Hotel de la Ville, Rome
Is this a dream? That’s the first thought walking into the internal courtyard at Hotel de la Ville, deciding which table to sit at, flanked by stripy umbrellas and balconies dressed in green. It is the moment you know you are off the plane and firmly placed in Europe at its best.
The hotel sits on Via Sistina, overlooking Piazza di Spagna and the Trinità dei Monti, where the Grand Tour and the discovery of Rome once began. For centuries, aristocratic young Europeans were sent to Rome to look, learn and be changed by it, and this hotel, dating to the eighteenth century, has always been part of that story. It joined the Rocco Forte collection after a lengthy remodel, with Tommaso Ziffer and Olga Polizzi reworking the historic palazzo into something that reads as contemporary without losing the weight of its past. Handmade wallpapers by Rubelli and Dedar, vintage tapestries from Zardi & Zardi, and a courtyard garden by George Carter, all obelisks and greenish black and gold, set the tone before I’d reached my room.
Need to Knows
- 89 Rooms and 15 suites throughout, 3 of which are signature suites (Roma Suite, Canova Suite and De la Ville Suite) which can be combined into the Panoramic Penthouse Suite.
- Check in: 3:00 PM Check out: 12:00 PM
What’s There
Rooms are dressed in plush beds, convertible to twins, with marble bathrooms fitted out in Irene Forte Skincare, made from Sicilian plant extracts. The Superior Rooms are the entry point, looking over Via Sistina or the inner courtyard, intimate and discreet, while the Deluxe Panoramic View Rooms come with a private terrace and uninterrupted views over the rooftops. At the top end, the Panoramic Penthouse Suite is a residence in itself, with a 24 hour butler, in suite check in and its own wardrobe concierge for pressing, packing and minor tailoring. The 3 signature suites are something to behold, and I’m told both floors can be booked together, effectively creating a home within the hotel.
Public spaces are beautifully considered, with mismatched interior layers, checked flooring, textured furniture and patterned wallpaper throughout. It felt less like a hotel and more like stepping into the home of a long lost relative with incredible taste. Beyond the lobby, the extended lobby areas feature some of the most impressive floral installations we’ve seen. I took the stairs where I could, they are some of the most beautiful features of the building.
Café Ginori sits on the ground floor, pairing Fulvio Pierangelini’s menu with Ginori 1735 porcelain in a space that doubles as a working boutique. The pappardelle pasta with lobster and mushrooms here is a must order, and eating within the retail home of such stunning tableware was a gorgeous moment in itself.
What’s Around
The hotel sits at the gates of Villa Borghese, with the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain both an easy walk from the front door. Further afield, the Lungotevere leads to Zaha Hadid’s MAXXI, and Piazza Navona sits just past the historic Palazzo Braschi.
What’s Super Special
The rooftop. Cielo Restaurant and Cielo Bar span the top floors, redesigned by Paolo Moschino, with a drinks list to match one of the best panoramic views in the city. For suite guests, “Above and Beyond” opens up Rome’s hidden rooftops and private palazzi, with aperitivo curated by Fulvio Pierangelini and stargazing on the Astro Bed.
The Irene Forte Spa is a world of its own, a Mediterranean retreat built around warm, cold, steam and sauna therapy, with ice applied to the wrists as part of the ritual. It became a daily habit fast, and felt close to magic for recovery after a long-haul flight, all but wiping the hours off jet lag.
Children
Children and families are welcome, with family configurations possible through connecting rooms, pairing a Deluxe Room with a Junior Suite, for example. The hotel’s warmth toward younger guests extends beyond its own walls too. It recently launched Bedtime Stories, an initiative pairing well-known screen voices with a set of classic fables, recorded to give young patients at Rome’s Gemelli hospital something familiar to hold on to during treatment, launched alongside a fundraising dinner for a new family residence being built on the hospital campus.
Breakfast
Served at Mosaico, buffet style with local and seasonal produce, a greens juice making point, house baked bread and pastries that go well beyond the expected, alongside an à la carte menu that includes some brilliant “Carbonara scrambled eggs”. One of the most charming moments of my trip happened here, where a passionate waiter happily schooled me on the correct order to layer ricotta, prosciutto, figs and sourdough. I couldn’t have been more grateful.
Eating and Drinking
Food across the hotel sits under Fulvio Pierangelini, Creative Director of Food for Rocco Forte Hotels. The pastry chef deserves attention too, with standouts across berry tarts and a lemon ricotta cake. Julep Bar draws on the old Spice Route for its cocktail list, while Cielo Bar and Restaurant take over the top floors for sunset drinks and small plates built for sharing, among them tuna tartare with ricotta cheese and misticanza, and roasted chicken croquettes with lime mayonnaise.
Things to Book
The “Behind the Scenes” tour of Cinecittà Studios, open to Suites guests, taking in the carpentry workshop and the Film Camera Museum. A private, out of hours visit to the Sistine Chapel. The evening tour by vintage car past Saint Peter’s Basilica, the Colosseum and the Quirinale.
Notes
The gym is stocked with state of the art equipment and felt genuinely spacious given the property’s central location. Two banquet rooms sit on the second floor, facing an inner courtyard available for private hire. The hotel also has a quiet, philanthropic side. It recently hosted a fundraising dinner for La Casa dei Bambini, a new family residence being built at Rome’s Gemelli hospital for families of children in long term care.