Casa Monti is the Rome you picture when you close your eyes — cobblestones, sage-green shutters, artisan workshops and gelato on every corner — yet inside, it's a different world entirely. An old 18th-century palazzo, Parisian designer Laura Gonzalez has turned it into a maximalist love letter to Roman craftsmanship. Think hand-painted frescoes, Murano glass, Pompeian-red tiles, artfully clashing fabrics and colour. All the colour! It's vivid and personal, and the location is just as fantastic. Slap bang in the middle of the city, on a quiet stretch of Via Panisperna, it's in the heart of the city's coolest boutiques, galleries and bars.
The ground-floor restaurant feels like a neighbourhood trattoria, all terracotta floors, a ceramic fountain in the courtyard and rattan chairs beneath a vaulted ceiling, with Sicilian chef Umberto Tuccio turning out properly good cacio e pepe and seasonal sharing plates. A stunning gilded bar spills onto the vine-draped patio, brilliant for a quiet afternoon drink. On the fifth floor, the Susanne Kaufmann spa (Rome's only one) channels ancient Roman bathhouse vibes - and there's a marble jacuzzi on the terrace.
No two rooms and suites look the same. Gonzalez collaborated with local artisans on everything from the boldly patterned headboards and hand-painted wallpaper to the striped fabrics and bespoke lampshades, and the spaces are truly a riot of colour and glamour. Bathrooms are clad in earthy Pompeian-red tiles with Susanne Kaufmann toiletries and generous baths. Thoughtful turndown touches include silk eye masks and melatonin gummies instead of the usual chocolate. For a splurge, the top floor Roman Suite comes with a 65-square-metre private terrace and views that'll keep you up well past bedtime.
Monti is a wanderer's dream, and the concierge will happily point you towards the best secondhand shops, jewellers and galleries within a few minutes' walk. The Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill are all close enough for a morning visit, too. Spa treatments on the rooftop range from alkaline facials to deep-tissue massages, and the bar (also on the roof) is reason enough to skip a restaurant reservation. Don't miss the weekend market at Piazza della Madonna dei Monti for local crafts and vintage finds.
The neighbourhood itself. The Colosseum is a ten-minute stroll, the Trevi Fountain not much further, yet the cobbled streets around you are full of local wine bars, vintage boutiques and zero tour groups.
Head to the rooftop bar at golden hour and order a Negroni. With its mosaic-backed counter and the terracotta skyline ahead, it's one of Rome's finest aperitivo spots.
There's no gym and the entry-level rooms are on the cosier side. The bold, pattern-heavy decor is gorgeous but won't be to everyone's taste.
2,000 years of history – and excellent aperitivo – in one of the prettiest capital cities in the world.
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