Hotel Romeo Roma: the epitome of Rome's exuberance

Rome is known as the Eternal City for a good reason – it feels as if it has existed forever. You can visit an ancient amphitheatre in the morning, have lunch near a medieval castle and tour one of the jewels of the Renaissance in the afternoon – all the while passing buildings built in the 1920s. The luxurious Romeo Roma is testament to the eclecticism and exuberance of Rome.

A 16th-century palazzo that once belonged to the illustrious Capponi family was combined with two other buildings to create Romeo Roma. The whole was renovated under the direction of the late British architect Zaha Hadid and her team in a decade-long project that was only completed last year. The result is a mixture of modern and Renaissance styles. From the moment you walk through the door, you are invited into a world of gilded decoration and Art Deco ceilings. The central lobby, with its waterfall, feels like a 1920s film set.

The bedrooms have huge television screens and whirlpool baths right next to the beds – as well as multi-sensory “emotional showers”. I felt as though I was on a superyacht, which was partly down to the Krion panelling – this high-end material is found on some of the world's most expensive private vessels.

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While my room was certainly luxurious, I couldn't help but feel a pang of envy after visiting other rooms that were even more sumptuous – one of the largest suites contains a roof garden. The staff allowed me to peek inside another; one they rightly consider to be the pièce de résistance – the two-level Fresco suite, where you can sleep surrounded by wall paintings created centuries ago.

Romeo Roma's millennia-old foundations

Romeo Roma's connection with the past isn't just limited to the last 500 years. During the renovation, a large number of historic artefacts were uncovered, some over 2,000 years old. A selection of these is on display around the hotel. They include a marble sculpture of Livia Drusilla, whom fans of Claudius will remember as the wife of the Emperor Augustus – and perhaps the most influential (and notorious) woman in Rome. There are also some mosaics, which can be viewed directly or through the glass floor of the swimming pool.

Dive into luxury – or experience the cigar lounge

The swimming pool is also a good example of the way in which the hotel has been designed to give guests options – it straddles both the hotel itself and the courtyard, making it ideal whatever the weather. Guests may also use the first-rate fitness centre and spa – the latter signed by Sisley Paris. Here, the spa menu is centred around Sisley's signature “phyto-aromatic treatments”, which combine natural plant extracts and essential oils with a range of massage techniques from around the world to relax and gently invigorate the body.

I cooled off after hitting the gym by lounging in a deckchair in the “Sicilian salt chamber”, which is said to be good for your breathing, immune system, skin and stress levels. I certainly found the experience extremely relaxing and it took a lot of willpower to peel myself away from it. But peel yourself away you must because the other facilities at the Romeo Roma include a cigar lounge, and for younger guests a state-of-the-art games room with everything they could want, from table football to a billiard table designed by Porsche.

Part food science, part wizardry

Naturally, fine dining has become an expected part of the hotel experience. But even by the standards of other five-star hotels, Romeo Roma is something special. On the night I ate at the hotel's Il Ristorante Alain Ducasse Roma, I was guided through an extravaganza that was spread over multiple courses, including caviar. Part food science, part wizardry, the meal culminated with a dish that arrived billowing “smoke” from a bed of dry ice. Blue lobster cooked over embers and roasted deboned saddle of lamb, served with asparagus and wild garlic zabaione, are two of the other dishes that make up the seven-course Drusilla Primavera “experience” (€305 per person).

Finally, a word on the Romeo Roma's ideal location in the heart of Rome. The Palazzo Borghese, the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon are all nearby and the hotel is situated around a half-hour's walk from most of Rome's other major attractions, from St. Peter's Square to the Colosseum. What more could you ask for?

Matthew was a guest of Hotel Romeo Roma. From €1,600 a night for a deluxe room. Visit theromeocollection.com/it/romeo-roma for further information.

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