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 Rome Hotels
Visitors have flocked to Rome, the 'Eternal City', since the Middle Ages, when pilgrims journeyed to the centre of Catholicism. Later tourists have been captivated by the city's ancient sites (its rich heritage as headquarters of the Roman Empire) and the legacy of the great Renaissance artists. There are surprisingly few purpose-built hotels in Rome. Most are housed in old buildings: mansions, palazzi, villas. Take your pick. But first decide on the location. Would you rather be near the Spanish Steps, a magnet for travellers, where you normally pay a premium for a room, but convenient for sight-seeing and shopping? Or around lively Campo di Fiori, with its market and cafes? Or across the Tiber in buzzing Trastevere? Or beyond the centre, where arguably you get the best value for money? Here are our choices. The hotels are listed by price category, and their order bears no reflection on our preference.
 Reviews by Nicky Swallow |
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| Luxury: Sumptuous grand hotel with a great location and lovely garden |
| Location: in the centre, between the Spanish Steps and Piazza del Popolo |
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| This contemporary version of a grand, city hotel is marvellously located and done out in soothing understated style. Public spaces include the elegant Stravinskij Bar (a fine spot for people watching), the excellent Le Jardin de Russie Restaurant and the De Russie Wellness Zone. There are 122-odd well-equipped bedrooms and gleaming bathrooms. But the ‘wow’ factor is the magnificent terraced garden, filled with orange and lemon trees, statues and butterflies. |
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| Luxury: Irresistible five-star luxury and service to match |
| Location: in gardens, 5 minutes walk from the Spanish Steps |
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| From the moment the top-hatted doorman ushers you into the resplendent marble hall, with its Roman arches and seductive sofas, you will be powerless to resist the Eden’s five-star pampering. The choice of royalty and movie stars past and present, it has 121 elegant rooms. If you’re here in summer, blow the expense, dine in the glorious rooftop restaurant and marvel at the spectacular views. |
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| Mid Price: One-time convent transformed into a smart Deco-style hotel |
| Location: close to the top of the Spanish Steps |
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| Hidden in a shuttered former convent, this first-rate yet reasonably priced hotel is a real find. It emerged from a total renovation in April 2005, oozing understated Deco-style luxury. Rooms come with monochromatic colour schemes, Irish bed-linen, well-sprung mattresses and huge fluffy towels. A high point is the welcome from wonderful head concierge Aldo Basso Bandini, in charge for 30 years. |
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| Mid Price: Surprisingly quiet, central hotel with bags of traditional charm |
| Location: just north of Piazza Navona |
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| For such a central hotel, we were struck by how quiet the Due Torri is. The building’s fresh, painted façade is on a narrow cobbled side street, and its neat interior is full of traditional Italian charm. An attractive red and beige colour scheme flows through the comfortable public rooms up to the spotless bedrooms, reached by an elegant marble staircase. The attentive staff provide very personal service. |
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| Mid Price: Chic, comfortable bed-and-breakfast in the centre |
| Location: south-east of Campo de’ Fiori |
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| The Spartan staircase inside the palazzo entrance doesn’t prepare you for this delightful first-floor hotel, designed and fitted out in serious style by its architect owner. Breakfast is served at a long wooden table in a room which also contains a vast hand-painted dresser, pale sofas and some wonderful art and sculpture. Bedrooms are chic in navy and white, with monogrammed linen and fresh flowers. |
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| Mid Price: Stylish home-from-home, filled with beautiful objects |
| Location: 150m from the Spanish Steps |
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| Behind the unmarked door of a secluded 19th-century palazzo, Massimiliano Leonardi and Jennifer Howard’s second-floor guest house is a home-from-home. There’s no concierge, just ‘house-genie’ Edgar, who shows you the ‘honesty fridge’, packed with cold drinks. In the five individually decorated bedrooms, the feel is high-style but never flash, with beautifully chosen furniture and objets d’art. There’s also an amazing Turkish hammam. |
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| Mid Price: Hotel in the style of an old convent in a vibrant area |
| Location: seconds from Piazza di Santa Maria in central Trastevere |
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| Built in 2000 on the site of a 16th-century convent behind the lively Piazza di Santa Maria, this hotel is a single-storey repro, complete with cloisters and jutting tiled roofs, arranged around two leafy courtyards. In summer the excellent breakfast is served by cheerful staff under the orange trees. Bedrooms are large, modest and clean with comfy beds and small but perfectly formed bathrooms. |
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| Mid Price: 1920s hotel with an understated sophistication |
| Location: in a side street just north of Piazza del Popolo |
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| It’s not surprising if this stylish 1920s hotel has the air of a film set about it: Swiss director Bernard Weber used it as the location for his 1978 movie ‘Hotel Locarno’, and its low-key glamour makes it a perennial favourite with artists. An impressive collection of Art Nouveau and Deco pieces furnish the reception rooms, and a birdcage lift creaks up to the distinctively decorated bedrooms. |
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| Inexpensive: Simple, friendly B&B on the site of Pompey's Theatre |
| Location: just east of Campo de’ Fiori |
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| Tucked away in a corner off picturesque Campo de' Fiori, this simple, family-run hotel has one unique and remarkable feature: it was built on the site of Pompey’s Theatre, which dates from 55BC, and the walls of the cosy breakfast room have been hewn from the native tufa. Upstairs bedrooms are homely and attractive, with creamy walls, wood furniture and terracotta-flagged floors. |
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| Inexpensive: Calm, attractive villa in a green suburb |
| Location: in a residential area, north-east of the centre |
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| If you plan to arrive in Rome by car, this handsome 1910 villa in a leafy suburb is the perfect choice. Owned and run by the Bernardini family for some 40 years, it has a serene atmosphere. The family’s fine antiques and oil portraits fill the reception areas, and there’s no shortage of space for sitting and relaxing. Bedrooms are charmingly decorated in country style. |
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| Inexpensive: Warm, modest, family-run two-star |
| Location: between Via del Corso and Piazza San Silvestro, 10 minutes walk from the Spanish Steps |
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| On the third and fourth floors of a 17th-century palazzo, this basic but friendly two-star hotel is run with infectious enthusiasm by the Chini family. Collages of postcards from grateful clients decorate the walls of the entrance hall, and murals brighten those of the reception and breakfast room. The simple, traditional bedrooms vary in size: try for a large one. There’s an appealing roof terrace for summer breakfasts. |
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| Mid Price: Peaceful, boutique refuge in the villagey Aventine district mid-range |
| Location: in the Aventine |
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| Within walking distance of some of Rome’s main sights, the quietly aristocratic, residential area of the Aventine with its handsome 19th-century villas and lush gardens has an almost villagey feel. The smartly-revamped Sant’ Anselmo has a gorgeous garden and is an oasis of calm. Most of the 34 romantic, luxurious bedrooms are themed (‘Gold’, ‘Romeo and Juliet’, ‘Poetry’). All have rich drapery, splendid bathrooms and touches of baroque glamour. |
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