6th July 2023
8 min. read
1133
Rome is a city full of magnificent works of art. It is the birthplace of everything great in Italy, from Caravaggio and Raphael’s paintings to Bernini’s sculptures and Federico Fellini’s films. As a result, the launch of the most recent EDITION was ideal for the Eternal City.
The compact 91-room Rome EDITION establishes a new benchmark in the Eternal City and was imagined, conceptualised, and planned by the visionary entrepreneur Ian Schrager and realised and interpreted by the hotel’s owners, Statuto Group. With its sophistication, great attention to detail, refinement, and high design aesthetic, it is destined to become a meeting spot for both tourists and Romans. A few short steps separate the hotel from Via Veneto, the most coveted street in all of Italy, which is situated in one of Rome’s most desirable neighbourhoods. It is the embodiment of Italian flair in all its splendour and was immortalised in La Dolce Vita. Furthermore, all of the main sights, such as the Piazza Barberini, the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, and the perennially stunning Borghese Gardens, are conveniently close by.
The structure was designed by Cesare Pascoletti and renowned architect Marcello Piacentini in the 1940s and was once home to one of the major Italian banks. It is a stunning example of the rationalism movement. A monument to their brilliance is the magnificent central staircase made of priceless cipollino marble from the quarries of Apuane. The central courtyards, ancient statues, and lanterns are just a few of the original characteristics that have been preserved.
The hotel features three distinctive bars, a rooftop lounge, bar and pool, a show kitchen restaurant, a well-equipped urban wellness area with a gym and treatment rooms, and a courtyard garden where guests can while away the time sipping their favourite beverage or sampling the exquisite food menu created by the hotel’s chef partner, renowned Roman Chef Paola Colucci. The brand’s signature muted tones, touches of walnut wood, and gorgeous custom created furnishings are present in all 91 rooms, including 17 suites.
Rome is a city that is passionate about cuisine, thus EDITION took great care in selecting a chef to oversee its culinary offerings. They discovered her in Paola Colucci, the self-taught owner of the renowned Pianostrada restaurant in Rome. Colucci discovered her passion for cooking much later in life; after working in finance for 20 years, she abandoned the field and launched her first restaurant nine years ago. The female-dominated team is made up of Colucci’s two children, Alice and Flaminia Spognetta, as well as her closest friend and business partner, Chiara Magliocchetti.
She is regarded as one of the city’s best and most intuitive chefs and firmly believes in both the emotional nature of food and the value of communicating with diners. Because of this, her kitchen at The Rome EDITION’s signature restaurant Anima will have an open front and be surrounded by ambered glass, allowing for public viewing of her work. Her family’s recipes have been passed down through the decades, and the menu features classic Italian cuisine with a contemporary touch and an international perspective.
Seasonality and freshness will be The Rome EDITION’s main priorities. At Anima, dishes like Chef Colucci’s version of spaghetti with roasted tomatoes, veal with tuna sauce, and some of the best tomato and burrata in all of Italy will dazzle diners with their show-stopping flavours. With a list that is primarily motivated by emotion and with a significant focus on food pairings, there will be a strong emphasis on Italian wines, while other nations will of course be represented as well. The restaurant will be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is a bright space with blue and chartreuse upholstered furnishings.
The hotel boasts a sizable, verdant garden that will serve as both a piazza and a dining area, which is a first for the city. As the hotel expands like acts in an opera, guests start their adventure here in the private garden. In the hotel’s interior, which is an indoor-outdoor environment with a forest of more than 400 plants and a cascade of climbing jasmine over the façade, there is a Roman streetscape that leads to the lobby. It has the appearance of a traditional Roman garden thanks to a striking bronze metal awning that stands over teak wood banquettes and free-standing furniture as well as an Italianate arrangement of lanterns. The Garden offers Anima outside seating on one side and a laid-back all-day terrace on the other, as well as a menu of light dishes that is accessible from early in the morning until late at night. A modernist cocktail list inspired by Italian gardens and the Mediterranean goes along with the menu, which includes both old favourites and brand-new dishes.
The Lobby, the hotel’s social hub, sets the tone, as it does at other EDITION hotels. Awe-inspiring for both Romans and visitors, the room features majestic 22-foot (7-meter) ceilings, porous travertine walls and flooring, and a marble fireplace. The focal point of the area are two symmetrical seating configurations. Petrified wood side tables and standing lights are positioned adjacent to white bespoke fabric sofas and coffee tables that were inspired by Manuel Coltri. EDITION is most alive in The Lobby. It’s a place to unwind and have fun, to be seen and be heard, or to play a few games of pool on the specially designed table.
Punch Room and Jade Bar, two distinctive bars that are found on the ground floor, are the gold standard for mixology in the area. The Punch Room, EDITION’s signature bar concept, upholds the standards established at other EDITION locations throughout the world. It is an award-winning speakeasy-inspired bar concept. The five traditional ingredients of punch highlight spirits from Europe and the colonies, spices and citrus from Africa and the east, teas from China and India, and sugar from the Indies. Traditional punches were first created in the 17th century and made use of the exciting new ingredients that were discovered on the trade routes. Punch Room transforms the beverage using traditional recipes as inspiration. A spot for guests to chill with friends in dim lighting is the dark walnut wood bar, which also features a fireplace made of Rosso Levanto marble and handcrafted armchairs in rosewood and dark brown leather. It is a friendly and laid-back setting, the ideal place to unwind on the amaranth-colored velvet sofas while sipping on Punch cocktails that explore the impact of the Roman Empire.
A venue for true connoisseurs and aficionados, Jade Bar is a small-scale mixology bar. Using sophisticated procedures, a restricted selection of alcohol and seasonal ingredients are transformed into a kaleidoscope of cocktails, thereby producing a changing flavour gallery throughout the year. Jade Bar’s refined atmosphere is a tribute to the Romans’ love of nature’s greatest creations. With glossy brass and gold accents, the quaint room is decorated with floor to ceiling green ancient marble. Visitors are invited to take it easy on the emerald velvet banquettes and see the sculptures that are inspired by Jeff Koons while savouring the exclusive menu.
The Roof, which is on the seventh story, provides clear views of the city skyline and famous buildings including the Pantheon, Acqua Paola Fountain, and Basilica of Sant’Andrea della Valle. The private area has a sizable bar area, a travertine plunge pool surrounded by daybeds made of solid oiled teak, and a terrace with bronze metal vases placed randomly along the outside edge. At the conclusion of a hot Roman day, have a drink at the bar counter or go swimming. Raw and prepared foods created by Chef Colucci are influenced by her love of the Mediterranean Sea. The cocktails also incorporate local herbs, amari, and citrus flavours to produce an authentically Italian list.
Although they have a strong Italian influence, the guestrooms maintain the design characteristics for which EDITION is renowned. A very Italian scene is created by the comfortable beds, which are made to order out of Canaletto light walnut wood. Peperino stone bedside tables and original Italian artwork that hangs on the walls are also present. Additionally, each room features a 55-inch television, a bespoke chair covered in beige leather, and herringbone-style walnut flooring. Visitors can enjoy the renowned EDITION Le Labo products in the bathroom, which also features a handcrafted Carrara marble basin leaning against walnut wood.
The Rome EDITION is a one-of-a-kind accommodation, a brand-new type of boutique hotel that celebrates the evolving character of the city and places you right in the middle of it all. There is no place like Rome with EDITION.
Charlotte Bendon
charlotte@bendon.com
Specialist Area:
All Inclusive, Beaches, City Breaks, Theme Parks, Weddings and Honeymoon, Spa & Wellness, Romantic
View ProfileCopyright © 2021 Experienced Travellers Ltd. Experienced Travellers Ltd is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach external linking.