Exotic classic
The Casa Howard Hotel is well-positioned for sightseeing in the Eternal City. It is centrally located within walking distance of all the major sites. The hotel is situated in two locations; both are close to the Spanish Steps, and right in the heart of the exclusive Rome shopping area.
This delightful boutique Rome hotel is spread over two sites; one at the Via Capo le Case and the other nearby on Via Sistina. Owner Jenifer Foneris-Howard, daughter of famous textile designer Luiano Forneris, and husband Count Masimiliano Leonardi di Casalino maintain the very highest standards for their guests. You may get the feeling of ‘deja-vu’ as you enter this posh hideaway, as the hotel frequently features in glossy magazines. Checkout the beautiful detail and rest assured that this is a luxury boutique hotel without the associated hefty price-tag. In fact, Hotel Howard has a unique pricing policy. You pay a dollar less each time you return to the hotel.
As you would expect, the hotel has only the finest fabrics and luxury furnishings right down to the soap from the exclusive Santa Maria Novela in Florence. The ten delightfully designed rooms, five in each casa, are luxuriously designed and individually furnished. Parquet wood flooring and exposed wooden beams give a feeling of historic authenticity.
The Via Sistina Casa is decorated throughout in a retro modern style by architect and designer, Tommaso Ziffer. Formerly an historic palazzo, guest areas include a lounge and a Hammam and all rooms have broadband Internet connections. The comfortable, stylish furniture is complemented with a host of interesting collectibles, international objects d’art and memorabilia. Gifts to take away include home-pressed olive oil from Tuscany and ecological custom-made shopping bags.
A couple of rooms at the Via Capo le Case location do not have en-suite bathrooms, but slippers and kimonos are thoughtfully provided. This beautiful house offers a feeling of discreet privacy as if you are in the room of a wealthy friend. Each comfortably appointed room is imaginatively decorated right down to the very last designer detail. There is a Turkish Hammam Bath, and if you book the Chinese Room you get your own exclusive steam bath sunk into the floor! Satellite TV, air-conditioning, WiFi and tea and coffee facilities are all part of the service. Obviously there is no concierge or porter, but that adds to the feeling of home, and of course keeps down the price.
The Casa Howard Hotel offers a truly unique opportunity to stay in an Italian pied-a-terre rather than a standard luxury hotel in Rome. Surrounded by beautiful décor, yet in an intimate and charming home, this boutique hotel is surely the best of both worlds.
Trinita dei Monti / Via delle Quattro Fontane
