Detailed Review
On Via Boncompagni, a few steps from Via Veneto, a sophisticated hotel has opens its doors. An elegant hostelry wrapped in a classical 20th-century building, in Rome's most exclusive district on Via Veneto Hill. Its name was inspired by the rose bushes that grace the garden: Rose Garden Palace.
Villa Borghese's pine trees, the Spanish Steps, the elegant shops on Via Condotti, the fashionable bars on Via Veneto, the Fountain of Trevi and of the Tritone, the baroque churches, the masterpieces in the Borghese's gallery are within walking distance of the hotel. A refined design blending classical and modern lines marks the decor in the public areas and in the guest rooms.
Independent Reviews
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"Stylish, contemporary and good value for the area around Via Veneto, this neoclassical luxury hotel is a sophisticated retreat."
Rose Garden Palace
By Joanna Monkhouse
The most recent addition to the Veneto neighbourhood, longtime home of Rome’s most prestigious hotels and la dolce vita of the 1950s, the Rose Garden Palace is a relatively small hotel of 65 rooms (of which 6 are suites). Elegant and contemporary, the hotel is a blend of modern and classic with an occasional oriental twist. On entering the hotel, the guest first passes through a glass portico then between two huge antique wooden doors: this mixture of old and new is symbolic of the overall design ethic of the Rose Garden Palace.
The marble-floored, light and airy lobby and bar are filled with comfortable and individual sofas and chairs, another clever coordination of differing styles. The restaurant has an original Italian menu and a charming outdoor terrace surrounded by the rose bushes that give the hotel its name. The room service menu is equally tempting. The breakfast buffet is served outside in summer or on the mezzanine level that can double as meeting rooms. There is an internet point there for guests on an antique desk, the low chair ensures that no guest takes too long a turn.
Rooms sport parquet floors and wooden furniture including an antique piece or two in each, complemented by the muted colours of the fabrics. Linen sheets grace the beds. There are plenty of lamps but the search for the master switch is still on. The bathrooms feature alcoved baths, mosaic tiling and marble, but in most rooms they are so small that the door bumps into the loo.
The Rose Garden Palace offers a spa in the basement with a 6x6m hydrotherapy pool, gym, sauna and massage facilities (behind a curtain in the spa reception) – a rarity in Rome and particularly in this price range.
Despite feeling slightly understaffed at times and a few small mistakes, the Rose Garden Palace prides itself on its service and attention to detail. Opposite the US Embassy, it is popular with Americans. It opened just after 9/11 but has managed to establish for itself a firm position in the market. It certainly offers great value for the area in a stylish, contemporary setting.
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