Travel

Hotel icons and taking new flights

AH, A ROMAN HOLIDAY… scaling the Spanish Steps, taking in the spectacular view from the Villa Borghese gardens, tossing a coin into the Trevi Fountain. Not far from these iconic must-dos is the Hotel Eden. Part of the Dorchester Collection of hotels, it is once again greeting guests after a restoration project that imbues its 19th-century roots with new millennium chic. Natural light illuminates the building’s historic details that still hold a few surprises: a hidden library bar (left), for one – where the likes of Sigmund Freud and Margaret Thatcher have enjoyed a tipple – along with all the mod cons we insist upon now: Bluetooth connectivity, Bang & Olufsen sound system and Bottega Veneta amenities. Don’t miss the panorama of the Eternal City from La Terrazza, the hotel’s panoramic restaurant. It may just give the Villa Borghese a run for its money. Ciao, bellissima! www.dorchestercollection.com/en/rome/hotel-eden —Vivian Vassos