Italy’s capital is a dramatic mash-up of ancient and modern, flawed and reinvented, chaos and control. Winding through the streets, visitors can have the heady experience of turning a corner and feeling like they traveled back in time. “It’s a city with so many historical layers and styles,” says Daria Reina, who, along with her husband, Andrea Ferolla, founded the cult boutique Chez Dede. “You can feel the spirits of the people who came before and left behind their soul.” The couple just opened Superattico Monserrato, a 1,400-square-foot penthouse apartment in the same building as the store. Eclectically appointed with contemporary art, bed linens designed by Reina and Ferolla, vintage Marcel Breuer chairs, and Venini chandeliers, it’s like living in a Chez Dede world.
The Superattico is one of several new places to stay in the city. Buzziest among them is Palazzo Talìa, a 16th-century Renaissance palace that has been transformed into an exclusive property with 26 opulent rooms and suites. There’s an unmistakable cinematic quality to the space, courtesy of director Luca Guadagnino, whose design studio oversaw the common areas, including the restaurant, bar, and main hall.
Casa Monti, housed within a historically significant building dating back to the 18th century, is located in the charming Monti neighborhood near the Colosseum. In the 26 rooms and 10 suites designed by Laura Gonzalez, the vibe is all about sprezzatura, the Italian term for unstudied ease and elegance. Here, that means a mix of colorful floral fabrics and wallpaper, contemporary frescoes, and an intimate rooftop bar decorated in shades of sky blue.
Another highly anticipated spot, the 74-room Romeo Roma, opened in September in a 16th-century palace near the Piazza del Popolo. Its wildly contemporary interiors, conceived by the late Zaha Hadid shortly before she died, contrast beautifully with original frescoes. Alain Ducasse has signed on to oversee the gourmet restaurant
The fashion crowd gathers at the Bulgari Hotel Roma, which opened two summers ago in a Fascisti-era office building. The exterior belies its showstopping interiors, from the thousands of potted plants, including ferns and banana trees, lining the common areas to the intricate mosaics surrounding the indoor pool inspired by the Baths of Caracalla. Another new hot spot is the 91-room Rome Edition, from Ian Schrager and Patricia Urquiola. It boasts incredible views from its rooftop pool and an oasis of a courtyard scented by climbing jasmine vines.
And for a quintessentially Roman holiday, the beloved Hotel d’Inghilterra, which sits just below the Spanish Steps, reopened this past fall after a yearlong renovation. With history going back to 1845, the hotel has hosted innumerable famous visitors, ranging from Oscar Wilde to Elizabeth Taylor.
This article was originally featured in the September 2024 Issue of Harper’s Bazaar
