After three years of renovation, Rome has an elegant new outpost where you can sleep, eat and rejuvenate just a stone’s throw from the city’s finest attractions. Katia Damborsky checks out Casa Monti.
In the Eternal City, luxury hotels are in fierce competition. For the new kid on the block, Casa Monti, the strategy was simple: a laid-back venue for stressed-out city souls that feels at home in Rome's charming, family-friendly Monti district. Think less marble and slicked wood, more boho spirit, artistic touches and a sense of joie de vivre. Yacht-goers are in good company here, with designer’s studios and supplier’s showrooms all within close proximity.
Where is it?
Tucked away among the skinny streets and bleached-out buildings in Monti, the hotel has 26 rooms and 10 suites, a sprawling top-floor spa and a bistro that’s open to guests and non-guests alike. It’s a fine portfolio of facilities considering its location: 13 minutes from the Colosseum and 20 minutes from the Trevi Foundation. The building is a former police station and was acquired by a boutique chain of hotels that saw the potential in the lofty ceilings, generous terraces and traditionally Roman central atrium. Casa Monti is the first Italian venue for the French-owned Leitmotiv, which currently operates two hotels across France and a third on the way. The spa can be found on the fifth floor of the property and embodies the charm of old-world Roman baths with Etruscan vases, golden marble and a balcony overlooking the city.
What’s the hype?
Under the sharp eye of Parisian designer Laura Gonzalez, the hotel is a joyful and busy blend of colour: patterned pistachio wallpaper, glossy cinnamon wall tiles, crisp navy carpets and thickly painted apricot ceilings. Homages to Italy feature throughout, with vases by Florence Bamberger, a statement chimney installation by Giuseppe Ducrot and a hand-crafted mosaic depicting a Roman scene in the bar on the terrace. “It’s an interpretation of Italy through the eyes of the French,” says the hotel’s general manager Andrea Ronchetti.
What to have
Occupying the top floor, the spa includes three treatment rooms and an amber marble jacuzzi. Susanne Kaufmann has supplied the products, and the spa menu includes a range of different facials that tackle different concerns as well as body treatments and massages. Combinations of facials and massages are also on the table, billed as ‘wellbeing rituals’ that offer mental and physical benefits rolled into one. The treatments themselves harness the power of alpine ingredients such as marigolds and olive oil, which are deployed with a 'holistic' approach to ensure all of your concerns are addressed. For the ultimate all-encompassing treatment, opt for the Susanne Kaufmann Signature Body Treatment, which begins with a vigorous scrub to leave skin feeling smooth and polished. Follow that up with the Hibernation Sleep Ritual, which is designed to act as the ultimate pre-bedtime experience to help you melt into a deep night's sleep.
Best by boat
For visiting superyachts of up to 60 metres, a berth at Porto Turistico di Roma will serve as the perfect stop. Rome's eternal charm makes it well worth adding to any superyacht itinerary around the Amalfi Coast if you're looking for something off-the-beaten-path. You could also stop off in the city if you're heading over to the Adriatic or eastern Mediterranean. Plus, with shipyards like Canados and design studios like Laura Sessa in the vicinity, there are plenty of reasons to consider Rome by boat.