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It's the click of your heels on inlaid marble, the whisper of 600-thread-count Frette sheets, the murmured buongiorno of a coat-tailed porter bowing low as you pass. It's a rustic attic room with a wood-beam ceiling, a white umbrella on a roof terrace, a 400-year-old palazzo. Maybe it's birdsong pouring into your room as you swing open French windows to a sun-kissed view of the Colosseum, a timeworn piazza, or a flower-filled marketplace.
When it comes to accommodations, Rome offers a wide selection of high-end hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, designer boutique hotels—options that run the gamut from whimsical to luxurious. Whether you want a simple place to rest your head or a complete cache of exclusive amenities, you have plenty to choose from.
Luxury hotels like the Eden, the Hotel Hassler, and the Hotel de Russie are justly renowned for sybaritic comfort: postcard views over Roman rooftops, silver flatware on white linen atop a groaning breakfast-buffet table, and the fluffiest towels. But in more modest categories, very often Rome's hotels are not up to the standards of space, comfort, quiet, and service taken for granted in the United States: you’ll still find places with tiny rooms, lumpy beds, and anemic air-conditioning. The good news: if you're flexible, there are happy mediums aplenty.
One thing to figure out before you arrive is which neighborhood you want to stay in. There are obvious advantages to staying in a hotel within easy walking distance of the main sights. If a picturesque location is your main concern, stay in one of the small hotels around Piazza Navona or Campo de' Fiori. If luxury is a high priority, head for Piazza di Spagna or beyond the city center, where quality/price ratios are higher and some hotels have swimming pools. Most of Rome's good budget hotels are concentrated around Termini station, but here accommodations can vary widely, from fine to downright seedy, and you'll have to use public transportation to get to the centro storico (historic center). The popularity of Pope Francis has drawn hundreds of thousands of new tourists to the papal mass and blessings since his appointment in 2013; this has naturally been good business for hotels in the Vatican and surrounding areas.
A cheerful hotel with irreverent art that overlooks Tiber Island, citizenM’s first Italian property has a young sensibility and is located close to Rome’s most ancient attractions. The modern rooms aren't exactly spacious, but they are smartly designed, comfortable, and ring in at reasonable rates while still offering a few frills like iPad controls and rainfall showers.
Set within the former cloister grounds of the Santa Chiara order, with beautiful gardens, Le Clarisse makes you feel like you're staying at a close friend's villa, thanks to the comfortable size of the guest rooms and personalized service. This charming oasis features simple but classically styled accommodations with terra-cotta-tiled floors, wrought-iron bed frames, and oak furnishings; some rooms open onto a bright courtyard surrounded by a Mediterranean garden of grapevines and olive and lemon trees.
Six Senses is known for a focus on 360-degree wellness and sustainability, and the brand's first Italian property is a delight: a luxurious, tranquil retreat in the center of one of the city's busiest neighborhoods, allowing guests to be in the middle of it all while opting out of the usual cacophony of the city center. Set inside a 15th-century palazzo, a monumental Carrara marble staircase connects the four floors of peaceful, earth-toned rooms that use a mix of luxurious natural materials to create small havens of comfort. The spa, which includes Roman-style baths, and a healthy modern restaurant keep to the theme of indulgent well-being.
Set within a thoughtfully restored palazzo, UNA HOTELS Trastevere blends modern comfort with the character of one of Rome’s most vibrant neighborhoods. Its comfortable, light-filled rooms feature contemporary details like universal sockets and smart TVs. Set an easy walk from Trastevere’s lively piazzas, the hotel provides quiet escapes as well—whether in the tranquil inner courtyard or on the rooftop terrace with views of the city all the way to the Apennine Mountains.
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