Near Piazza de Popolo and the Spanish steps, the Hotel de Russie by Rocco Forte is one of Rome's most stylish, well-located hotels.

One of the most luxurious hotels in Rome, Hotel Eden set the standard for excellence when it opened in 1889; now, it is managed by Dorchester Collection.

With its prime location on the Via del Babuino, boutique hotel Babuino 181 offers contemporary décor and good value in the heart of Rome.

Steps away from Villa Borghese, Regina Baglioni in Rome boasts traditional Italian aesthetics and refined service in a historical property.

Bulgari Hotel Roma is a jewel of a hotel in the heart of Rome, with sophisticated contemporary design and spectacular dining.

The brainchild of owner/architect Antonio Girardi, this pretty landmark was once the secluded refuge for monks studying and praying inside. Now it’s been reinvented with sexy boudoir touches—think one-of-a-kind Venetian crystal chandeliers, large ornate mirrors and luscious velvets in the public areas–and crisp modern bedrooms with ultra-soft sheets.

D.O.M’s two bars have become the city’s new hot spot for an aperitivo. The option on the ground floor is more suited for colder months and late night, with a heavy wood inlaid bar and crushed velvet banquets, while the terrace option perfect for balmy summer afternoons and evenings with views over the old city.

The restaurant, helmed by a chef with a very popular cooking show, concentrates on Roman classics as well as more Mediterranean based seafood. The room rate includes continental breakfast, with freshly baked cornetti, local yogurt and some of the best fresh juices in Rome. Before you check out, don’t miss the exhibit of the hotel’s rich history on the 2nd floor including its original Roman details.

Elizabeth Unique Hotel is a stylish boutique hotel near the Spanish Steps and the Piazza del Popolo that is kitted out with cool contemporary art.

Good things come in small packages as evidenced by the 2016 debut of the all-suite Fendi hotel. Conveniently located just steps from some of Rome's most iconic historical sites and best shopping, the uber-chic property is housed within a renovated, Renaissance-style palazzo that has been reimagined as a seven-suite boutique hotel. Design aficionados and fashionistas, in particular, will appreciate the hotel’s location within the same building as the Fendi global flagship, and access to its artisans, who can create custom pieces.

Reinforcing Fendi's commitment to the fine and decorative arts, stunning 20th- and 21st-century furnishings by such designers as Hans Wegner, Vladimir Kagan and the Campana Brothers are sprinkled throughout the property. Fendi designer (and highly regarded amateur photographer) Karl Lagerfeld has contributed images of Rome's most famous monuments, which line the hotel walls and the chic, yet minimal lobby. The palazzo also boasts an outpost of esteemed Japanese restaurant Zuma, which has a rooftop bar with incredible views of the city.

The hotel's seven suites can be combined in varying configurations, catering to families with young children, groups of friends or couples seeking more space. The suites are decorated in neutral tones punctuated by deep red accents. The bathrooms feature lavish expanses of rare colored marbles, comfortable soaking tubs, large walk-in showers and radiant floor heating. Diptyque bathroom amenities round out the luxurious experience.

Opened in early 2015 by hoteliers Emanuele Garosci and Gabriele Salini, G-Rough is among a new crop of design-oriented boutique hotels to hit Rome recently. The property offers 10 suites spread across 5 floors of a 16th century building on the edge Piazza Pasquino. The rooms--all suites--face either onto the square or and internal garden and each is decorated with art and design pieces, which evoke the feeling of a contemporary Venetian residence (a nod to the hotel's sister property Palazzina G in Venice). Each floor is inspired by the work of a different Italian designer, including Giò Ponti and Ico Parisi.

The history-rich Hotel Hassler holds a prime location in Rome, and many rooms have a view of the church at the top of the Spanish Steps.

Once the guesthouse of an aristocratic Roman family, the building is still furnished with 19th-century antiques, which are starting to look more neglected than charming. But loyal guests think of their favorite rooms, such as those on the fifth floor, which have tiny terraces for breakfast alfresco, as their own pied-à-terre. Though slightly old-fashioned, for nostalgics, the place has a sense of history and authenticity. Serious shoppers stay here because of its proximity to Via dei Condotti, and its cozy restaurant draws a fashionable lunch crowd.

The stylish property in Rome, at the top of the Spanish Steps, offers an appealing vantage point from which to enjoy the cityscape.

Rome's sophisticated but unstuffy Hotel Vilòn is great for travelers that don’t need the amenities of a larger hotel and want a property with a homey feel, stylish décor and a central location. Read Indagare's review.

While the Hassler Hotel, at the top of the Spanish Steps, is far more famous (and in need of a renovation), its smaller sister hotel, Il Palazzetto is a little-known treasure. The town-house hotel, situated alongside the Steps, was built in the 1500s as a private residence and has just four rooms, all appointed in cream-colored silks and velvets, with chocolate-brown accents. It also houses the International Wine Academy of Roma, so the hotel draws dedicated oenophiles with wine-related courses, events and tastings (all of which are conducted in both Italian and English). Guests can take an intensive half-day course on Italian wines or arrange a day’s tour with an expert to vineyards in the Lazio. Il Palazzetto has a wonderful restaurant, wine bar, garden and two terraces, one for lunch, the other for drinks. The Hassler’s facilities, including a gym and a business center, are also open to guests, and a meal at its roof restaurant, Imàgo, with an exceptional view, is not to be missed.

A stylish boutique property ideal for discreet travelers who value design, J.K. Place Roma also serves those who demand modern and sleek bathrooms (a surprising, specific challenge to top hotels in Rome).

If you want a memorable night outside of Rome, or a way to break up the trip to or from the airport, book a suite at La Posta Vecchia. The 17th-century villa that J. Paul Getty called his “serene and heavenly home” is a hotel owned by the Scio family, of Il Pellicano fame. Built just above a black sand beach and ringed by lovingly landscaped formal gardens, the villa retains much of the art and furniture that Getty amassed for it. Each of the nineteen rooms and suites is different, but all bear museum-quality touches, such as coffered ceilings, antique carved-wood doors, medieval tapestries and canopy beds built for royalty. There’s even a museum of Etruscan treasures, discovered during a recent renovation. For romantic settings, it’s hard to beat the exquisite indoor pool, with its arched windows facing the sea, and the oceanfront terrace, where the Mediterranean laps beneath the stone walls.

Steps away from the Trevi Fountain, this vibrantly colored boutique gem offers five-star service in a sophisticated, intimate setting.

Centrally located near bustling and chic Via Condotti, it’s a little haven set in a private courtyard off Via Margutta. Lined with old ivy-covered stone buildings, the cobblestone cul-de-sac was once an artists’ colony where Cocteau, Fellini and Stravinsky found inspiration. With just four beautifully designed suites, Margutta 54 is the brainchild of Alberto Moncada whose noble connections include a cardinal (a family baldachin to receive the Pope attests to this) and whose family has long served as patrons of artists, from Caravaggio to Picasso. Moncada’s urbane, well-mannered upbringing is not only evident in his every gesture, but in the modern yet classic design of the rooms themselves—both in Margutta 54 and his other properties, Babuino 181 and Mario de’ Fiori 37.

Suite Number 4 comes with two dressing rooms, a big limestone and marble bathroom, with a deep tub and separate shower and beautifully restored, 100-year-old oak-wood floors. The sheets are Frette, naturally, as Moncada’s business partner owns the Italian luxury linen brand. Other details in the rooms might include oversized daybeds, comfortable brown leather armchairs and black-and-white Italian photography. Part of Margutta’s charm is that it doesn’t feel like a hotel, as its small size and personable staff make it much more relaxing.

Like many late 19^th century noble residences, the building that today is home to the Palazzo Dama had changed hands several times. Before being transformed into one of Rome’s newest boutique luxury hotels, the Art Nouveau structure was an office building, stripped of its original grandeur by the banal proceedings within. Enter architect Antonio Giradi, an avid traveler who set about rejuvenating the villa and reclaiming its noble roots.

The ambitious project drew on a handful of original fixtures, which are further enriched by modern additions that respect the villa’s historic style. The entrance to the hotel is discrete, with small lettering on the building next to wrought iron gates, where you follow a short path before entering what feels like your wealthy, stylish cousin’s mansion. Walking into the lobby, you are enveloped in soft light, surrounded by cream-colored walls, marble floors, stunning archways, and beautiful moldings around the ceilings from which chandeliers hang liberally.The thirty rooms and suites are decorated in a palate of royal blue and beige and accented with antiques Giardi has collected in travels. The high ceilings make the rooms feel very spacious and airy. The restaurant, bar and ground-floor communal areas are similarly embellished with Giardi's global treasures and a glittering chandelier originally from the Plaza Hotel in New York hangs in the bar.

The outdoor pool, tiled in turquoise hues, is immersed in a citrus and olive garden, and there is a small gym in the basement. On Friday and Saturday nights, the hotel’s private club hosts the Roman outpost of the Paris-based nightclub Raspoutine with private entrance for hotel guests. (We recommend booking a room on a higher floor to avoid the late-night noise from the club.)

Completely renovated in 2009 and reopened in early 2010, Palazzo Manfredi used to be known as Hotel Gladiatori, a fitting description of a property that occupies a 17th-century mansion literally built on top of the former changing rooms and living quarters of the gladiators. Across the street from the Colosseum, the hotel also has the city’s best views of the famous monument, especially at night when lights illuminate the structure. This Relais & Châteaux has 16 rooms, all of which come with modern furnishings, warm color schemes and uber-cool light fixtures, as well as such high-tech details as Nespresso makers, Bose sound systems and iPod docking stations. The best have dead-center Colosseum views; the most romantic suite even has the vista from the deep soaking tub.

The small lobby lounge is groovy, with velvet chaises, Taschen books and original, contemporary art, and such services as the Lamborghini pick-up from the airport are available. Even if you are not staying here, a meal at Aroma restaurant is a must. Located on the roof terrace of the hotel, the restaurant is as close as you will get to private face-time with Rome’s most famous monument. At night, the terrace is one of the most difficult reservations to book and the romance factor is high.

Indagare Tip: Aroma restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch, and makes a perfect pit-stop before or after touring the Colosseum.

This exclusive jewel of a boutique hotel in the heart of Rome effortlessly combines elegance, history and modern luxury.

Situated right off Via dei Condotti, Portrait Roma offers the comfort of a chic private home with the efficient, knowledgeable service of an impeccable concierge team.

Got a hankering to be a prince or princess for a day or more? A few years ago, the current principessa, Donna Letizia Ruspoli, inspired by Indian maharajas who invite guests into their palaces, began renting Rome’s most authentic royal suite; from 1830 to 1831, Napoleon III and his mother lived in the apartments. Glorious reception rooms filled with museum-quality art and antiques lead to a master bedroom suite, which has been restored to its original Baroque splendor with coffered ceilings, parquet floors, a silk-draped bed, oil paintings and a Gobelin tapestry.

The princess greets guests when she’s in Rome, and her assistant, as well as a butler and a maid, attend to visitors’ needs, arranging guides, restaurant reservations and any special requests. For those who want a less formal experience in the same surroundings, there is the Roof Garden Suite. In either suite, the maid or butler will bring you breakfast in the morning—on the family silver, of course.

The first European property in the Waldorf Astoria crown, this hotel, at the northwestern end of the city, has the feel of a full-fledged resort. With fifteen acres of grounds, including a large pool near a grove of palm, umbrella pine, oak and magnolia trees, the Cavalieri, as it’s often called, offers a haven for when the city’s crowds become overwhelming. Don’t be put off by the exterior, which resembles a circa-1960 coastal condo complex; the 370-room hotel has every modern amenity.

The common spaces are busy and grand, and the formalness extends to the rooms. Decorated in a classic style, the rooms have a navy and gold color palette and are adorned with brocade curtains and plush velvet upholstery. Be aware the hotel has both smoking and non-smoking categories, so be sure to specify if you would like a non-smoking room.

There’s even a three-Michelin-star restaurant, La Pergola, on the premises, as well as more casual poolside dining options and multiple bars. If you are traveling as a family, the large guest rooms will give everyone more breathing space than at most city center hotels and you’ll appreciate the children’s pool and sprawling grounds. There’s also a top-ranked spa with water treatments and personal trainers. The hotel is rather isolated in a residential district quite a distance from the historical center. Budget at least 30 minutes in a taxi to reach the city’s main attractions.

Now run by a family of hoteliers, the Singer Palace was built in 1930 as the Rome headquarters of the Singer Sewing Company. Opened as a hotel in 2018, it’s a more intimate boutique alternative to the city’s flashier hotels by well-known brands.

An oasis in the center of the action, Six Senses Rome greets you with an open space filled with tropical plants and the brand’s signature laid-back luxury.