Few locations in Rome can boast a history as prestigious as that of the Hotel d’Inghilterra. It is beloved for its magnificent location (surrounded by luxurious shopping), its compelling history, and its unique but traditional manner. One of the hotel’s most famous residents was the English Romantic poet John Keats who spent time in the hotel during the last years of his life.
The Hotel d’Inghilterra is definitely one of my favorite hotels in Rome’s center, and one that I stay at when I need to be at once pampered, and also invisible to the world. The lovely staff will meet every need with professional courtesy and a gentile manner that is commensurate with this hotel’s anglophilic nature.
The building dates to the mid-sixteenth century and is elegant and chic, with a sense of history in every corner and alcove. The hotel’s bar, the Bond Bar, has a British gentleman’s club vibe, with plush leather bank-head seating and English manor chairs surrounding petite, cozy tables. The bar is very small, but you’ll feel like a Brit living the good life in Roma, while sipping on either classic or modern cocktails or simply a nice Italian wine. Whether it’s morning, noon or night, the bar exudes a familiar and comfortable feeling, perfect to take respite, warm up, or cool off from Rome’s exciting streets and sight seeing.
For a 5 star hotel of its caliber and reputation, the rooms are quite reasonable, ranging from double occupancy to suites, with views ranging from excellent to breathtaking, depending of course on how much you wish to spend. No matter your budget, if you can stay at this hotel, you will feel like Royalty while still maintaining a sense of discretion and peace. Perhaps this is why the hotel is the favorite choice of many internationally renowned celebrities.
As one might expect, the hotel’s restaurant, Café Romano, is also an experience to remember. Their menu of traditional Roman cuisine is both evocative and artisanal. As most good meals in Italy, it is a tribute to seasonality, to freshness and to simplicity.
With its chic alfresco seating on Via Borgogna, as well as plush indoor seating, Café Romano brings together classic and modern influences to create a unique menu – making it a perfect meal to savor for lunch or dinner. Chef Antonio Vitale’s culinary creativity was honed working at several Michelin star restaurants and he has taken the cuisine of Rome to heart, revisiting it with a fresh approach to Italian fine dining. His menus, based on popular Italian classics with contemporary flair, maximize seasonal local produce and are served with elegance and enthusiasm by Hotel d’Inghilterra’s doting team. Everything we tried on the menu proved to be delicious and well balanced with just the right amount of originality.
The Hotel d’Inghilterra is located at Via Bocca di Leone, 14, Roma Italy, 00187. For reservations, call +39 06 69981204 or email reservations.inghilterra@niquesa.com.
