This Roman Luxury Hotel Just Unveiled A Revamp Fit For Royalty
01.08.2023 - 03:59
/ forbes.com
/ Ernest Hemingway
/ Vittorio Emanuele II (Ii)
One of Rome’s most storied hotels has recently undergone a show-stopping renovation, just in time for the record crowds flowing into the Eternal City this year.
Lat month, the Hotel d'Inghilterra Roma–a member of the celebrated Starhotels Collezione–unveiled an array of sumptuous, newly revamped suites, designed to transport discerning guests back in time to the halcyon days of the 19th- century Grand Tour, when the international elite and Roman nobility alike flocked to its hallowed halls.
The hotel’s roots reach back to the mid-16th century, when it was used as a noble residence for guests of the neighboring Palazzo Torlonia in the heart of Rome’s historic center, just steps from the iconic Piazza di Spagna. In 1845, the stately residence was converted into the Hotel d'Angleterre, due to its popularity with British visitors. The hotel's logo, inspired by the coat-of-arms of the British Royal Family, testifies to its centuries-old link to Britain and the Windsors. The English poet John Keats, who spent the last years of his short life here, numbers among the hotel’s most illustrious guests; others include his fellow countrymen Byron and Shelley–and later, Henry James, Elizabeth Taylor, Gregory Peck, and Ernest Hemingway, an avowed champion of la dolce vita.
These days, the hotel is banking on its unique combination of colorful history, top-notch service, unparalleled location, and Italian panache to attract well-heeled guests in Rome’s increasingly buzzing luxury hotel scene.
The renovation’s crowning glory is the elegant Penthouse Suite, which feels like a true home away from home–albeit a decidedly uber-luxe one. The living room, bathed in natural light, features an original 19th-century yellow Sienese marble fireplace, while inimitable, made-in-Italy furnishings throughout include bas-reliefs by the famous Roman craftsman Felice Calchi and handmade glassware by Milan’s Vetrerie di Empoli. The exquisite bedroom–whose exuberant color palate encompasses deep teal, coral, and emerald green–brims with Italian velvets and fabrics designed by Dedar. Meanwhile, the magnificent, 750-square-foot terrace–bedecked with elegant outdoor furniture and jaw-dropping, panoramic views from the Villa Medici to the Vittorio Emanuele II monument–offers a prime spot for an al fresco aperitivo, a romantic dinner, or an achingly atmospheric private soirée overlooking the rooftops of Rome.
One flight down on the fifth floor, the new Balcony Suites meld refined simplicity with the hotel's classic soul. Graphic black-and-white geometric accents, juxtaposed against the upholstery’s distinctly Roman shades of warm ochre, terracotta, and regal red–artfully selected with the help of partners like Venice’s Rubelli–evoke the