Residenza Napoleone Rome Luxury Hotel

Detailed Review

The Residenza Napoleone III is one of the most luxurious and unique places to stay in Rome, situated in the XVI century Palazzo Ruspoli on Rome’s legendary Via Condotti, the Residenza is named after Emperor Napoleon III, who lived here in 1830. Careful renovation has restored the apartment to its original splendour. The Residenza Napoleone consists of three magnificient rooms, each more impressive than the next with antique furnishings, massive oil paintings, XVI century tapestries, parquet floors and hand-stencilled walls. The master bedroom has a large canopied bed draped with beautiful fabrics and silks. One of the six huge oil paintings in the bedroom forms the headboard while another painting opens to reveal an exquisite marble bathroom. Guests enter the Palazzo through massive wooden doors and pass along an elegant arcade of Doric columns with ancient artefax on display that were excaved on site. A grand marble staircase, lined with antique marble busts of Roman Emperors, leads up to the entrance of the apartment. The Residenza Napoleone III offers two large reception rooms and a large bedroom (bed 180x190 cm), bathroom, kitchenette and powder room. The Roof Garden Suite is situated on the upper floor of the Palazzo Ruspoli. This apartment has one of the most beautiful roof gardens overlooking the city, with a multi-level decked terrace of over 600 sq ft. The terrace is furnished with terracotta pots of lavender and enjoys stunning views across one of the world’s most beautiful cities. To enter the suite you climb a spiral staircase reaching a charming sitting room over looking the terrace, with stairs leading down to a very cosy small double bedroom. The intimate, low-ceiling bedroom has an alcove bed (1,60x1,99 mt) and ensuite bathroom. This suite is more suitable for young couple or a single guest.

Press Quotes

"Exemplifying a more-is-more approach to furnishings, the silk-draped canopy beds, oil paintings and collectible china ornaments in this Roman treasure provide a unique, aristocratic base in the Italian capital." Observer 07

Independent Reviews

La Rezidencia Napoleone
By Anna Jankovich

The entrance is dramatic: guests enter two massive eight-metre wooden doors leading them into the fortress-like palazzo, revealing an illuminated ochre-washed courtyard of monuments and marble, into a long and elegant arcade of Doric columns, up a grand marble staircase lined with antique marble busts of Roman Emperors, to the doors of the apartment where Napoleon III once resided. The less dramatic side is that there is a small old fashioned lift which slowly brings you to the doors of this exclusive bed & breakfast.

La Residenza Napoleone III is one of Rome’s best-kept secrets and one of the most luxurious and unique places to stay in the city. Situated in the 16 century Palazzo Ruspoli, on Rome’s legendary via Condotti, La Residenza was recently renovated by the Ruspoli family who continue to reside within the Palazzo walls. Princess Letizia Ruspoli, the owner and hostess of La Residenza, managed in three years to restore the apartment to its original splendour and offers guests all the grandeur of a classic roman Palazzo with every modern convenience.

The rooms

If Princess Ruspoli is not in Rome, the family’s butler greets guests at the door, leading them into the apartment - three palatial rooms (about 300sq.m in total), each room more impressive than the next. You feel that you have entered a palace museum and the only thing missing are the red braided cords forbidding people to touch anything. Although the rooms are grand (and you can touch everything) the details such as the fireplace, dark green curtains, wooden ceilings, antique furnishings, gold stencilled walls, comfortable couches and reading nooks make the entire apartment warm and cosy. What is most impressive is how Princess Ruspoli managed to discreetly hide modern conveniences, such as a fax/Internet connection inside a German walnut desk and a large plasma screen which can be revealed by sliding a painting. Ever been tempted to actually touch a massive oil painting and its gold gilded frame? Well, if you need a toilet, you have no choice than to literally pull the entire painting towards you and be amazed to find an elegant bathroom decorated in yellow and green marble from Siena, stocked with several Bulgari toiletries and anything else that you may be missing.

After an evening stroll, the concierge at the entrance welcomes you back with a smile and a ‘buona sera.’ Having re-entered the suite, a discreet scent of perfumed candles leads guests through the dimly lit reception rooms and into the imperial bedroom illuminated with flickering candles from the chandeliers above and the night tables. Fresh cut roses are laid on the bed and the monogrammed linen sheets are immaculately folded out ready to cover guests up for a luxurious night’s sleep.

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• "An exquisite apartment furnished with gorgeous antiques, once home to Napoleon III, in the 16th-century Palazzo Ruspoli."

  This little family-owned palazzo is run as a semi-private B&B. It’s hard to imagine a more romantic, sumptuous place to stay: 16th-century tapestries; original oil paintings; hundreds of years of history and breakfast served on Bvlgari silver.