton suite bathroom — The bathroom. Somebody with a little crazy with the brown tile, didn’t they?

FCO Hilton suite toilet, bidet, and tub — His and her toilets with a stick shift in the middle?

FCO Hilton suite shower and tub — The shower and tub (without a shower curtain or any kind of barrier to prevent drenching everything else in the bathroom). Because Europe.

FCO Hilton suite shower — But wait! There is also a standalone shower for anyone (like me) who doesn’t have the skill to shower without a curtain.

FCO Hilton suite bathroom soap — Interesting. It’s the same damn soap you’ll find in any other Hilton back home in the US. That’s sort of like ordering room service in an Italian hotel and getting something other than the pasta or pizza. Just sayin’.

FCO Hilton suite second bathroom — Finally, this suite also featured this second bathroom (located just off the main entrance). Ain’t nothing not to like about having options when you gotta go N O W.

Pros and cons of staying at the FCO Hilton

If all you need to know is if I would stay at this property again, then rest assured- yes! I would choose to stay here again without even batting an eye. It’s not perfect, but it’s probably one of the best airport hiltons that I’ve ever stayed at.

Pros

It’s extremely quiet. Not only did I not hear any other guest, I didn’t hear any airplanes as well.
The suites are very homey feeling, and it’ll feel like staying in an apartment.
Huge bathrooms! I mean, who doesn’t like room to spread out when doing disgusting things?

Cons

Even with the heat cranked all the way up, I froze my ass off.
It’s a bit of a walk from the airport terminal. Wear comfortable shoes or else.
It’s still a Hilton, so don’t expect cutting edge style and design.

The Rome Airport (FCO) Hilton is pretty good y’all