Jody Bear
When my friend in Rome said he was taking me to a great restaurant with a view, all I thought was, ‘I’ll be the judge of that’! Nowadays, everything is hype and almost always anti-climatic…Boy, was I wrong! Aroma, the rooftop terrace restaurant located in Palazzo Manfredi, overlooks the Colosseum and the Colle Oppio (Emperor Nero’s gardens). The view is spectacular as is the cuisine! Ringrazio il mio buon amico!
By the way, Palazzo Manfredi, a 14 room 5-star Relais & Chateaux hotel, is a hidden treasure—even if there is a suite equipped with a gym, you can still go around the corner and work out at Madonna’s new fitness club to burn off those extra pasta calories!
Be the first to know: tucked away on a side street near Piazza del Popolo, Via del Corso and Via dei Condotti (only the best shopping streets),The First Hotel is the best kept secret in Rome. It has 29 contemporary, oh-so-chic rooms and suites, a Michelin star restaurant and the rooftop terrace is to die for (don’t take me literally)—think Nikki Beach meets heaven!!!
OMG…The Regina Hotel Baglioni, located on the Via Veneto, is reinventing itself…starting with the over-the-top 3 bedroom, 4 bath, 6000 sq ft ‘Roman Penthouse’ with a 360 degree panoramic view overlooking the Eternal City! It has custom-made furniture, a $20,000 Murano glass chandelier in the master bedroom (doesn’t everyone have one?!), a technogym, private butler, chef and barman—-and , on a clear day, you can see Sardinia from your private rooftop terrace jacuzzi pool!
Opening in November, Hotel D.O.M.(as in Dom Perignon) is near Piazza Navona overlooking the ancient ruins of ‘Stabula Augusti’—think Ben Hur!!! With only 24 rooms and suites, a rooftop terrace infused with rosemary & lemon essential oils and authentic period pieces of art & artifacts, this elegant hotel is just like the champagne that *ahem*…bearsits name!
Rome’s Monti District is a neighborhood that is still under the radar and one you should visit before everyone discovers how fabulous it is. A couple of my top picks are: Basilica San Clemente Church with breathtaking 12th century mosaics and a section which was once a pagan temple—what’s more, you could have the Church to yourself since so few people know about it!It’s ironic that the coolest café is named Caffe Propaganda when, truth be told, this café, restaurant, tearoom and bar is the place to be day or night—with baristas making your cappuccino, pastry chefs whipping up sinfully delicious panna cotta with orange caramel, chefs preparing meatballs(with oxtail)! or mixologists serving jasmine infused champagne cocktails, why would you go anywhere else?
J.K.Place is one of the hottest hotel brands in Italy and the much anticipated, long awaited J.K.Place Roma has finally opened in the heart of Rome steps away from Piazza di Spagna. With only 30 rooms and suites, they spared no expense from Rosewood canopy handmade beds, Italian marble bathrooms and LED Satellite TV with over 700 channels!!! The public area is one continuous lounge where one could eat, drink and be social all day long. Be sure to visit the hip bar where master mixers serve up signature drinks like the Mr. Bellavista Spritz and the JK Sour. (see ingredients below) Everything about this hotel has that cool JK twist!