Right, let’s get one thing straight. Rome was never trying to be pretty. It was trying to be permanent, and it has succeeded to say the very least. This is a city that built its bathhouses like cathedrals, its fountains like theatre sets, and its ruins knowing you would still be visiting them 2,000 years later. Every cobblestone has an ego. Every piazza expects to be photographed. Heritage hunters come for the history. Romantics come for the light at golden hour, the Prosecco on a rooftop, the sheer theatre of it all. Rome’s USP, if you can call two millennia of unbroken glamour a USP, is that it never once had to try.
Rome has no shortage of grand hotels, but Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome Hotel truly stands out to me. Italy’s first Anantara, announced in 2021, it is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World and today holds One MICHELIN Key, placing it among the city’s notable luxury addresses. Better still, its restaurant, INEO, now holds one MICHELIN Star, giving the property an enviable double dose of Michelin recognition.
A Palazzo In The Piazza
What I love the most about this heritage property is its location. The hotel sits on Piazza della Repubblica, fronting the Fountain of the Naiads, with the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain and the Fori Imperiali all within a comfortable stroll. Roma Termini station is a five minute walk, which made our day trips seamless, and the Monti district’s bars and boutiques were practically on our doorstep. For me flying in from London, the geography could not be kinder. Direct flights from Heathrow, Gatwick, City, Stansted or Luton to Fiumicino run several times a day and take roughly 2.5-3 hours, which makes a long weekend in Rome a realistic proposition rather than an aspiration for “someday”. Land by lunchtime, and you could be having an Aperol Spritz on the rooftop before the jet lag even registers.
A Roman Grand Dame
Learning how much history is woven into the building really stopped me in my tracks. Its story continues upwards. The building was originally designed by Roman architect Gaetano Koch between 1887 and 1898. The surrounding Piazza della Repubblica was shaped by Gaetano’s grand vision following Italian unification. Roman travertine marble, monumental arches and stucco ornamentation give the exterior its unmistakable Neoclassical character. But the real luxury is what lies beneath your feet. The Baths of Diocletian were built between AD 298 and 306 and formed one of the largest thermal complexes in ancient Rome, spanning 14 hectares and accommodating up to 3,000 people. Today, foundations, pools and mosaics remain visible through glass floors in the hotel. It is history you don’t simply visit; you sleep above it.
Inside, I found the mood to be unapologetically palatial. A magnificent Neoclassical portico leads into a soaring, two-storey lobby of white-on-white colonnades and stucco, crowned by an enormous Murano glass chandelier. Contemporary art, including an imposing Sironi, brings the setting into the present. There are also wonderful historical details to discover, particularly in the Clementino Wing, which takes its name from a 1705 granary commissioned by Pope Clement XI to store public grain.
Your Own Roman Address
Across two wings and four floors, the hotel’s 232 rooms and suites balance contemporary comfort with Roman authenticity. Interiors range from contemporary to Neoclassical. The views extend towards the Baths of Diocletian, Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli and Fountain of the Naiads. The Premium Rooms in the Clementino Wing are atmospheric, with original wooden beams overhead recalling the building’s former life as the Vatican’s granary. Premium City View rooms bring understated Neoclassical interiors, floor-to-ceiling windows and marble bathrooms. The 43sqmt Premium Terrace rooms add private outdoor space overlooking the city.
If you’re looking for an indulgent option for a honeymoon or other special occasion, I suggest booking one of the suites. I stayed at the Junior Suite with the Piazza View. The cosy space impresses with its inviting interiors and also little luxuries like the Acqua di Parma amenities.
The Duplex Suite Piazza View is over two levels, with a sunlit living room overlooking the piazza and Fountain of the Naiads and a mezzanine bedroom above. If you want to go all out, there’s the 186sqmt Presidential Suite has double-height French windows, a Jacuzzi, kitchenette, vast living room and views across Piazza della Repubblica and Via Nazionale. But the real talking point is the Sophia Loren Suite. A glamorous Roman home-from-home, it is inspired by the cinematic icon and is complete with white roses, photographs of her beloved Pozzuoli, books, films and a beauty station stocked with her make-up favourites. Think of it as that la dolce vita fantasy.
The Culinary Delights
Our culinary journey began with Executive Chef Heros De Agostinis, whose career has taken him from Heinz Beck and Marc Veyrat to London, Monte Carlo and Bahrain before bringing him back to Rome and Anantara. At INEO, his 28-seat fine-dining restaurant, leather and velvet seating, Gae Aulenti lamps, Carrara marble, Limoges porcelain and Christofle silver create a sophisticated setting for his globally informed cuisine.
Champagnerie, beneath the arches of Piazza della Repubblica and overlooking the Fountain of the Naiads, was perfect for our relaxed meals. It offers Italian classics and seafood with Champagne, fine wines and cocktails. We started our days with breakfast at La Fontana. The Lobby Bar hosts the atmospheric End of Day Ritual, where a barman creates a cocktail inspired by ancient Rome at sunset. Then there is SEEN by Olivier, the glamorous rooftop restaurant and bar, where dinner moves between Brazilian classics, seafood, meat and sushi prepared by Japanese masters.
The Spa
If the hotel has one element that I felt well matched to its setting, it is the Anantara Spa. The 350sqmt sanctuary sits above the site of the Baths of Diocletian, taking the ancient Roman tradition of thermal bathing and marrying it with Anantara’s Asian wellness philosophy.
I glided through a wet area of calidarium, tepidarium and frigidarium, alongside an emotional shower, Kneipp path, sauna, ice fountain, hammam, Vichy shower and infrared sauna before reaching the relaxation area. It has four treatment suites include a dedicated couples’ suite with its own infrared sauna, emotional shower and relaxation area. I indulged in the signature Diocletian Healing Ritual, which draws on ancient ingredients including olive oil, honey, sea salt, sage and lavender. There are also the Sabine Luxury Facial and Gladiators Luxury Facial, alongside HydraFacial MD®, Intraceuticals Oxygen, Ayurvedic therapies and Thai treatments.
Rome From Above
For me, the highlight was the ascend to the rooftop. At more than 900sqmt, the terrace is one of the hotel’s most evocative spaces, with an infinity pool looking towards Piazza della Repubblica, the Vittoriano and Santa Maria Maggiore. By day, it was my go-to place to cool off and bask in the Roman sun; by evening, it was an Insta-worthy setting for drinks and sunset views. Another appealing aspect was how it brought the city beyond its doors into the stay. Anantara’s local experts can arrange a Rome by Vespa tour; a behind-the-scenes exploration of the Vatican; a Pizza and Tiramisù Tour; or the romantic Eat, Pray, Love experience through Trastevere, Testaccio, Trevi and Monti. For romantics, I recommend booking Designer Dining places; a private candlelit dinner either among the ancient ruins of the Baths of Diocletian or within the Presidential Suite.
The best part? Staff move with the warmth of a hotel that has hosted everyone from honeymooners to heads of state, anticipating requests before they are voiced. I left feeling that Palazzo Naiadi had given me more than a luxe stay in Rome, it had given me a memorable way of experiencing the city.
For more information:
Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome Hotel
www.anantara.com
