When in Rome…
Kathryn Otto and her partner enjoyed a romantic break at
Portrait Roma, set in Rome’s most exclusive shopping district
Designed to bring more dolce to the lives of guests, the Portrait Roma commemorates the artistic past and life of Salvatore
Ferragamo. Located throughout the upper floors of the townhouse directly above the Salvatore
Ferragamo Men’s Store on Via Condotti, the hotel offers a unique style of bespoke hospitality, intimacy
and privacy, with just 14 luxury suites.
Guests arrive through an elegant and discreet wooden door and the reception area is located on
the mezzanine floor. Photographs of film and fashion celebrities line the walls and views of the city and
striking urban architecture greet guests at every turn. Personalised butler service is available and caters to
each guest, providing them with white glove service and offerings such as private shopping excursions or
visits to historic Roman sites.
The hotel terrace features an impressive open fireplace in a striking windowed wall surrounded by contemporary furnishings. The hotel’s 360-degree
rooftop lounge is similarly inviting, with wooden furnishings and lush plants, creating a nice spot for
cocktails before breathtaking city views of the Spanish Steps, Trinita dei Monti and more. The rooftop is one
of the highest points on Via Condotti. Interior design by Architect Michele Bönan uses marble and wood in
unconventional manners such as boar skin coverings on special tables with incorporated lamps; furniture fabrics inspired by the art of tailoring; and curtain
linings that could be mistaken for silk scarves. Like Bönan’s design, furnishings throughout are sleek
and contemporary. As with all Lungarno Collection, sophistication is accented with dashes of colour,
including cream, pale grey, cyclamen, acid green
and warmer wood and leather tones.
Guest Rooms
Portrait Roma has 14 guest accommodations, many marked by expansive living spaces and all with bar-kitchenettes including a refrigerator, microwave
oven, espresso/cappuccino machine and dishwasher. In-room technologies were selected with the needs of contemporary travellers. Spacious marble bathrooms
have large shower cabins with nickel taps and fittings. Several accommodations have private terraces or
balconies, while two suites are outfitted with a sauna
and fitness corner.
Our Visit
With this being a weekend break we decided to fly from Liverpool John Lennon Airport. From parking in
their fast-track car park, it took us less than ten minutes to check-in and enter the lounge for a pre-flight drink
which was such a perfect way to start our trip.
After a night’s sleep at an airport hotel due to our flight landing late, we headed over to Portrait Roma Hotel. Our taxi driver explained the hotel was close to
the Spanish Steps which is always busy at weekends so dropped us off at a quaint square nearby, where we
easily walked across to the hotel, avoiding the touristfilled streets. This was a lovely way to take
in the beauty of the city.
We were swiftly checked in with there being only 14 suites in the hotel, you feel that Portrait
Roma is more of a luxury home where you are staying with friends rather than a hotel. We were shown to our room which was airy and bright with all
amenities you could need including a small kitchenette, dressing room and large shower room. After unpacking, we enjoyed lunch on the roof
terrace which included a small selection of sandwiches and pizza which was perfect for us. The views were spectacular, looking out across the city with the Spanish
Steps in front of us. This was by far our favourite space in Portrait Roma, it is only open to residents of the hotel so never gets too busy. We visited again that
evening to watch the sunset which will be a moment we will never forget.
Having selected what we wanted the evening before on the iPad that was given to us at check-in, breakfast was also served and enjoyed on the roof terrace. We
both agreed that breakfast was probably the most pleasant experience we have had in all the hotels we have visited. The presentation of food coupled with the
warmth from the team, ensures you have everything you need but also gives you enough space to wake up
and take in the surroundings.
After a morning of shopping (Rome has every shop you can think of), we decided to go and take in the sights. Rome is a city like no other, steeped in history,
with streets lined with luxury designer stores with unique boutique shops in between. This together with
the exceptional food the city has to offer made this a
perfect weekend for us.
Personal Note
Rome was on our bucket list for a while and we are glad that we chose Portrait Roma as our place to stay. The
hotel is more of an exclusive members club that you feel very lucky to be a part of, they really do know how
to treat their guests to ensure they will return and we
will for sure.
