The Most Stylish Place To Stay In Rome Is The Boutique Hotel Run By The Ferragamo Family

With only 14 studios and suites, the Portrait Roma isn’t what you’d expect to find in Italy’s capital city. It’s private, it’s exclusive, it’s right in the middle of the city’s chaos yet it feels so far removed from it. It’s exactly what stylish travelers want from a hotel.

Just steps away from the newly restored Spanish Steps (a restoration that took one year and €1.5 million), and above the Salvatore Ferragamo men’s store, the Portrait Roma is located right in the middle of the high fashion action right on Via Condotti, Rome’s go-to street for the best high-end shopping in the city. The large wooden doors and small plaque keep the hotel discreet, and the lack of a lobby and entrance only by video camera confirmation, just continue to add to the glamour of staying at the hotel.

The rooms are sleek and contemporary, classic Italian fashion meets Hollywood glamour, just like Salvatore Ferragamo himself. They even play off of his signature style utilizing dashes of color, warm wood and leather tones, and the photographs, paintings and biographies placed throughout the rooms bring it all together.

The bathrooms are outfitted with Salvatore Ferragamo Tuscan Soul toiletries (including eye cream, face cream and lip balm, much welcomed products especially after a day of traveling) and the marble bathrooms are well lit and spacious – they type of bathroom that you look forward to getting ready for the day in.

All of the hotel’s rooms have bar-kitchenettes that include a refrigerator, microwave oven, espresso/cappuccino machine and dishwasher. Not that you’ll be eating in your room, but it’s a nice touch if you’re looking to chill some limoncello or warm up that incredible pasta dish you didn’t finish the night before (you had to save room for tiramisu, right?).

But it isn’t just the in-room touches that set the Portrait Roma apart (I haven’t even mentioned the two suites that have their own private saunas and fitness areas), it’s the service. Before you even check into the hotel you’re sent a questionnaire to fill out. Everything from what type of pillow you’d like to have in your room (I went with a stomach-sleeping pillow, hotel pillows are always way too large for my taste), to what type of sheets you prefer to sleep on (cotton or linen), to what temperature you like to have your room set to at night (and also during the day), to what courtesy drink you’d like to have served at turn down service (water, tea or something of the adult variety) and finally to what music you would like to have playing when you return to your room for the evening (note that “Italian Songwriters” may not be exactly what you think it is). Making your stay comfortable to your taste is what the hotel strives for, and this is just one way that they really get that right.

After you finish your questionnaire online, and before you even set foot in the hotel (or even Rome), you’re also assigned a Lifestyle Team Member. This is your go-to person for anything and everything during your stay. Have a question while you’re out exploring the city? Just use the iPad that was provided in your room (yes, you’re allowed to take it everywhere with you) and Skype the hotel and the Lifestyle Team. They’ll tell you how to get back to the hotel, they’ll tell you where the best gelato is in location to where you are and they’ll even make a dinner reservation for you. All you have to do is ask.

Feeling lost and overwhelmed in the city? The Lifestyle Team is more than eager to give you a private tour of Rome, completely outfitted to your tastes. You can ask to see the go-to attractions of Rome if it’s your first time in the city (the Colosseum, the Pantheon…you know the ones), or go more off the beaten path and ask to see the hidden sights that most tourists won’t ever discover (the Basilica of Saint Sabina, Circus Maximus – an ancient Roman chariot racing stadium, the talking statue…). Guests are escorted through the city’s chaotic streets in what can only be described as a luxury golf cart, and if the need for gelato hits, improvised stops are always welcomed. These tours start at €150 for two hours, €75 for every additional hour. While you might be thinking that sounds a little pricey, it’s actually a great deal if you’re on a time crunch and trying to fit in as many sights (or gelato tastings) as possible.

Despite all of those luxuries, the best part of a stay at the Portrait Roma might just be the intimate rooftop lounge, complete with a fireplace, comfortable lounge chairs and most importantly, prosecco.