Savoring Italian Decadence at Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome Hotel

A Roman masterpiece in its own right, the Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome Hotel was the first Italian outpost for this storied Bangkok-based brand when it opened in 2021. The brand may be Bangkok-born, but this hotel is where centuries of history meet five-star luxury in the heart of the “Eternal City.”

With a white marble crescent-shaped Neoclassical portico on Piazza della Repubblica, this Leading Hotels of the World member stands atop ancient Roman baths and is a leisurely walk from the Spanish Steps, Colosseum, and Trevi Fountain—plus downtown shopping, restaurants and bustling piazzas.

For those arriving by train, the Anantara property is next to the central Roma Termini railway station, allowing for seamless transitions from ancient streets to high-speed trains—a major convenience for those looking for effortless journeys north to must-see stops like Florence and Milan (one and a half hours and three hours away, respectively) and south to Naples (75 minutes).    

Anantara Palazzo Naiadi’s 232 rooms and suites are on four floors across the main Palace Wing and the Clementine Wing. This was built by Pope Clement IX in 1705 to store grain for the Vatican and has a long corridor with 24 Premium Rooms in cozy-rustic style, with slanting wooden beams and small outdoor spaces.

The best views are from the heigh-ceilinged Palace Wing rooms and suites that look over the circular piazza and the hotel’s namesake Fountain of the Naiads. This is one of Rome’s most spectacular fountains, especially at night when golden lights illuminate the water cascading down the bronze nymphs. Behind the fountain stand two of Rome’s less-visited sites: the Baths of Diocletian and the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, which was designed by the great Michelangelo.

Our Junior Suite had a piazza and fountain view as well as a sitting area, writing desk, a large marble bathroom with alcove tub and large bottles of Acqua di Parma toiletries that are standard in all rooms and suites.

Last September, Sofia Loren celebrated her 90th birthday at the hotel, which she considers her Roman home away from home. The affinity goes both ways, it appears. The hotel offers the Sofia Loren Suite, located on the 3rd floor. It has two entrances and can connect with one of the 95 Premium Rooms. The suite celebrates Loren’s life and passions, from family photographs to cookery books and the white roses, which are the actress’s best-loved flowers.

“Sofia’s son, Eduardo, worked with us on every detail,” said Giuseppe Marzio Pontrandolfo, Palazzo Naiadi’s institutional relations manager and a friend of the actress.

A second-floor Presidential Suite has a similar layout as the Sofia Loren Suite; though the Presidential Suite has a private balcony with fountain view. For help with reserving these suites or for VIPs, travel specialists should go through Pontrandolfo (+39-06-489-381; [email protected]) or reservations manager Racha El Kassir ([email protected]).

Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome Hotel
A Royal Stay: The Presidential Suite features classic furnishings and carefully curated modern art. (Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome Hotel )

Honeymooners should indulge in one of the 11 624-sqaure-foot Duplex Suite Piazza Views, which have a spacious lounge downstairs and a king-size bed on the mezzanine level. All suites, including these Duplex Suites, come with butler service, complimentary one-way luxury car transfer, an ironing service for two garments and two tickets for Roman cultural attractions per stay.

The spa’s design incorporates elements from the Baths of Diocletian, the remains of which can be seen beneath the hotel’s glass floors. Spa Director Tomislav Dasovic (+39-351-661-6392; [email protected]) said treatments, like the signature Diocletian Ritual, draw on Rome’s history of hydro wellness, and that the HUR products used have active ingredients—exclusively sourced in Tuscany—that provide a natural balance.   

As befits a Leading Hotels of the World member, the concierge team, which is led by Head Concierge Stefania Primavera (+39-349-371-124; [email protected]), counts an outstanding six Clefs d’Or members. We spoke with Clefs d’Or Valentina Giorgi ([email protected]), who told us many guests ask for unusual experiences, and that the concierges arrange shopping for handmade shoes, jewelry and bespoke tailoring (she recommends Andrea Providenza of Lodental). The concierge team can even arrange guest visits to St. Peter’s Basilica through areas not open to the general public.

Valentina gets many queries about where to eat like a local. Among her recommendations are Barzilai, a family-run bistro and wine bar with small tables and a menu of Roman specialties located about a 20-minute walk from the hotel. Across the river in Trastevere, Da Etta has an outdoor terrace and hits the mark with dishes like tripe and oxtail. Meanwhile, Fingers, behind Piazza del Popolo, features a fusion of Japanese and Brazilian cuisine.

But don’t skip the restaurants at Palazzo Naiadi. Breakfast in La Fontana, where lunch is also served in winter, entailed a large buffet with international evergreens; we could not resist Rome’s once ubiquitous Maritozzo buns with whipped cream and the tasty slices of pizza. The rooftop SEEN by Olivier, next to the outdoor pool and solarium, is a see-and-be-seen spot for al fresco sushi, Asian and Mediterranean dining. There is also a DJ who draws a cosmopolitan crowd looking for fresh beats to pair with a craft cocktail.

Dinner in the elegant and intimate Ineo restaurant, helmed by Chef Heros de Agostinis (+39-342-658-8803; [email protected]) took us completely by surprise. The fois gras with clementines and salted walnuts, macaroni with Madeira and chili, and duck with radicchio were Italian cuisine at its most sophisticated. Agostinis’ winter salad looked far too pretty to eat, and his trolley of specialty breads was impossible to resist.

Agostinis told us he worked with the legendary three-star Michelin chef Heinz Beck before moving on to London and Bahrain, and that his food is inspired by his grandmothers, who hail from Italy’s mountainous Abruzzo region and Eritrea. Restaurant Manager Damiano Verdone (+39-349-805-253; [email protected]) should be contacted for reservations, which are a good idea as the Ineo is elegantly contained in size.

Indulge and fear not: Carbs don’t count in Italy.

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