W Rome hotel review: laid-back luxury in a quiet corner of the Eternal City
Once the wild child of five-star hotels, W has begun to reinvent itself as a less-rave, more-relax brand, with the Rome outpost one of the first to channel the chilled-out vibe. It's housed in two 19th-century palazzos, joined by the glass-roofed lobby lounge and subterranean gym — and gone (mostly) are the in-room bathrooms and blingy, pop art decor, replaced by a softer, more sophisticated style that still exudes a breezy, clubby feel. Cocktails in the glitzy W Lounge — art deco lighting, dove-grey sofas and a slick, glass-panelled bar — come with a DJ soundtrack every evening, while the sizeable rooftop, which is half pool area, half pizza restaurant, has glorious views across the Eternal City. Families are as welcome as couples and retired couples take dinner alongside influencers — the W is now a party that's open to everyone, and much the better for it.
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Score 9/10W hotels are basically Marriott in better clothes and the 162 rooms here are certainly a notch up; abstract artworks and framed newspaper front pages on the clean, powder-blue walls, herringbone wooden flooring edged with marble, and feather-soft linens on the sumptuously comfortable beds. Rooms are set across both palazzos; those in the right-hand building are larger but on lower floors (and thus darker). The top choice is a room in the left-hand building that overlooks the Swiss Institute — a grandiose, early 20th-century villa surrounded by lush gardens. The 'Fantastic' and 'Sensational' room categories have small balconies that overlook the internal courtyard.Score 9/10Rome is a city that runs on its stomach and the W has rounded up a trio of Italy's top chefs to create everything from Sicilian street food to handmade chocolates and thin, crispy pizzas. The slick ground-floor coffee bar, Zucchero x Fabrizio Fiorani, is equally popular with guests and locals, who come for Fiorani's handmade pastries and unctuous chocolates. The menu for the rooftop restaurant, meanwhile, combines crudo (raw fish) and fritti (deep-fried starters) with classic pizzas. But the biggest treat is a table at Giano in the cool, internal courtyard, where upscale Sicilian dishes — white grouper carpaccio or braised veal cheek with masala — can be combined with street food classics such as arancini and the best tiramisu in town.
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Score 9/10The rooftop pool, flanked by loungers and shaded easy chairs, is the perfect place to cool off, with yoga classes on the wet deck in the warmer months. Six floors below, hidden in the vaulted cellars, the gym has an excellent range of Technogym machines, each tucked into an individual space between the arches, giving it a delightfully private feel. Guests with a sweet tooth can arrange chocolate-making classes at Zucchero and there are mixology workshops in the W Lounge.
Score 9/10The W pulls off the impressive trick of being in a peaceful location on a quiet street in the upscale Ludovisi neighbourhood, yet within easy walking distance of Rome's big draws — the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon. There are good restaurants and a classic Roman deli in the surrounding streets, with the glorious Borghese gardens and sculpture-rich Villa Borghese museum, shaded by the city's umbrella pines, just a few minutes' stroll away. Public transport isn't Rome's strongest point, but the Barberini metro station, two stops from Termini station, is five minutes' walk.
Price Room-only doubles from £420Restaurant mains from £30Family-friendly YAccessible Y
Annabelle Thorpe was a guest of W Rome
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