Debut in the heart of the capital for Corinthia Rome
The hotel houses 60 rooms and suites with fine décor and furnishings, right opposite Montecitorio
by Sara Magro
Key points
The new Corinthia is the twenty-third five-star luxury hotel in Rome, the European city, after London, where the most high-end hotels have opened in the last five years. It seems to be a race to see who can make the most beautiful, most original, most innovative, most locally rooted hotel. Here they have opted for classic hospitality that favours comfort and discretion, and the location is 10 out of 10, opposite Montecitorio, the seat of Parliament, a stone's throw from Via del Corso and Piazza di Spagna. Go down to the bar, the restaurant, and you can be sure that sooner or later some minister, not even too incognito, will cross your path.
New life at the former headquarters of the Banca D'Italia
Until 1961, the 1920s palazzo was the representative office of the Banca d'Italia. After changing sign several times until 2000, it remained closed for years until it was acquired by Reuben Brothers in 2019 to open Italy's first Corinthia (they have already announced Lago di Como and Puglia). During its transformation into a hotel, the building was restored to its original form through careful historical and philological research. The fulcrum of this work is the Council Chamber on the piano nobile, with frescoes by Giulio Bargellini praising prosperity, the ceiling decorated with Italian coins from the Etruscans to the early 20th century, the floor in polychrome geometric mosaics, and the jambs with busts of Italian geniuses, from Marco Polo to Alessandro Volta.
Vatican View
The 60 rooms have certain common denominators: space, light, marble bathrooms. Then, as you go up the category, you add inlays, mosaics, more and more precious coverings, larger lounges, until you reach the four themed suites with private terraces. From the Arte suite you can see the Vatican, while the Theodoli, on the first floor, has the aforementioned Sala Consigliare as its living area. In all of them there is a Dyson hairdryer, a steamer to freshen up clothes and lots of books on art, culture and history.
Carlo Cracco in the kitchen, the Spa in the former vault
The most entertaining part of the project is the kitchen. At the helm is Carlo Cracco, who brings to Rome his classics such as the caramelised Russian salad, which opens dinner at Viride, the fine dining restaurant with 28 seats and a 10-course tasting menu. While at the Piazzetta bistro you can also order tonnarelli cacio e pepe and carbonara with siphoned egg (lighter than the traditional sauce). Breakfast is served at the table, and if you want to experience strong emotions, order the soft egg with Parmigiano Reggiano and guanciale. The spa is in the former bank vault, where the Savoy Crown Jewels were deposited in 1946. Instead of gold and treasures, it now dispenses advice on how to feel good, with a path inspired by the ancient Roman baths - tepidarium, calidarium and finally frigidarium - and beauty and relaxation rituals with botanical products by Skin to Seed and hi-tech products by plastic surgeon Yannis Alexandrides. There is one thing about Rome that always puts you in a good mood: the friendliness of the people. At the Corinthia, they greet you with a (spontaneous) smile, don't let you out of their sight and are happy if they see you satisfied. And this applies to the people at the door, the check in, the restaurant, the housekeeping. They seem very proud to work there, which makes the atmosphere cosy and warm
A word of advice: at least take a tour with your head up, because the ceilings are worth looking at. Stuccoes, gold leaf, frescoes and sumptuous glass chandeliers, handmade by Sogni di Cristallo.
