Start your stay at this five-story palazzina in the dinky
downstairs Gallery Bar – a vision of sleek gold tiles and stylised
seating. Five G-Rough spritzes down, head upstairs to explore the
compact design hotel, which is a brilliant pastiche of Roman
living. Don’t be distracted by the 17th-century baroque exterior
crafted to mimic classical tastes, however. Despite the Latin
inscription on the facade reading “Satis ampla quae securitate
rideat”, or “large enough to feel secure”, what it lacks in
stature, G-Rough makes up for in design kudos, packing a
kaleidoscope of 20th-century accents between unfinished stucco
walls and flashes of the building’s 17th-century undergarments (in
the form of richly painted ceilings and ornate cornices). Geometric
Gio Ponti tiles lie beneath Ico Parisi chairs; vases by Seguso vie
for attention with wall graffiti (a souvenir from the
pre-restoration party). It’s a suave, swish experience, all
meticulously curated by owner Gabriele Salini. There’s no
restaurant, but with an open kitchen downstairs available for
guests’ use and an endless selection of Roman restaurants available
beyond the front door, you won’t mind.

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Our vision of the perfect Roman city break includes ample
negronis on a sun-soaked terrace, romantic nights at palazzo-style
properties and a brush with the achingly cool citizenry of the
city. It’s all on offer at Hotel Vilòn, an 18-key stay in the
city’s centro storico district. Tucked down a cobblestoned street
behind the Ponte Cavour, this boutique bolthole wears its finery
with drama (not unexpected given it was designed by cinema set
designer Paolo Bonfini). Jewel-toned carpets, bold artworks and
prints from Italian photographer Massimo Listri pair with
judiciously positioned antique furnishings and gleaming mahogany
floorboards. You won’t want to bid it arrivederci. Just remember
the first rule when blending into Rome’s opulence: pack light. The
hotel is located in the car-free centro storico district, and
dragging a rumbling wheelie suitcase over the old cobbled streets
is non bello.

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Apartments decked out with vintage furnishings, bold art,
dazzling painted headboards and turquoise-toned kitchenettes add a
distinctly 60s edge to this six-key stay in the Trevi district.
CasaCau oozes cool-girl exclusivity, thanks to interiors dreamt up
by Eleonara Pastore, founder of the acclaimed Nora P design studio,
and thoughtful touches from the property’s effortlessly chic owner,
Pino Cau. The six spaces reject showroom starriness for a breezy,
lived-in ambience. It’s like staying at a city crash pad owned by
an edgy girlfriend – you half expect to encounter a tousle-haired
Lila Moss in the lounge downstairs. Our favourite is Apartment With
Balcony, which offers views across a local market come morning.
It’s a self-catered stay, but a brown breakfast bag of
Nutella-filled pastries will be left outside your door each
morning.

Gritty yet glamorous, this 42-room design hotel sits wedged
between the city’s Jewish Quarter and the edgy Regola
neighbourhood, surrounded by bohemian hangouts and no-nonsense
Roman restaurants. Don’t expect Italian excessiveness; the hotel’s
defining mantra is “we’re not fancy, and we’re not not fancy”, a
mischievous word play that encompasses its rejection of local
hospitality norms. There are no hovering bellboys or pleated
pelmets at the windows. Transforming the 19th-century property into
a slick, monochrome crash pad, designer Tristan du Plessis went for
a bold colour palette and exceptional art. Cement walls meet
dark-stained herringbone parquet and green-granite flooring,
mid-century velvet loungers are juxtaposed with art pieces by
Warios, Cyrcle, Willy Verginer and local creative Alice Pasquini,
while ornamental nods to the area’s Jewish heritage and a cleverly
curated mishmash of muted industrial tones complete the look.

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Set within pine-studded, verdant gardens in the heart of Rome,
with views across the Tiber to the Vatican, the 110-room Villa Agrippina Gran Meliá is an ode to classical
Roman living. Guests can expect five-star comfort imbued with the
glamour of seraphic association: interiors featuring clean lines in
heavenly tones (white linen, acacia honey), a profusion of swirling
white marble underfoot and biblically proportioned artworks
towering above beds, offering vignettes of classical mythology to
tempt mythos-suffused dreaming. Tucked away in the villa’s former
chapel, the opulent Amaro lounge bar is the place to go for divine
drinks offerings. Sip on a Milano torino (equal parts Italian red
vermouth and bitters, with plenty of ice and a slice of orange),
then head over to the Ossimoro dining room (one of two restaurants
on site) for plates that could have been curated by Poseidon
himself – think tempura lobster, tuna tataki and shrimp-stuffed
tortelli.

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Hear the words “grande dame hotel” and we’re quick to assume our
bed for the night might be a touch fusty. Not so at Hotel Locarno.
Despite having been in business since 1925, the current owner of
this art deco jewel, Caterina Valente, has been eagle-eyed in
ensuring all 49 rooms marry storied opulence with contemporary
comfort. Nostalgia hits hard on stepping into the reception; by the
time you get to your bijou room, you’re already the star of a movie
running in your head. Opened with the twist of a tasselled key,
suites are embellished with flocked wallpaper and Persian rugs.
Beds, armchairs and other grand furnishings come bedecked in
passementerie – if there’s room for a fringe, one will be added. A
downstairs bar has long enticed creative agents of the likes of
Jack Kerouac, Gregory Corso and Federico Fellini to its stools, but
when the August sun is out, we’re partial to taking our aperitivo
in the verdant courtyard. Streetside, take note to check out
perfumers Eau d’Italie, along with many other independent makers
who have migrated to set up shop in the hotel’s shadow.

Not unexpectedly for a townhouse hotel situated on Rome’s
best-dressed road, the neo-baroque apartments of Crossing Condotti
are smart with a capital S. Distinguished gentlemen stare down from
moody oil paintings, overseeing your stay – but don’t think it’s
old-fashioned. Sicilian antiques pair with smooth, whitewashed
interiors and minimalist light fittings. The design is considered,
precise and devoted to modern comforts while still being respectful
of the building’s history. The result? Understated luxury and a
sense of well-worth-it expense without anything feeling too gauche
– similar to the narrative that plays out at the fashion houses of
Fendi and Prada.

No guesses how many rooms this townhouse hotel in the city’s
boho Monti neighbourhood has. Once you’ve rung the bell and been
invited into the vanilla-hued hotel, you’ll be led to one of 15
retro refuges. All of them are elegant, simply dressed and quite
sober – but the odd Soho House-style nod in bold soft furnishing
fabrics and vintage light fittings lightens the mood. We suggest
exploring the neighbourhood on two wheels – the property has its
own fleet of bicycles for guests’ use – to discover some of the
city’s most exciting eateries and an electric nocturnal scene.