Rome’s Most Talked-About New Hotel Hides Inside a 17th-Century Palazzo

If you were to design the perfect Roman hotel from scratch, you’d probably start with a sunlit piazza in the historic center, a centuries-old building with peeling frescoes, and a rooftop bar that puts the Pantheon’s dome within arm’s reach. Orient Express La Minerva delivers all that and more. Housed in a 17th-century mansion that first opened as a hotel in 1811, this 93-room property once hosted artists like Stendhal and Picasso. Now, after a top-to-bottom redo by the legendary train company, it’s back as a must-stop on any European itinerary.

French-Mexican designer Hugo Toro has left his mark everywhere: think mahogany ceiling fans, shell-shaped sinks, and a carved travertine bar that sits beneath a marble statue of Minerva. But the real showstopper is Gigi Rigolatto Roma, the rooftop bar with sweeping views of terra-cotta rooftops, St. Peter’s dome, and the Altare della Patria. It’s the kind of spot where you order an Aperol spritz and forget the time.

Step outside, though, and you’re in the thick of it. The Pantheon is maybe ten steps away—go at dawn to beat the crowds. Right next door is Armando Al Pantheon, famous for its veal scaloppine. And a ten-minute walk west brings you to Da Francesco, where the pizza is worth every calorie. Piazza Navona is just behind it, but feels like another world.

This article is presented by Capital One.