Capture the essence of this ancient city at one of the chic Rome boutique hotels.
If you’re planning your own little Italian escape, you’ll want to head to Rome, the country’s frantic, uber-sexy capital, and one of these chic little houses of slumber.
Bulgari Hotel Roma
One of the newest luxury digs for the Eternal City, Roman jeweller Bulgari’s property on Piazza Augusto Imperatore, its second Italian hotel after Milan, is housed within a historic building designed by architect Vittorio Ballio Morpurgo. For its newest house of slumber, Bulgari called in Studio Polis to restore both the building and many of its original works such as mosaics, frescos and bas-reliefs.
Guests will slip past a marble statue of emperor Augustus from the prestigious Torlonia collection as they pass through the entrance, bound for the hidden Bulgari Lounge, the residential-style lobby, or one of the 114 rooms and suites, the creations of Italian architecture and interior design firm ACPV Architects’ Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel who applied plenty of soft textures and touches across four colour schemes. Be sure to leave time to peruse the Bulgari boutique at the lobby level, dip in the spectacular indoor swimming pool, sip aperitivos in the lush rooftop garden and sample the fare of acclaimed chef Niko Romito.
Palazzo Roma
Newly opened in January, Palazzo Roma is located on Via del Corso and offers a chance for travellers to step back in time, thanks to its history as a former home to local aristocrats. Dressed in original frescoes, coffered ceilings, rich wood panelling, Versailles teak parquet and rare marble, the hotel features just 39 rooms and suites designed by Milan-based architect Giampiero Panepinto to offer a spirited balance between heritage and modernity.
Live like a Roman in one of the three panoramic terrace suites, rub shoulders with the city’s beautiful in the Sala della Musica, the hotel lobby (formerly the mansion’s ballroom) with its grand piano and peruse the stunning watch collection of the Sala degli Orologi before taking a table at Core, headed by executive chef Federico Sartucci, who draws on his extensive travels to create modern, intriguing cuisine.
G-Rough
Housed within a 16th-century building steps from Piazza Navona, G-Rough, a member of Design Hotels, boasts just 10 “rough luxe” suites that draw inspiration from Italy’s rich history and design prowess.
Each floor of the five-story hotel draws its inspiration from a different Italian designer from the 30s, 40s and 50s, including Giò Ponti, Ico Parisi and Silvio Cavatorta, with each suite featuring original furniture – the 90-sqm penthouse even has stunning views of the Sant’Agnese dome. The interior’s Fellini-esque visual landscape meshes fantasy and baroque while the G-Bar wine gallery downstairs offers a wide selection of Italian and international labels and showcases artwork from local up-and-coming talents.
