Rome: 2 of the Hottest Hotels in Historic Palazzo

Two of Rome’s hottest design hotels, the Hotel de Russie and Hotel de la Ville, are located in historic palazzo. Tamara Thiessen checks in to the two Rocco Forte design wonders.

Photography by Tamara Thiessen

Whenever I arrive at the Porta del Popolo – the northern gateway to the Eternal City – I think of Queen Christina. Perhaps I even like to imagine myself as Queen Christina. After abdicating the throne in 1654, and riding to Rome dressed as a man, the flamboyant monarch was greeted here with much fanfare. The pope commissioned Bernini to beautify the facade of the famous square with a welcome inscription in Latin to the Queen. She called Rome home until her death three decades later.

Artists and Queens Anyway, I diverge, but the erudite Swede always comes to mind in this iconic Rome piazza. Both her and Caravaggio whose works are on display in the church immediately inside the square, Santa Maria del Popolo. We pop in for a glimpse of “The Conversion of St Paul” and “The Crucifixion of St Peter”, as though dropping into a caffè for an espresso. In truth, I am a little bit impatient about reaching our destination. Crossing the vast piazza, I’m swept up in the heady thrill of being in Rome. And keep stopping, just to breathe it all in. Like much of the Centro Storico, the square swarms with history and stories, and inimitable Rome dolce vita.

Hotel de Russie: Style in Roma’s Centro Storico

On the corner of Via del Babuino, immaculately dressed Romans whizz past restaurant terrazzo on vespas. A bit further along, we find ourselves standing outside the classical white stone facade of the Hotel de Russie. There’s quite a flurry – of doormen (in tails and top hats), and of paparazzi. Clearly, they’re awaiting the arrival of someone famous. And it ain’t me – or Queen Christina! Inside, the first thing that strikes me is the eye-catching harmony of antique and modern inside the lobby. Vaulted ceilings painted milky white. Marble tables with colourful flower arrangements. And a salon full of velvet sofas and Roman statuettes.

Famous Guests: Picasso and Cocteau

Architect and urban planner Giuseppe Valadier designed the hotel in the early 1800s, while re-looking Piazza del Popolo. In 1917, Pablo Picasso and Jean Cocteau stayed here. As the story goes, the friends enjoyed some casual repartee while helping themselves to oranges from the garden outside their rooms. Oh, and wow what gardens! Valadier’s ‘Secret Garden’ unfurls through terraces of palm trees and climbing roses; fountains and a fern-dripping nymphaeum.

We have a view over the courtyard from our suite. By night it forms a little private piazza, for those spilling out of the hotels’ restaurant and bar.

Grand Rome Hotel Gets Design Revamp

The French writer-artist friends sojourned her many decades before the 2000 revamp. Back then it was known romantically as the “Grand Hotel de Russie et des Îles Britannique”. Quite a mouthful! The name owes to the long list of Russian royals and painters who stayed here. Olga Polizzi – design director at the Rocco Forte Hotels – and architect, Tommaso Ziffer, wanted to concoct “luxurious Roman living” in the new-look rooms and suites. Of which there are some 120 in total.

Also, to connect them with their historic surroundings through the smatterings of antiquity-inspired bas relief, sculptures and black and white photography. These contrast with gorgeous colored cushions and fabrics, artisanal wood furnishings, and truly dreamy botanical imprint wallpaper.

Speaking of botanical, the garden is also our breakfast setting. The grounds form an almost seamless swathe of heavenly green with the Pincio park above. The vast parklands are another Valadier creation. Here you can rub shoulders with erudite types such as Dante. At least, in sculpture form.

Next Stop, Spanish Steps and Hotel de la Ville 

So, after a more than ample breakfast, it’s just a 10-minute walk, hop, skip and jump, to the Hotel de Ville. The second of Rome’s hottest design hotels is located in an even older, 18th century, palazzo. Hotel de Russie’s sister hotel sits just near the top of the Spanish Steps. Ancora, a location hard to beat.

The whole area around the 16th century Trinità dei Monti church is steeped in history. The hotel absorbs all of that, from the time you land in front of the hotel in Via Sistina, and step over the threshold.

Starting in the lobby, with its geometric Roman Empire style patterned tiles, Neoclassical columns, and reliefs of Roman ruins on the walls. Even the concierge desk is totally out-of-the-ordinary. Formed like a Roman table support, or trapezophoros, it’s carved with legendary winged creatures and other motifs.

Remembering The Grand Tour

18th century archeological scenes of Rome by Piranesi deck the corridors. Copies of his etchings also adorn the Tuscan yellow walls of the lounge, amid a sweep of statuettes, urns and bronze pine cones. The “Print Room” is meant to evoke a genteel British sitting room of the day, full of mementos of the Grand Tour.

Tucked off it, is a decadent, blue-wallpapered den – the Vermouth Bar. Here you can get tipsy imbibing cocktails that will have you sailing the 13th-century spice route.

The interiors throughout are divino – again, the teamwork of Polizzi and Ziffer. They’ve filled the hotel with many ancient Rome allusions that will have you time-traveling. Though not without enjoying the most sumptuous modernities. Rest assured … you can leave the antiquities in the imagination when it comes to high-tech needs!

Interiors: Classics Reinvented with Technology

From our room, there’s a sensazionale panorama of Rome’s domes, stretching from the Pantheon to St. Peters. That view expands to almost 360 degrees on the rooftop. We soak it up at breakfast, then over a lantern-lit aperitivo. Sipping Champagne, we enjoy some unusual Asian-Italian fusions, including vegetarian dumplings with Burrata cheese filling.

The rooms and suites are plush and playful. From peacock blue velvet chairs and chinoiserie dressers, to Chinese vases turned night-lights. Even the coffee tables are digitally imprinted with a Roman mosaic design. In the marble bathrooms there are more bold geometric forms, recalling classical Roman design.

It’s the kind of luxury that Hadrian may well have enjoyed at Tivoli. (Minus the body creams, which are rather yummy! … Intoxicatingly scented with orange blossom, they’re the creation of Sir Rocco’s daughter Irene, wellness director of the group).

Even going in the elevator is fun. You can peek at yourself through paisley patterns printed on the glass. Then get a truly time warp vision while heading out of the hotel, via a line-up of convex “witches’ mirrors”. Sandwiching the walls of a narrow hallway, the miroirs sorcières reflect bits of Roman history all over the place. As much as they reflect the luxurious present we are lapping up.

Now to settle back to ‘normality’ after back-to-back stays at these luxury sister hotels, which take luxury to new heights. But where the real luxury is the setting, and Rome at its most historic and culturally rich.

Location, Location

Both hotels are perfect departure points for the Villa Medici that lies within the Pincio parklands. As much as for the Pincio promenade itself. And for the best shopping streets. In fact, everything pretty much is within easy reach by foot or by underground.

The Line A Metro is just a few minutes’ walk away. And we take it all over the place. That is, to all the more far-flung historic sites such as St. Peter’s. The Hotel de la Ville nudges Spagna Metro, while the Hotel de Russie lies almost midway between Flaminio and Spagna stations. Buon, and safe, viaggio!