A Liberty-style villa on the banks of the Tiber, this spectacular hotel was once famous for its raucous parties thrown by the Malaspina family, one of Europe's oldest noble dynasties, with diplomats and aristocrats gathering beneath its crystal chandeliers (which, incidentally, once hung in New York's Plaza Hotel). It's brilliantly positioned for exploring the Eternal City while offering that rarest of Roman treats: a proper garden with a marble-lined swimming pool. Add a Peruvian-Nikkei restaurant, a deep-blue Pisco Bar and original artworks by the likes of Warhol and Dalí, and you've got a stay that's every bit as characterful as the city itself.
Original Art Nouveau doors and marble mosaics greet you in the entrance hall, piled high with architect Antonio Girardi's custom furniture crafted with Ralph Lauren and Loro Piana fabrics. The Pacifico restaurant is all sparkling chandeliers and potted palms and serves a sophisticated Peruvian-Nikkei menu by Chef Jaime Pesaque, whilst the moody, indigo-walled Pisco Bar is the perfect place to begin (or end!) and evening. Out in the garden, the pool is surrounded by citrus trees and sun loungers. There's also a 200-square-metre Angelo Caroli spa with a Finnish sauna, Turkish bath and whirlpool.
Spread across three floors, the 29 rooms and suites are a calm counterpoint to the opulence of the public spaces. Each one is draped in soft palettes of sage green, navy and taupe, floors are parquet, and there are plenty of brass accents and curated photographs on the walls. The marble bathrooms are stocked with Acqua di Parma toiletries and all rooms have high ceilings that let the light flood in. The Garden Suite has its own separate entrance among the lemon trees, whilst the Dama Suite is the standout: the only room with both a freestanding tub and walk-in shower, plus a shady terrace overlooking the garden.
Rome itself really is the attraction here and from the hotel, Piazza del Popolo is a three-minute stroll, the Spanish Steps are ten minutes, and Villa Borghese's galleries and gardens are literally right on the doorstep. Borrow one of the hotel's complimentary bicycles and freewheel along the Tiber, or let the concierge arrange private tours of the Vatican, Colosseum or lesser-known neighbourhood trattorias. After dark, the Raspoutine nightclub downstairs draws Rome's social set on weekends. For quieter evenings, a poolside cocktail followed by dinner at Pacifico is hard to beat.
The garden is a calming oasis of olive and lemon trees in the heart of Rome and after a day pounding cobblestones, there's nothing better than settling into a lounger with an Aperol spritz.
Grab a stool at the Pisco Bar and order one of Chef Pesaque's ceviches from the Pacifico menu. It's recognised as one of the finest outside Peru.
There's a nightclub in the basement that runs on weekends, so light sleepers should request a room on the upper floors to keep things peaceful.
2,000 years of history – and excellent aperitivo – in one of the prettiest capital cities in the world.
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