|
Italian Hideaways Journalist Meg Nolan has combed Italy for the most wonderful, off the beaten path places to stay from palazzos to small hotels. She shares one of her stays with us. 
Portrait Suite : Rome Like stepping into a stylish friend’s flat in the most posh neighborhood of the city, Portrait Suites would leave you green with envy if it weren’t for the fact you’re invited to treat it like it’s your own. It’s no wonder many of Portrait Suites’ guests have turned into month-long residents, hesitant to relinquish their swish pad in Rome’s high-end shopping area. Just minutes from the Piazza di Spagna, the boutique hotel’s convenient location is just a precursor for the overall tranquil experience presented by the hotel. The calm sensibility of Portrait Suites begins at check-in when instead of being confronted with a desk and a harried receptionist; the guest is ushered into a comfortable and well appointed sitting room. Framed prints of fashion models along with a complimentary beverage tray offering a cool glass of water or juice serve to seamlessly distract the guest from any possible wait time. The small staff introduces themselves by name and appears sincere when they guide you to your room and tell you they are there to help you with whatever you may need. 
The hotel is the latest addition from Lungarno Hotels, the hotel group owned and managed by the Ferragamo family. Unlike their other properties, mostly all in Florence, Portrait Suites leaves no guesswork as to who is behind the luxe design. Photographs and sketches done by Salvatore Ferragamo line the walls of the staircase making the walk up and down from the room or the terrace infinitely more interesting than the elevator. Due to the hotel’s fashion minded owners and designers, the décor of the hotel is anything but an afterthought. |
Rooms The fourteen suites range in category from classic rooms to a two-bedroom suite, though all come with the signature style and custom detail redolent of the Ferragamo moniker. Memorable custom details include cotton fringe curtains lined in lime silk panels and bright pink throw pillows on the contemporary style sofas and chairs. Of course this being a Ferragamo operation, leather features heavily into the design style and furnishings. Leather covered stools and long benches at the foot of the beds keep the overall aesthetic fresh and clean. Even the desktops have high-quality leather blotters. The guestroom’s best feature (and the reason guests often opt to extend their stay) is the full service kitchenette. Large dark wooden doors slide back to reveal a stainless steel kitchenette built into the wall complete with cupboards and a counter and sink. It comes outfitted with not one but two espresso makers, a modern push-button kind and the other a traditional French-press. There is a well-stocked fridge plus all sorts of light snacks as well as cutlery, plates, and glasses sufficient for two. The real luxury however is the built-in dishwasher. The kitchenette renders the guest so self-sufficient that the hotel’s lack of restaurant is hardly a problem. Room 53 is a Deluxe room and one of the only two rooms with a private balcony, the other being the magnificent penthouse suite whose terrace wraps around the entire front of the building and offers a truly indulgent and private view of the Piazza di Spagna and frenetic well-heeled Rome below. 
In a city where the rooftops are often more lavishly adorned than the building’s interior, and certainly more intriguing, the icing on the artfully designed cake is Portrait Suite’s chicly appointed rooftop terrace. The rooftop is open to all guests at all hours and has an honesty bar where no type or brand of beverage seemed to be missing. Deep cushioned chair and sofa sets complete with large umbrellas make it the ideal lounge area from which to eat breakfast, read, spy on the neighbors, or simply appreciate the fantastic view of the magnificent ancient city. For dining the hotel only offers complimentary breakfast, however, its convenient location to a local market, some of the city’s top restaurants, and multiple enotecas make lunches and dinners as a guest of Portrait Suites characteristically easy. 
|
