Hotels

The Locarno was opened in 1925 by a family from the eponymous Swiss city and was reconfigured in 2016 to create 44 modernised rooms that still retain the art deco charm that the hotel is famed for. Today, manager Caterina Valente is adamant that the Locarno is not a “generic hotel”’. No danger of that. Everything from the original poster designed by Anselmo Ballester, a master of 1920s silent cinema, to the cosy elegance of the bar and salon makes Locarno entirely unique. The cocktails are not to be missed and can be enjoyed in the open fire in the chillier months, as well as the palm-shaded garden or on the spectacular roof terrace in summer. 
hotellocarno.com

The site of Bulgari’s first Rome hotel is a 1930s-era administrative building that once housed a pensions office. The company signed the lease in 2019, just as the long-awaited restoration of the Mausoleum of Augustus, situated directly in front of the lobby, was completed. Inside, the hotel epitomises a pared-back, modern Roman aesthetic. Architects Antonio Citterio and Patricia Viel designed the 114 rooms and facilities to reflect Bulgari's gem-studded heritage, while preserving many elegant details from architect Vittorio Ballio Morpungo’s original 1936 structure. The hotel also hosts Italy’s first Bulgari Dolci, a chocolatier and patisserie to satisfy those with a sweet tooth. 
bulgarihotels.com

French-Iranian architect and designer India Mahdavi was tasked with transforming six rooms in this renaissance villa in 2023 as part of the Académie de France à Rome’s “re-enchantment” process. The project has successfully brought one of the city's finest palazzos into the 21st century and the rooms have been decked out in a vibrant and novel style. The Debussy and Galileo rooms are the most impressive, featuring exquisite cabinetry and tasteful marquetry by French designers such as Pascal Michalon.
villamedici.it