Set tables for breakfast in the diningroom of Don Pasquale Restaurant at Hotel Maalot in Rome
Rome’s hotel scene is better than ever. Like the city itself, Rome’s hotels are dynamic and diverse, ranging from historic grand dames to new budget-friendly accommodations full of character. The best of them not only provide a place to sleep after a long day of sightseeing but also draw you into the community and make you feel at home. Some have a bar or restaurant that’s popular among Romans, while others showcase the work of local artists or have a friendly staff happy to share insider tips with you. Ahead, 15 of our favorite hotels in the Eternal City.
Just off the bustling Piazza del Popolo, this beloved stalwart by Rocco Forte Hotels is an oasis of calm. Locals and visiting celebrities flock to the Stravinskij Bar and Le Jardin de Russie restaurant in the two-tiered secret garden for cocktails and food by acclaimed chef Fulvio Pierangelini (try the delicate ravioli cacio e pepe). The 86 rooms and 34 suites—some with views of Piazza del Popolo, others overlooking teh garden—feature modern furnishings with design touches inspired by Roman heritage, such as marble busts and mosaic tiles in the bathrooms.
Courtesy of Rocco Forte Hotels
Hotel de Russie’s sister hotel has gained a dedicated following among sophisticated locals and travelers. Located on the prestigious Via Sistina atop the Spanish Steps, it has a rooftop bar with unrivaled views of the city’s domes and terra cotta roofs. But it’s the personal touches that set this family-run brand apart, like spa treatments and bathroom amenities by Sir Rocco Forte’s daughter Irene Forte, who uses all-natural ingredients grown on the family’s Sicilian resort, and the modern yet timeless design by his sister Olga Polizzi, who imbues every Rocco Forte hotel with a sense of place.
Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini used to frequent this historic hotel a few blocks from the Spanish Steps, and it exudes an air of glamour again thanks to a multimillion-euro renovation by the Dorchester Collection in 2018. Rooms and suites hew to a classic style, with plush beds and opulent marble bathrooms, while the rooftop—home to the casual il Giardino restaurant and the Michelin-starred La Terrazza—has a more modern, airy feel.
It’s no wonder Wes Anderson likes to stay at this independently run boutique hotel just off Piazza del Popolo—it feels like an art deco fever dream. Originally opened in 1925, it changed hands in the ’60s and expanded in the ’80s, but is still full of original architectural details and antiques from the 1920s. Anselmo Ballester—the artist behind many classic film posters—created a poster for the hotel that hangs in the lobby near an antique Steinway, and a small hallway displays artifacts like the hotel’s original teacups and black-and-white photos of movie stars who have stayed there. For a glamorous trip back in time, this is the place to stay.
W’s first Italian hotel represents the brand’s evolution from party hub to something a bit more grown up. Marriott went to great lengths to root the W in a sense of place by partnering with local collaborators, including Michelin-starred Sicilian chef Ciccio Sultano, whose restaurant Giano is one of Rome’s hottest tables, rising star pizzaiolo Pier Daniele Seu, who slings gourmet pizzas on the rooftop, and Daria Reina of beloved concept shop Chez Dede, who curated the boutique.
For its first hotel/members club in Italy, Soho House ventured into the artsy San Lorenzo neighborhood and built this property from the ground up. The design is sleek, modern, and Mediterranean, with a warm pastel color palette and art by local artists. There are plenty of amenities, including a cinema and a spa, as well as programming like art openings, film screenings, workshops, and meditation classes, but the biggest draw is the rooftop pool and Cecconoi’s.
On a quiet street near the Spanish Steps, this small hotel is a hidden gem. Housed in the 16th-century building annexed to Palazzo Borghese, it has a bold, cinematic design by set designer Paolo Bonfini. All rooms have dramatic lighting and botanical prints; some rooms also have terraces that look out onto Palazzo Borghese’s tranquil gardens. The restaurant Adelaide serves Roman classics like carbonara and creative dishes like grilled squid with peas, spring onion, and wasabi. Staff members are kind and friendly, always doing their best to make guests feel at home.
From the team behind Hotel Vilòn, this new boutique haven with just 30 rooms occupies the former home of opera composer Gaetano Donizetti steps from the Trevi Fountain. To get to the reception area, guests must walk through the restaurant Don Pasquale, which was inspired by English clubhouses, with plush banquettes, a huge chandelier hanging from a skylight, and paintings from Stanley Gonczansky’s “Almost Classic” series, which resemble Dutch Golden Age portraits but with a twist.
At this microhotel in the upscale Parioli neighborhood, British brand the Hoxton channeled the building’s midcentury origins to create a colorful 1970s-inspired design. The main restaurant Beverly serves California cuisine (a rarity in Rome), and the casual café Cugino offers baked goods and light bites from the team behind cult favorite restaurant/microbakery Marigold in Ostiense. Rooms are small but comfortable, with bespoke furniture, Roberts speakers, and books chosen by Hox friends.
French brand Mama Shelter brought a touch of whimsy to the Prati neighborhood near the Vatican with this riotously colorful hotel. Funky design touches appear everywhere: Look up in the pizzeria, which has Versace-esque ceiling murals; the indoor pool is decorated with sunny yellow and pastel pink tiles in graphic patterns that resemble something from the Memphis design movement. The rooftop bar is a hot spot for creative cocktails and light bites. Rooms feature fabrics in fun patterns, and all movies on the smart TVs are free (even adult movies).
The third and newest location of the First, this music-themed hotel on the banks of the Tiber joins its two sister hotels (the First Roma Arte and the First Roma Dolce) to create a sort of diffused urban resort. Each property has only twenty-something rooms, and guests at each one can access the services at the others, including Alto cocktail bar at the First Musica, the Michelin-starred Aquolina at the First Arte, and the gourmet pastry café at the First Dolce. Rooms are sleek and modern with floor-to-ceiling windows, Loro Piano fabrics, and top-of-the-line Bang & Olufsen wireless speakers.
If you dream of waking up to views of the Colosseum, look no further. At this intimate five-star hotel in Count Manfredi’s palazzo, some of the 20 rooms have floor-to-ceiling glass windows and even showers with views of the iconic monument. In addition, it’s home to one of the best cocktail bars in Rome, the Court,; the drinks are a splurge but come with those incredible views and gourmet bites from the Michelin-starred restaurant Aroma, where guests enjoy breakfast.
Oenophiles will feel right at home at this eight-room boutique hotel run by the owner of Pierluigi, one of Rome’s best seafood restaurants. The general manager and several other staff members are trained sommeliers, and each room comes with a wine fridge that they can personalize to your taste, choosing bottles from the wine cellar, which has 1,500 labels. A nightly aperitivo in the hotel’s Charade Bar, which features murals by local artist Andrea Ferolla, is included in the room rate.
Hip locals flock to the rooftop bar of this industrial-chic hotel—a member of Design Hotels—on the edge of the Jewish Ghetto for Mexican margaritas and tacos, while the main restaurant, Campocori, exudes a sultry vibe with chandeliers, velvet, and marble tables and serves modern Italian cuisine. The rooms and public spaces mix industrial and vintage furnishings with street art by local artists like Alice Pasquini. There’s also a sushi bar.
Serious foodies should book a room at this elegant boutique hotel owned by husband-and-wife team Riccardo and Ramona Di Giacinto, who run the Michelin-starred Ristorante All’Oro downstairs. The tasting menus they serve for dinner are not to be missed, but hotel guests get the added bonus of a gourmet breakfast. The 14-room hotel is housed in a historic building in the Flaminio area a few minutes from Piazza del Popolo, with tastefully modern decor and art curated by Galleria Mucciaccia.
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