Grand Hotel Via Veneto
via Vittorio Veneto 155, Rome, Italy, 00187
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#10 of 40
expert-rated hotels in Rome- Recommended for:
- Business travellers, Culture vultures, Shopping, Special occasions
Expert review of Grand Hotel Via Veneto
Suave Art Déco style and attentive service make this new Via Veneto five-star stand out.
Inaugurated in April 2009, this latest addition to the Via Veneto luxury hotel scene shows up its more venerable rivals with its effortless style, spot-on service and sheer verve. If it weren’t for the pristine, gleaming newness of the place you might be forgiven for thinking that you had stepped back into the Roaring Twenties, as a very plush and lush Art Deco look applies throughout. I see a lot of Roman luxury hotels, but the Grand Hotel Via Veneto impresses both in its ambitious scale and its attention to detail.
Location:
Housed in an apricot-pink 19th-century palazzo near the top end of Via Veneto, the hotel is well placed for visits to the Villa Borghese park and Borghese Gallery (Galleria Borghese), but also handy for the Spanish Steps (Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti) and the fashion shopping streets beyond. There are dozens of upscale bars and restaurants nearby.
Bedrooms:
Even the smallest doubles are large at 28 square metres, and all are attractively done out in warm earth tones, enlivened with bold stripes, huge black and white photos of Roman scenes, and specially-designed Deco-style furnishings in palisander and mahogany. Bathrooms are covered in lashings of Carrara marble. I really like the roomy corner suites such as 404, with its double views across Via Veneto and a quieter side street. The huge rooftop Royal Suite is perfect for those of you travelling with your entourage and bodyguards.
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Public areas:
From the hall with its skylight illumination to the intimate ‘De Chirico’ reading room, everything is molto elegante – and the Picassos and Miros you see on the wall are originals.
Eating and drinking:
The hotel’s contempo-classic Magnolia restaurant offers a big breakfast spread and an Italian and international menu for lunch and dinner. But I was more taken by the more informal ‘Time’ seafood café and winebar, which is open to the street and attracts a good deal of local custom, especially at lunchtime. Oysters, caviar and Russian Balik salmon are their specialities – but there are plenty of more democratic options, from Club sandwiches to gourmet cheeseburgers.
Leisure facilities:
An elegantly minimalist spa and fitness centre had yet to open at the time of writing: watch this space. The rooftop solarium, with hydromassage tub, is a great place to work on your tan in the heart of the city.
Service:
Maybe it’s because it’s still new and the staff’s enthusiasm hasn’t worn off yet, but I found the level of service to be excellent, from the top-hatted doorman to the knowledgeable concierge.
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Who stays there:
Roger Federer was one of the hotel’s first guests, and it looks set to catch more celebrities with its combination of opulence, central location and easy road access. So far, guests tend to be evenly balanced between leisure and business travellers – the latter catered to by a small business centre and a pair of hi-tech meeting rooms.
Price advice:
Breakfast, though excellent, is a pricey extra at 40 euros a head: if you want to avoid this, there are plenty of cafés on the Via Veneto where you can get a perfectly good breakfast of croissants, cappuccino and orange juice for a fraction of this price.
Pros:
The Art Deco design packs a real wow! factor
Helpful and courteous service
It’s smart, young and keen in a city dominated by tired grande dame hotels
It still has a secret, insider buzz
Cons:
As an independent, it doesn’t offer loyalty scheme reductions
Pricey breakfast not included in room rate
More information on Grand Hotel Via Veneto:
- Price from:
- Type:
- Hotel
- Address:
- via Vittorio Veneto 155, Rome, Italy, 00187
- Amenities:
- Business Centre, High-Speed Internet, Pets Allowed, Restaurant, Room Service
- Neighbourhood:
- Via Veneto
