❚ Italian airport hotel is unexpected oasis,
As we age, jet lag becomes less kind, so when we find local treasures to ease the transition, we indulge.
On our vacation to the Mediterranean in late spring, we needed a hotel near the Rome airport for our extremely early morning return. We booked one online with an unfamiliar name because it was less than a 10-minute taxi ride to the airport.
Given what I know of airport hotels from growing up in the New York area, my hopes were not high. I was simply hoping for a clean bed. As the driver headed to QC Terme, we passed the typical overgrown fields and littered businesses that I expected. And then we turned down a 20foot-high hedge-lined driveway to our unexpected oasis.
The cool, quiet lushness of the landscape complimented the rustic, vintage buildings. As we stepped into a small lobby, a subtle, distinctive fragrance welcomed guests as it dissolved any stress of the day. We immediately noticed that everyone was walking around in plush white robes. Ours awaited atop our sumptuous bed. After quickly changing, we strolled to the gardens complete with pool and spas to relax in the warm, swirling water.
Just as the sun began to set, wait staff arrived with overflowing baskets of Italian meats, cheeses, breads and other delicacies along with magnums of prosecco. This complimentary interlude (which could rival any Dionysian feast) is a daily ritual. With champagne flutes in
hand, we explored the centuries-old underground imperial baths, saunas and other amenities. As dusk settled in, we found ourselves refreshed and back in our suite ordering a salad and small pasta plate from room service, wishing we had known about this sooner so that we could have allowed time for a spa treatment and a fireside dinner in their restaurant.
Off-season rates make this 50-room resort feel like a steal. Next time we will book a night for both arrival and departure days — any vacation is better when you are rested and rejuvenated — and we’ll be sure to bring home some of their spa aroma products since they don’t ship to the United States.
QC Terme is just a half hour from The Eternal City — the perfect gateway for any Italian adventure.
Details: www.qcterme.com/it/roma. For gorgeous visual escapes to all of their locations, follow on Instagram.