A classic Rome hotel between Piazza del Popolo and the Spanish Steps, built around a terraced Secret Garden at the foot of the Pincio.
Location is half the case for Hotel de Russie. Piazza del Popolo is at one end of the street and the Spanish Steps at the other, with the Pincian Hill rising behind. The other half is the Secret Garden: tiered terraces of roses, citrus and pines where breakfast, lunch and the evening drink all happen, and where the city noise simply stops.
Rooms were designed by Olga Polizzi in a calm palette with classical touches, and the garden-view categories are worth the extra for the quiet. The suites with terraces, Popolo, Picasso, Vaselli and Nijinsky, are some of the best rooms in the city for a special occasion.
It is one of the better city hotels in Italy for children, with a programme for babies to teenagers and connecting rooms. The trade-off is that this is a busy, sociable hotel, and the Stravinskij Bar is a popular meeting place for Romans as well as guests. Those wanting a hushed, hidden-away hotel may prefer somewhere smaller.
Rooms in a natural palette with sculptural details; Deluxe rooms add a sitting and working area, and garden-view versions face the terraces.
Junior and Deluxe Junior Suites mixing classical sculpture, bas relief and contemporary photography, some overlooking the garden.
Two Deluxe rooms connected as one, a Junior Suite Family and a Two-Bedroom Family Suite with garden views.
Superior and Deluxe Suites with views over the historic centre, and the Valadier Suite with a French balcony facing the Pincian Hill.
The Popolo, Picasso, Vaselli and Nijinsky suites, the Popolo with a wraparound terrace over Piazza del Popolo.
Le Jardin serves Italian cooking overseen by chef Fulvio Pierangelini, in a classically styled dining room or on the terrace at the foot of the Pincio, with dishes such as tonnarelli cacio e pepe and lamb scottadito; there is a Sunday lunch for families. The Stravinskij Bar is the hotel's social heart for aperitivo, and the Aquazzura bar in the garden pairs tequila cocktails with small plates. There is no dress code, but smart casual is the norm.
The Irene Forte Spa takes its cue from the garden, with treatments using Irene Forte skincare made with ingredients from the group's organic farm in Sicily. There is a relaxation lounge, a Forte Vita bar for express facials and hair, and a Technogym-equipped gym.
Children of all ages are welcome, with the Rocco Forte Kids programme for babies (0 to 3), kids (4 to 12) and teens (13 to 16), kids' menus at half price, babysitting on request and connecting rooms.
| Location | Between Piazza del Popolo and the Spanish Steps |
|---|---|
| Garden | Terraced Secret Garden below the Pincian Hill |
| Restaurant | Le Jardin, overseen by Fulvio Pierangelini |
| Bars | Stravinskij Bar and the Aquazzura garden bar |
| Spa | Irene Forte Spa and gym |
| Children | All ages; Rocco Forte Kids programme |
Between Piazza del Popolo and the Spanish Steps, Rome, Italy
A few of the things we plan for guests in Italy.
The coast road is slow in summer, so see the coast from a boat. A private day takes in the Li Galli islands, the narrow inlet at Furore and a swim stop below Praiano, with lunch at a beach restaurant reachable only by sea. Go on a weekday in late May, June or September, when the water is warm and the ferries are less full.
South of Siena, the Val d'Orcia is the Tuscany of cypress avenues and rolling wheat fields. Base yourself in a farmhouse near Pienza, buy pecorino in the village, and spend a day tasting Brunello in Montalcino and Vino Nobile in Montepulciano with a driver. September and October bring the grape harvest and a softer, lower light.
Venice changes completely once the day visitors leave. Stay at least two nights so you can walk across Piazza San Marco at seven in the morning and spend evenings in the bacari of Cannaregio eating cicchetti. November to March is cold and misty but the city is at its calmest.
Three nights in Rome between Piazza del Popolo and the Spanish Steps, with a private guide for the Vatican and the Forum, then the fast train south and five nights on the cliff outside Positano with a lift down to the sea.
Four nights on an organic farm estate in southern Tuscany, with a spa that uses its own herbs, then three inside the walls of an Umbrian castle with a candlelit bathhouse in the old wine cellars. Siena and Montalcino in between.
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will check availability, suggest the right room and send a price.
