Rome is a tough city for accommodations. The sheer volume of options is staggering, and there is often little correlation between price and quality. Summers are particularly brutal: the city gets absolutely slammed with visitors and prices climb to eyewatering heights, especially now that the era of the insanely priced design hotel has fully arrived. The 6 Senses, The Rome Edition, and Bulgari properties are stunning, but they will cost you.
The range runs from dingy hostels near Termini to five-star palazzos with views of the Spanish Steps, with everything imaginable in between. The recommendations below cut through the noise, from self-catering apartments to genuinely worthwhile splurges.
If you are going the Airbnb route, stick to central neighborhoods around Largo Argentina, Campo de’ Fiori, and Trastevere. but read reviews carefully for noise.
Budget Accommodations and B&Bs
The Beehive: Americans Steve and Linda offer friendly, eco-conscious accommodations of varying types near Stazione Termini. Options include private rooms (from €80) and dorm beds (from €40).
Nicholas Inn: An amazing location near the Forum, comfortable rooms, and a super nice and accommodating staff make the Nicholas Inn Rome’s leading B&B.
Buonanotte Garibaldi B&B: Technically a B&B, but appointed and priced like a hotel, Buonanotte Garibaldi has rooms crafted out of the owner’s textile studio in a very quiet part of Trastevere (quiet except at noon sharp, when the canon on the Gianicolo uphill goes off).
Hotels
Hotel Santa Maria in Trastevere: Nineteen rooms set around a 16th-century cloister in the heart of Trastevere.
Hotel Fortyseven: This stylish, contemporary hotel in the former cattle market has a fabulous roof terrace and well-appointed rooms.
Babuino 181: Situated between Piazza del Popolo and the Spanish Steps, this property is part of the larger Rome Luxury Suites group, offers…luxury suites. My coverage for the NYT here.
Albergo Santa Chiara: A labyrinthine three-star hotel, just one block from the Pantheon. If you want to be in the heart of the historic center with restaurants, wine bars, and shops at your fingertips, this is the place.
Hotel Ponte Sisto: A four-star hotel near the pedestrian bridge leading to Trastevere, with quiet rooms and a lovely internal courtyard.
Chapter Roma: This 19th-century neoclassical building has been transformed into a hotel embellished with herringbone parquet, exposed brick, velvet, and works by Alice Pasquini and other street artists. The rooftop bar slings cocktails over a panorama of domes and rooftops. The Mexican-themed food is awful but the drinks are nice. Campo de’ Fiori and the Pantheon are a short walk; so is Trastevere.
Palazzo del Velabro: This carefully restored 18th-century residence on Via del Velabro, steps from the Arch of Janus, offers views over the Palatine and Roman Forum from the terrace. Architect Luigi Moretti’s dramatic curved interiors have been reimagined with a palette of sage, brick, and cobalt. A cinema and library round out the amenities.
Real Fancy Hotels
Villa Spalletti Trivelli: Elegantly decorated rooms and suites, a spa, and a private garden make this luxurious villa on the slopes of the Quirinal Hill a unique destination. Proximity to the Forum is a bonus.
G-Rough: This boutique luxury accommodation opened in central Rome in March 2015 on a square just off the exuberantly Baroque Piazza Navona. The suites-only hotel is the work of hoteliers Emanuele Garosci and Gabriele Salini, who blend mirrored and distressed surfaces with modern design elements and Venetian artwork. The only things remotely “rough” about the place are the walls, which have been artfully stripped down to reveal textured strata of centuries-old paper and paint. Read more on Afar…
D.O.M.: The D.O.M. is a five-star boutique hotel in the heart of Rome’s historic center. Originally built as a 17th-century noble palace, the property was subsequently converted into a monastery, then Ministry of Justice offices. Its current design, which blends architectural elements from its previous uses, was entrusted to architect Antonio Girardi, who has seamlessly married Renaissance reverence and modern design. My coverage for the NYT here.
JK Place: Opened in a building that previously housed the University of Rome’s architecture department, JK Place is one of the additions that paved the way to Rome’s growing number of high-end luxury boutique hotels. It is located near the intersection of Via Del Corso and Via dei Condotti, Rome’s most chaotic shopping nexus, but it is just far enough away from the action to maintain an air of seclusion, a rarity for the zone. More on Afar…
Hotel de Russie: One of Rome’s poshest addresses offers comfort, luxury and service. There’s a spa, garden, and a perfect balance between classicism and modernity. If you want something even more up-to-date and over-the-top, plus views, try the Hotel De La Ville, operated by the same hotel group.
Hotel Raphael: A five-star hotel and veritable art museum located just steps from Piazza Navona. The rooftop bar and restaurant has amazing views and is a lovely place to grab a drink, whether you are a guest or not.
Martius Suites: Occupying eight rooms and suites inside the Palazzo Lavaggi, a Renaissance residence in the Campo Marzio district a few minutes’ walk north of the Pantheon, this intimate property carries centuries of noble pedigree. The building has housed counts, cardinals, and poets, and its frescoed ceilings, marble-clad walls, and hand-painted details survive intact in the larger suites. The staff is attentive enough to organize Vatican tours and dinner reservations, yet the scale is small enough that staying here feels less like a hotel and more like renting a corner of a Roman palazzo.
Apartments
Spanish Steps Apartment: This gorgeous apartment rental on Via della Mercede near the Spanish Steps is available for five-day-minimum stays.
La Scelta di Goethe: Luxury apartment near the Spanish steps.
A Villa Outside Rome
Casale Sonnino A fabulous family-owned villa in the Roman countryside. The property is immersed in a historic wine-producing region and is home to wonderful nature and biodiversity–not to mention a few ruins!
