Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither were its hotels. A new wave of them is washing over the Eternal City, bringing hip restaurants and rooftop bars with them. From a longtime stalwart with a renovated secret garden to a newcomer with a wildly colorful design, journalist Laura Itzkowitz shares 5 of Rome’s coolest boutique hotels. ⬇️
Mama Shelter Roma
4 Stars | Website | Rome Ciampino Airport
217 | 1 swimming pool; Spa; Fitness center | 1
Piazza Navona; Piazza del Popolo; Piazza del Popolo
French boutique hotel brand Mama Shelter Roma recently opened their first Italian hotel in Prati, not far from the Vatican. It boasts a wildly colorful, whimsical design with hand-painted ceiling murals and vintage pinball machines. The main restaurant, Giardino d’Inverno, serves Mediterranean dishes in a space resembling an eclectic garden. When the rooftop restaurant opens this spring, it’s sure to become a hotspot.
Hotel de Russie
5 Stars | Website | Rome Ciampino Airport
121 | 1 swimming pool; Spa; Fitness center | 1
Piazza del Popolo; Villa Borghese; Piazza di Spagna; Spanish Steps
Visiting celebrities and Rome’s beautiful people flock to this stalwart by Rocco Forte Hotels just off Piazza del Popolo. In the recently renovated multi-tiered “secret garden” guests sip Martinis and Spritzes at the ground-floor bar while attentive waiters serve specialties like ravioli cacio e pepe on the restaurant terrace above.
Hotel Vilòn
5 Stars | Website | Rome Ciampino Airport
17 | Free WiFi; Room service; Bar | 1
Piazza Navona; Trevi Fountain; Castel Sant’Angelo
A hidden gem tucked away on a side street near the Spanish Steps, this property feels like a chic Roman home. Housed in the annex of Palazzo Borghese, it has a cinematic design featuring jewel tones, stylish furnishings, and art by renowned photographer Massimo Listri. Some suites have terraces overlooking a peaceful courtyard.
Maalot Roma
5 Stars | Website | Rome Ciampino Airport
30 | Room service; Fitness center; Bar | 1
Largo di Torre Argentina; Piazza Navona; Roman Forum
The younger sister of Vilòn, this hotel opened recently near the Trevi Fountain. You have to walk through the chic restaurant—whose design was inspired by English colonial clubhouses—to check in. Locals and travelers flock here for elegantly presented Roman classics like amatriciana and cacio e pepe.
Chapter Roma
4 Stars | Website | Rome Ciampino Airport
42 | Free WiFi; Room service; Bar | 3
Piazza Navona; Piazza Navona; Trevi Fountain
A hip, newish hotel on the edge of the Jewish Ghetto, Chapter Roma draws hip locals for margaritas and tacos at its Mexican-themed rooftop bar. Inside, the rooms and public spaces have an industrial-luxe design, with murals by local street artists. The restaurant will open later this month.
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