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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.
This small hotel has reasonable rates considering its prime location—namely, a side street behind the lovely Via dei Coronari and right around the corner from Piazza Navona. The kitschy wallpaper prints wrapping the guest rooms are the notable cute factor in the otherwise standard lodgings.
Set in a former monastery—still an extraterritorial part of the Vatican—abutting Bernini's colonnade of St. Peter's Square, the Paolo VI (pronounced "Sesto," a reference to Pope Paul VI) is unbeatably close to St. Peter's, with basic, quiet guest rooms. Replete with a stone terrace that directly overlooks Bernini's 17th-century porticoes, this hotel enjoys one of the most spectacular perches in Rome. For a truly exceptional stay, ask for one of the six "Deluxe Superior" rooms.
Perched atop the Spanish Steps, this charming boutique hotel is so popular that it's often booked far in advance. If you're lucky enough to find a vacancy here, you'll enjoy stylish rooms, some of which are accentuated with cheery turquoise and yellow decor. You'll also have a chance to get some Rome insider tips from the friendly owner who is usually in a room near the front desk. The gorgeous rooftop is a wonderful spot to enjoy the free breakfast or a glass of wine.
Drawing inspiration from the neighborhood's artsy ethos, the first international hotel brand to open in San Lorenzo functions as a members club, with both traditional rooms and apartments. Amenities include wraparound balconies on every floor, a club restaurant that serves international cuisine, a spa, a state-of-the-art gym, a 42-seat screening room, a content-creation studio, and a rooftop terrace with a pool and outpost of Cecconi's with 360-degree panoramic views. Pets are accepted if they're certified as emotional support animals.
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.
