Rome offers a dizzying number of accommodation options, and if it’s your very first visit (wining and dining in Rome: 3 experiences you won’t want to miss) you’ll want to choose wisely to make the most of your experience. On a recent trip, I stayed in three very different places and realized that where I woke up in the morning could change the way I saw the city . I detail them here – all are strategically placed near ‘must see’ attractions – from the ancient centre and the most glamorous shopping district to the charm of medieval Trastevere.
This beautiful apartment is in the 16th century Palazzo Ruspoli on Rome’s landmark Via Condotti – you’ll pass locals laden with goods from Gucci, Prada, Chanel and more on your way to your corner of a real palace. Louis-Napoléon himself lived here in 1830, and today it is managed by the Principessa Letizia Ruspoli – Italian Royalty. A stay here offers the chance to feel the glow of yesterday’s aristocracy, if even just for a few nights.
Enter through ancient wooden doors and pass over the courtyard to ascend a 2000 year old marble staircase towards your new glory. Inside, the apartment is huge – an entrance hall and a sitting room lead to your enormous suite. The ceilings are double volume, offset by dark wood paneling, gilded mirrors, priceless original paintings, rich velvet, and silk curtains framing floor-to-ceiling views over the city’s terracotta rooftop mosaic.
Aside from the jaw-dropping shopping opportunities on your doorstep, your position in central Rome means you are just a few minutes walk away from the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain, not to mention Villa Borghese’s leafy expanse to the north – Rome’s own Central Park.
Named one of the ‘Top 20 top Small Hotels in the World’ by Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report, Casa MANNI is the vision of Armando Manni. A former film director and current producer of the world’s most expensive olive oils (you’ll find them in the kitchens of Thomas Keller’s French Laundry and Heston Blummenthal’s The Fat Duck, among other once-in-a-lifetime dining establishments), Armando is determined to offer guests an unparalleled opportunity to experience his hometown like one of its most privileged citizens.
Positioned in the very heart of Rome, Casa MANNI is a one-bedroomed Penthouse Apartment atop a 17th century palazzo that is minutes from the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Piazza del Popolo, Piazza Navona – and pretty much anything you’ve ever dreamed of seeing in Rome.
Besides the location, what defines a stay here is both privacy and privilege. You have the penthouse to yourself, but your host Armando is just a phone call away. The penthouse was designed by world-famous Adam D. Tihany whose many projects include Thomas Keller’s French Laundry and Heston Blumenthal’s restaurant Dinner at London’s Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park… anybody see a trend here? Tihany ensured you’ll take in a view of the second-century column of Marcus Aurelius from the lounge and your private rooftop terrace, whilst appreciating the interior which is filled with Armando’s personal collection of sculptures worth millions. The space is compact but feels larger than life with cathedral ceilings and the clever use of chrome, glass and marble. Once you settle in, you’ll dine on one-of-a-kind flatware, sip the finest in Italian wines from Armando’s own cellar, and bathe in organic Tuscan toiletries by Officinali di Montauto before falling to sleep between custom-woven Pratesi sheets. The penthouse even has its own unique perfumed aroma, thanks a unique blend of essential oils made to Armando’s specification.
It is so luxurious you might not want to leave in the morning! But you will, Rome is on your doorstep, and Armando specializes in planning insider experiences for his guests, making you feel like you have a (very privileged) friend in Rome, who can arrange any number of audacious experiences for your amusement. Want to walk the streets with the city’s most awarded archeological guide, Paolo Lenzi, or enjoy a private lunch with New York Times food writer Maureen Fant? Do you feel like touring Rome in a vintage Piaggio? Or would you like to have Rome’s most celebrated tailor take measures for your next suit, to be delivered in just a few days time? How about learning to cook the Roman way in a private lesson with a Michelin-starred chef? It’s all possible with Armando’s little black book. On the way out you might even rub shoulders with the Italian Prime Minister- he lives practically next door.
A boutique B&B with just three guest rooms, this is fashion designer and artist Luisa Longo’s artistic villa, filled with her own silk paintings, sculptures, antiques and family heirlooms. Heavy doors separate the quiet courtyard – filled with orange trees and the scent of magnolia – from the vibrant nightlife of Trestavere.
This is the quaint end of Rome – something like a movie set – where the piazza is mobbed by young-pretty-somethings and everyone seems to have a vespa, where the streets are narrow and cobblestoned, and seem to spiral among ivy covered, medieval buildings.
Here you are literally just around the corner from the Piazza Santa Maria and just a few minutes walk from the Vatican and the Pantheon. You’re also at the base of the the Gianicolo (Janiculum Hill), that leads up to one of the most dramatic panoramic views over Rome.
Unlike the urbanized city centre where trees are few and far between, most of Janiculum Hill is parkland and after the hustle of the city you’ll be struck by the sudden natural surroundings. Feel the crunch of fallen leaves under foot and smell the rich aroma of the earth as you make your way up to the view point just before sunset, when the sky will come alive in fiery hues and the lights of Rome come up as the sun goes down.
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