4 BAGLIONI HOTEL REGINA AND PALAZZO MANFREDI, ROME, ITALY
THE VIEW OF THE COLOSSEUM FROM AROMA, PALAZZO MANFREDI’S ROOFTOP RESTAURANT, IS BREATHTAKING. THE ANCIENT MONUMENT IS SO STUNNINGLY ILLUMINATED AT NIGHT THAT IT’S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TAKE YOUR EYES OFF IT. YET THE DELICIOUS SEVEN-COURSE MICHELIN-STARRED TASTING MENU (£130) IS A WORTHY DISTRACTION,
AND AROMA RATES AS ONE OF THE MOST ROMANTIC PLACES TO DINE À DEUX.
ONE OF THE (MANY) BENEFITS OF STAYING AT THE BEAUTIFUL PALAZZO MANFREDI IS THAT YOU’LL GET TO TAKE IN THE VIEW, NOT JUST IN THE EVENING, BUT OVER BREAKFAST TOO. THIS STYLISH BOUTIQUE HOTEL, WHICH FACES THE COLOSSEUM
(NEAR THE REMAINS OF THE LUDUS MAGNUS GLADIATORIAL TRAINING SCHOOL), DATES
BACK TO THE 18TH CENTURY AND IS OWNED BY THE ARISTOCRATIC COUNT MANFREDI.
STAYING IN ONE OF THE 16 CHIC ROOMS IS LIKE BEING A GUEST IN AN ELEGANT ITALIAN HOME, AND ITS FABULOUS LOCATION MEANS YOU CAN EASILY EXPLORE ALL THAT THE ETERNAL CITY HAS TO OFFER. ONE OF THE MOST FUN AND MOST INSTAGRAM-ABLE WAYS IS TO TAKE A TOUR IN A VINTAGE FIAT 500. THESE TINY CARS ARE SO ICONIC THAT DRIVING AROUND IN ONE ATTRACTS AS MUCH ATTENTION AS A MINOR CELEBRITY – AND BEING PICKED UP IN ONE FROM PALAZZO MANFREDI, WE CERTAINLY FELT LIKE ONE.
WE DID AN UNFORGETTABLE THREE-HOUR SEVEN HIDDEN GEMS OF ROME TOUR
WITH THE ROME 500 EXPERIENCE AND
FELL IN LOVE WITH THE CITY, THE CAR AND OUR ENTHUSIASTIC DRIVER ALVISE (WHO RUNS THE COMPANY). OUR RED FIAT 500 WAS CALLED TRASTEVERE BUT THERE ARE FIVE IN HIS FLEET (INCLUDING A PINK ONE CALLED SOPHIA LOREN) AND LOTS OF DIFFERENT TOUR OPTIONS.
FOR ANOTHER TASTE OF LA DOLCE VITA, BOOK IN TO THE BAGLIONI HOTEL REGINA ON VIA VENETO. A GRAND HOTEL THAT EPITOMISES ITALIAN ART DECO STYLE, IT’S PERFECTLY PLACED FOR SHOPPING ON VIA CONDOTTI, SEEING THE SPANISH STEPS AND VISITING VILLA BORGHESE. DON’T MISS SIPPING A VINTAGE COCKTAIL IN THE HOTEL’S BRUNELLO BAR, WHILE THE IMPECCABLY DRESSED PIANIST PLAYS A LOVE SONG.
THE BEDROOMS ARE A WONDERFUL MIX OF TRADITIONAL AND MODERN – FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY ADORNS THE WALLS AND THERE ARE GORGEOUS ORTIGIA TOILETRIES IN THE BATHROOM. BELLISSIMO!
Emma Justice
THE COST BAGLIONI HOTEL REGINA (BAGLIONIHOTELS.COM; +39 06 421111)
HAS ROOMS FROM £114.50PP PER NIGHT, INCLUDING BREAKFAST. FOR THE ULTIMATE ROMANTIC LUXURY, PALAZZO MANFREDI (PALAZZOMANFREDI.COM) OFFERS ROOMS FROM £308PP PER NIGHT, INCLUDING BREAKFAST. THE ROME 500 EXPERIENCE (ROME500 EXP.COM) HAS TOURS FROM £109PP. >>