This one-of-a-kind stay provides a glimpse of the Eternal City's past

Times

4 days ago

'Questa casa non è un albergo' is the motto you'll see all around G-Rough — in the rooms, at the bar and on business cards. 'This house isn't a hotel' may be the thrust of this design-led stay, but don't be expecting a home from home. Instead, think of it as entering someone else's home, or rather, the homes of multiple people, all of whom have left their mark on this 17th-century apartment block just behind Piazza Navona. When the owner Gabriele Salini, who used to live on the top floor, turned the building into a hotel, carving two rooms from each apartment, he stripped things back to the past. Centuries of paint were removed to reveal the layers of former occupation — whether brightly painted walls, thick wooden beams or centuries-old graffiti — and furniture from Italy's mid-century design greats was thrown into the mix. Although the shabby-chic feel is overwhelmingly modern, it makes for a fascinatingly appropriate stay in Rome, with the layers of the building echoing the city's lasagne-like archaeological strata. Add to this the brilliantly knowledgeable staff, who skilfully (and tactfully) steer guests away from tourist traps, and you'll agree it's no ordinary hotel.
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Score 8/10This is a Marmite kind of place — one look at the rooms and you'll either want to move in or run a mile to the nearest heavy-draped five-star. The ten suites — two per floor, with one on each level overlooking buzzy Piazza di Pasquino to the front and the other opening onto an internal space between apartment blocks at the back — have all been stripped back to show the building's history. The walls might be a patchy red, green or blush; they might have putty-like streaks where the first electricity cables were laid, painted ceilings or pencil sketches of weird and wonderful beasts left by a centuries-past builder. The floor might be simple parquet or antique tiles, often clashing deliciously from one room to the next. To that eclectic canvas is added mid-century furniture by some of Italy's greatest designers: the likes of Gio Ponti, Ico Parisi and Osvaldo Borsani, as well as pieces by Venini and Fornasetti. Much of the furniture is upcycled — like a headboard constructed from what looks like a giant gilded picture frame — and there's a bygone feel to the simple linen sheets and towels, giving a sense of the past in the Eternal City. Bathrooms take a more modern approach, with slightly louche, dark mirrored tiles and antique chrome fixtures. Freitag sponge bags act as a repository for things you can buy: everything from CBD oil to G-Rough tote bags (as well as the sponge bags themselves).
While all the rooms are suites, there's a big difference between those at the front and back of the hotel. The ones at the back of the building overlook an internal space between apartment blocks, which is pretty dark and can attract mosquitos in season. Those at the front, however, have a spectacular outlook onto Piazza Pasquino, a small but busy square with the Pasquino — an ancient 'talking' statue to which, for centuries, Romans have pinned anonymous messages and gossip. If the budget allows, absolutely go for one of these front-facing rooms. The two top-floor suites are bi-level, with mezzanine bedrooms, clawfoot bath tubs and even cosy rooftop balconies. For families or groups they can be combined into a penthouse.
Score 7/10 There's no restaurant here because, following the 'questa casa non è un albergo' philosophy, staff prefer you to get out there and experience Rome rather than wallow in the hotel. There is the Gallery Bar, though — its walls of glass and vintage chairs on the pavement blur inside and out, meaning guests are part of the Piazza di Pasquino bustle and passersby drop in for cocktails. Guests who want to be a little quieter can have drinks in Sito, a room out the back (beyond the minuscule reception desk, which itself hides discreetly behind the bar). For hotel residents only, the bartenders here will come out to you to take your order, giving it a rather exclusive feel.
Breakfast is also served in the bar and Sito, or can be brought to your room. There's no buffet, instead, you'll find a simple breakfast menu on your bed on arrival, on which you select what you want and when you want it — choices range from homemade quiche to cold cuts and croissants — before hanging it on the door at night. It's then brought to you the next morning in the spot you've chosen. For meals and drinks out, the staff (cool but super-enthusiastic and approachable) can guide you to surprisingly authentic spots just seconds' walk away, and cleverly steer you away from places you've seen on Instagram. There's also a guide to Rome-born-and-bred Salini's top city picks in every room.
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Score n/aIn line with the ethos, there's nothing else on site. Instead, staff encourage guests to get out into the city, marking out routes for a run instead of a gym session, and lesser visited places in which to understand Rome without spending the day in a series of queues. They can also arrange unique experiences that go beyond the private-Vatican-tour mould, including an itinerary following in the footsteps of Caravaggio, visits to private palazzos and a trip to the Accademia Costume e Moda to become a fashion designer for a day. In-room massages are also a possibility.
Score 10/10This area is officially called Parione, although most people would simply call it bang in the centre. It's an interesting one — central, busy but still with pockets of authenticity where you can eat and drink as the Romans do. Piazza di Pasquino has a clutch of restaurants and bars, much better than those a block away in Piazza Navona. The Pantheon and the Caravaggio-filled church of San Luigi dei Francesi are both an easy five-minute trot away and it's also a simple stroll across the Tiber to Trastevere and the Vatican. It's brilliantly central yet slightly removed from the chaos.
Price B&B doubles from £348Restaurant n/aFamily-friendly YAccessible N
Julia Buckley was a guest of G-Rough Rome (g-rough.com)
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