ROMEO Roma: Renaissance Roots, Hadid Future — A Stay Between Time & Transformation
You step off Via di Ripetta, near Piazza del Popolo, the city humming with history, art, life. Cobblestones underfoot, classical façades overhead but just ahead, something different: ROMEO Roma. Housed in the 16th-century Palazzo Capponi, this hotel is Zaha Hadid’s final vision brought to life. It’s where old frescoes whisper and futuristic curves command attention. It’s a meeting point of epochs, designed for guests who want more than a view they want a conversation between past and future.
Where Tradition Meets Tomorrow
The Palazzo Capponi isn’t merely a backdrop it’s part of the character. Restored frescoes cling to walls in select rooms, original staircases invite you to imagine centuries of footsteps, while below your feet ancient Roman ruins surface literally visible through a glass-bottom pool at the spa.
Meanwhile above and beside that history, Hadid’s architecture pushes forward. Dynamic lines, rich materials, bold contrast Macassar ebony, Carrara and Nero Marquina marble, lava stone, Krion all used not just for beauty but to sculpt light, sound, and space. Rooms are made to feel like present day sanctuaries, tempered by the weight of centuries.
Rooms & Suites: The Intimate Gallery of Experience
There are 74 rooms and suites in total, each with its own personality. Some suites on the “noble floor” carry the frescoed heritage; others open to terraces overlooking red-tiled rooftops, the Tiber, or Via di Ripetta. Whirlpools, hidden TVs, private fireplaces in select suites—technology is used with subtlety, ornament with refinement.
Sleep is luxury here: linens of high thread count, lighting that can shift ambience, and bathrooms that feel more spa than bathroom—rain showers, deep tubs, design that invites lingering.
Gastronomy, Drinks & Spaces to Savor
Come evening, ROMEO Roma reveals one of its richest pleasures: its food and drink. Il Ristorante Alain Ducasse Roma brings Michelin-caliber flavors—modern, precise, Italian sensibilities, elevated. Breakfast too is approached with the same care.
Lower down, Il Cortile offers all-day dining in a genteel yet lively setting. Il Bar is your refuge for aperitif or nightcap. And for something ethereal, La Terrazza (in collaboration with Krug) is where the city looks its finest sunset over domes, rooftops, soft golden light.
Wellness & Hidden Ruins
One of ROMEO Roma’s miracles is its spa, La SPA Sisley Paris. Imagine an indoor-outdoor pool that straddles visible archaeological remains, steam rooms, a hammam, salt walls, Tadelakt finishes, sound/light experiences that feel sculpted. The treatments lean into both tradition and botanical science via Sisley’s Phyto-Aromatic offerings.
That pool with the glass floor is more than pretty it’s a portal to history. A reminder of Rome’s layers beneath your feet. You’re floating above relics, swimming amidst centuries. Few hotels give you that.
Design, Art & Cinematic Drama
Walk the corridors: contemporary artworks by names like Maria Schifano, Mimmo Paladino, Christian Leperino, Francesco Clemente are interwoven with ancient marble busts, archeological finds, restored plaster. Each turn surprises: a sculpted wall, a cantilevered stair, dramatic lighting, black marble veined with white. The materials are rich, the forms sweeping. At times the drama is bold even theatrical but that’s part of the point. This hotel doesn’t shy away from statement.
Conscious Luxury & Reflection
ROMEO Roma isn’t just about style it leans into responsible luxury. Sustainable materials, energy-efficient systems, restored heritage, reusing archaeological finds. It’s a hotel aware that grandeur demands sensitivity.
Should You Stay Here?
If you care about design, art, and experiences — if you want your rooms, your dinner, your spa, your view to feel meaningful, to blend memory and innovation — this hotel will resonate. If you’re in Rome for the history, the light, the palette, the food, the ruin beneath the city plexus, ROMEO Roma elevates the stay from lodging to living architecture.
If instead your trip is about simplicity, budget, or minimal distraction, you might prefer something quieter. But for those seeking extraordinary, ROMEO Roma is unforgettable.
Official Website: ROMEO Roma – ROMEO Collection
