Portrait Suites

Entrance
Access to the Portrait Suites is gained via videophone entry system through a discrete but elegant entrance nestling between the Ferragammo and Versace boutiques. Once inside, a corridor lined with beautiful Salvatore Ferragamo photos leads to a lobby where you will find the staircase and lift which serve the seven floors of the establishment.

Reception is currently in the hotel lounge on the first floor but is very shortly to be relocated to the top floor terrace, where guests will be welcomed with a view over the city.

The only public areas, the terrace/veranda and lounge, are extremely pleasant, being hidden away from the street. The rest of the establishment is given over to suites.

In the entrance, the lounge, the stairways and corridors, a plethora of beautifully framed sketches of shoes and fashion and cinematic photos transform the public areas into a whirl of memories, a reminder of the vibrant, light-hearted elegance of the 1950s and 60s. However nostalgia is avoided, and a link with a more dynamic contemporary style established, through white walls, thick pile striped carpets and large green designer lampshades on each landing.

The entrance and the layout of the building bring to mind a large, lively household, just about to set out to explore the many treasures the city has to offer.

The rooms
In keeping with the style of the building, the rooms are of an elegance which is both contemporary and classic, vibrant and sensual. At times simple, for instance the white walls and the quirky tree trunks under the television sets, the materials used are more often warm and luxurious: limed wood, modern parquet flooring, dressing areas in light wood and even boar hide furniture.

And yet the general feel is one of lightness, coming perhaps from the fringes on the cushions, the bedside tables set atop chrome trestles or the bright colours of the rug borders, which match the lining of the curtains and the throw at the foot of the bed.

A clever lighting system allows you to obtain the exact intensity you want. Large framed Perspex photos of artists or photos of shoes and collections are set between the geometric grey stripes painted on the walls. Duvets covered in silky white with satin stripes adorn the beds.

Of a size to offer guests maximum independence and ideal for longer stays, the rooms integrate a sitting area, a large dressing area and a kitchenette all perfectly in keeping with the décor. Unusual for this type of establishment, the kitchenette sits naturally within the room and is fully equipped with microwave, dishwasher, hob, espresso machine, a full set of crockery and beautiful glasses just waiting to be filled with Italian wines.

The rooms also boast a wide selection of media equipment, from flat screens to Tivoli sound systems and DVD players. The Carrara marble bathrooms are large, functional and slightly retro in style.

Room types
The Portrait Suites offer four types of room: Superior, Deluxe, Junior Suite and Suite. The décor is identical in each but it is the size and ambience which marks the difference. The Superior and Deluxe rooms have a kitchenette and a sitting area incorporated into the room. The Junior Suites and Suites are of a different size and layout but both have a separate lounge.

The hotel also has a wonderful split-level Penthouse Suite with a long terrace with its own armchairs, a view over the Saint Trinity of the Hills, a large corner bedroom with windows on two sides and, on the lower floor, a bathroom with separate bath and shower, private steam room, huge dressing area and exercise bike.

As this is a corner building, most rooms look out onto the street, with the exception of some Superior rooms which overlook a small courtyard painted in a warm pink. Effective double-glazing means the rooms are quiet, which is a plus for a city centre hotel in Rome.

Breakfast
Breakfast is brought to your room on a large limed-wood tray with a newspaper of your choice. Guests fill in a form to indicate their choice of pastries, dairy products and fruit and a selection of salamis, cheeses and egg dishes are available at an extra cost.