Bulgari Hotel Roma has arrived, wrapped in luxury

Bulgari Hotel Roma has finally opened its doors in the Eternal City. A homecoming for the fashion house, which was founded in Rome nearly 140 years ago, the new flagship is the ninth in Bulgari Hotels & Resorts' growing collection – following the opening of Bulgari Hotel Tokyo earlier in 2023 – and sets the bar for the brand’s ultra-luxury offering.

Located in the city’s Campo Marzio district, a short stroll from Via del Corso, the hotel is set adjacent to the Piazza Augusto Imperatore and the Mausoleum of Augustus – the founder of the Roman Empire – and occupies the former headquarters for the Italian Social Security Agency, an imposing rationalist building, designed by the architect Vittorio Ballio Morpurgo in the 1930s.

Step inside Bulgari Hotel Roma

Like the other Bulgari properties, the design has been spearheaded by Milan-based ACPV Architects (Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel), who have taken their cues from the history of the area to create a sumptuous offering that smartly balances the sober architecture of the building – and its original details like the mosaic façade, beautiful staircases and internal and external frescoes – while encapsulating the story of the Bulgari brand. 

On arrival, the impressive 5m-tall foyer is anchored by an original Roman sculpture of the emperor Augustus in Pentelic marble, which is illuminated by a large Barovier & Toso handblown Murano glass chandelier, which features 25 lamps. These are positioned to match the eight points of the star, set into the floor in antique black marble. Elsewhere on the ground floor, the public spaces are filled with thoughtful details, from the floor design in the cosy lounge, which nods to the 1930s parquet of the Bulgari store in via Condotti, to the original Gio Ponti trumpet vases, and the bookshelves in the library designed by Franco Albini for Cassina in 1956.

Raising the bar for luxury accommodation in the city, all of the 114 guest rooms – which either overlook the Piazza or the charming Via della Frezza – have been inspired by emperor Augustus’ love of marble as well as the Bulgari brand’s history of colour in its jewellery (it created a one-of-a-kind necklace to mark the Bulgari Roma's announcement back in 2020). This is most evident in the bathrooms, each of which is revealed in four palettes of coloured marble: yellow from the Middle East, red from Sudan, and green and white from Brazil. Each bathroom is elevated by a decorative mosaic medallion above the bath, which reproduces the designs of vintage Bulgari brooches, while the marble colour sets the tone for the rest of the room, extending throughout the furnishings including the bedheads and the 1962 Arco di Flos lamps by designer Achille Castiglioni. 

The prime spot, however, is the Bulgari Suite. Unfolding over 300 sq m, the sprawling retreat is lined with ten windows that overlook the Mausoleum of Augustus and shed beams of sunlight onto Flexform and Maxalto furnishings, silk wall fabrics by Rubelli, and an impressive bathtub carved from a single block of arabesque Corchia marble.

On the food front, the hotel has tapped Niko Romito of three Michelin-starred restaurant Reale, as well as Bulgari’s head of culinary experiences, to bring his vision to the hotel’s dining outlets. At Il Caffé, a space inspired by Belle Époque cafés with its antique mirrors, arabesque marble floors, wicker chairs, and long banquettes in burnt orange, the all-day menu is a feast of Italian classics, from eggplant parmigiana to vitello tonnato. 

At Il Ristorante on the fifth floor, against lush mahogany walls and splendid views of the mausoleum, Romito serves a menu of updated Italian dishes like veal Milanese and lobster linguine with red prawns. Finish this off with a nightcap in the Bulgari Bar, at the black marble bar, which is finished off with 60 handblown Murano glass twirls or, during the warmer months, head to La Terrazza , the rooftop terrace where 360-degree views of the city are enhanced by a swathe of over 200 enamel pots, which have been filled with a variety of local plants and flowers.

And then there’s the spa. Anchored by a 20m indoor pool lined with glistening mosaics by Bisazza – that nod to the motifs seen in Baths of Caracalla – the spa also has also eight treatment rooms, a fitness centre and a salon, which all come together to create the perfect retreat after a day spent exploring the streets of Rome. 

bulgarihotels.com