Which is the best known? The hotel or the bar? Hard to say. One rocks balmy nights, the other is conducive to whispered or lively discussions. Federico Fellini, Jack Kerouac, Alberto Moravia, Elsa Morante have passed through its walls. It was yesterday but it is still true today. Writers, directors, actors and artists, both up and coming, remain very attached to this place where there is an air of the Roaring Twenties. Next to Piazza del Popolo, the five-star Hotel Locarno is far from bling-bling. Founded in 1925, it expanded a long time ago to now have around forty rather large rooms. An essential address in Rome.
The price : from €350 for a double room.
Most : the unique atmosphere.
The least: its timeless style – which also gives it its charm…
Address: Hotel Locarno, Via della Penna 22, 00186 Rome. Such. : +39 06 3610841.
The Radical Hotel, away from the crowds
A no-frills concept, The Radical Hotel is not about lace but about contemporary and affordable design. The 11 rooms and suites are spread over two floors and vibrate around a lounge bathed in light. You can enjoy a glass of chianti while listening to your favorite vinyl – or have your à la carte breakfast. A library (with books to leaf through and not just for decoration) and works of art complete the picture. The hotel is a five-minute walk from Via Veneto, the famous street completely reconstructed by Federico Fellini in the Cinecittà studios for La Dolce Vita.
The price : from €150 for a double room.
Most : be away from the tourist crowds.
The least: a little away from the historic center.
Address: The Radical Hotel Via Umbria 7, 00187 Rome. Such. : +39 06 989 373 66.
Vilòn Luxury Hotel, on the gardens of History
Yesterday a school for disadvantaged girls, today an intimate 5-star hotel… In the annex of the Borghese Palace, a 16th century building, the laughter of children continues to resonate in this chic and theatrical decoration imagined by interior designer Giampiero Panepinto and the film decorator Paolo Bonfini (who worked on Gomorra by Matteo Garrone). The whole is colorful, rich in noble fabrics and custom-designed furniture. The palette of the rooms matches the tones of the Robert John Thornton botanical boards – mint green, earth and coral.
The price : from €700 for a double room.
Most : Most rooms overlook the private gardens of Palazzo Borghese.
The least: no rooftop overlooking the city but a terrace and a patio.
Address: Vilòn Luxury Hotel Via dell’Arancio 69, 00186 Rome. Such. : +39 06 87 81 87.
Six Senses Rome, the Roman baths as a heritage
On Via del Corso, the brand new Six Senses is next to the San Marcello al Corso church – partly renovated by the hotel. It opens entirely onto Roman life with the friendly and very lively Bivium, a café-bar-restaurant straddling the interior and exterior, and the extraordinary spa resonating with the pleasures of ancient Roman baths. Imbued with the different layers of the city’s history, the Six Senses brings together the large baptismal bath from the 4th century (seen on the ground floor through a glass floor) and the designer’s contemporary, rounded lines. star Patricia Urquiola. The rooms exude calm and softness.
The price : from €1300 per double room.
Most : the spectacular Notos rooftop hosting morning yoga sessions, aperitivo or dinner.
The least: the success of its café-bar-restaurant!
Address: Six Senses Rome Piazza di San Marcello, 00187 Rome. Such. : +39 06 868 14000.
Portrait Roma, beyond fashion
This hotel has gone through fashions without showing any signs of aging. Opened in 2006 on the corner of Via dei Condotti and two streets from Via del Corso, the Portrait Roma has 14 stylish suites, equipped with kitchenettes intended for simple dining. Dressed by the famous designer Michele Bönan, they evoke an elegant pied-à-terre behind curtains as soft as a silk scarf and in the reflections of a clever play of rotating or sliding mirrors. The Ferragamo family being behind this address, you can read the rich history of the shoemaker Salvatore Ferragamo on the walls. We can guess his close ties with movie stars and stars.
The price : from €700 for a double room.
Most : the service and the incredible little rooftop offering a view of the famous stairs of Piazza di Spagna and the Trinity of the Mountains.
The least: lack of common space.
Address: Portrait Roma Via Bocca di Leone 23, 00187 Rome. Such. : +39 06 693 80 742.
Soho House Rome, all trendy
In the mid-1990s, all of London gathered at Soho House, a “house” welcoming the cream of creatives. You had to show your credentials (be sponsored and take out your wallet) to join this club of a few happy few. Since then, Soho House has multiplied around the world and opened itself, in part, to the general public. In Rome, it naturally took root in 2021 in the arty and bohemian district of San Lorenzo. 49 rooms and 20 apartments (for long stays) are topped by a rooftop with a 360° view with bar-restaurant and swimming pool. The walls and spaces are filled with works by artists living and working in Italy.
The price : from €210 for a double room.
Most : the Cecconi’s restaurant on the roof terrace and, when it rains, the small cinema room.
The least: it’s pulsating here!
Address: Soho House Rome Via Cesare de Lollis 14, 00185, Rome. Such. : +39 069 480 8000.
Piazzadispagna9, like an art gallery
Behind a wooden door, on the third floor of a 15th century building, these 6 suites look like a contemporary art gallery. Because here, all the works and design pieces are for sale. In addition, temporary exhibitions punctuate the place – currently, the Italian artist Serafino Maiorano. Opened in 2014 but renovated in 2021 by the new owner, the hotel can also be rented in its entirety (by breaking the bank). Three of the bedrooms overlook Piazza di Spagna.
The price : from €450 for a double room.
Most : the location, excellent for wandering around Rome on foot. The metro station is three steps away.
The least: tourists, very numerous on the square!
Address: Piazzadispagna9 Piazza di Spagna 9, 00187 Rome. Such. : +39 06 69921 458.
Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese, Classic and Baroque revisited
Ideally located in a quiet street next to the Villa Borghese gardens, this Sofitel has been renovated by French interior designer, Jean-Philippe Nuel. He mixed the French art of living with details from classicism and Baroque, placing them in the 21st century. For example, the painted ceilings of the rooms evoke the Roman palaces of yesterday. Or even close-up photos of period statues and paintings. The 71 rooms and 7 suites, some of which have a terrace and jacuzzi, are bathed in light reflecting off the white walls.
The price : from €450 for a double room.
Most : the view from the rooftop, from morning to evening, of course!
The least: no parking, but car valet service.
Address: Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese Via Lombardia 47, 00187 Rome. Such. : +39 06 478021.
The Hoxton Rome, a step aside
Behind a modernist but not uninteresting 1970s façade, a neo-vintage air evokes a Roman cinematic atmosphere. For this new hotel, the high-profile design studio Fettle collaborated with Ennismore Design Studio to decorate the premises with an emphasis on Italian objects of yesterday. In total, 192 rooms (some of which have a terrace) are decorated with wooden wall panels and eclectic and cheerful furniture. The bathrooms, in childhood candy colors, nod to mid-century Italian design.
The price : from €349 per double room.
Most : the hotel is not very far from the MACRO (Museum of Contemporary Art in Rome).
The least: The Hoxton is located outside the historic center.
Address: The Hoxton Rome Largo Benedetto Marcello 220, 00198 Rome. Such. : +39 06 9450 2700.
Bio Hotel Raphaël Rome, eco-luxury
Covered by Virginia creeper, the facade of this Relais & Châteaux is in itself a breath of green and fresh air. Located a stone’s throw from Piazza Navona and a few steps from the Pantheon, Piazza di Spagna and St. Peter’s Basilica, the Bio Hotel Raphaël is one of the must-sees in the Eternal City. It appeared several times as a film set during the golden age of Roman cinema. It also has a rich collection of ceramics by Picasso and drawings by Mirò, Morandi, and De Chirico. Finally, two entire floors were designed by the famous architect Richard Meier.
The price : from €350 for a double room.
Most : the delightful roof terrace and the organic, vegetarian and vegan restaurant Mataer Terrae.
The least: if comfort is there, the decoration of the rooms can seem a bit dated.
Address: Bio Hotel Raphaël Rome Largo Febo 2 (Piazza Navona), 00186 Rome. Tel.: +39 06 682831.
