- Introduction: A Polished Journey To Greece
- Review: LOT Polish Airlines Business Class 787 (ORD-WAW)
- Review: Raffles Europejski Warsaw, Poland
- Review: Aegean Business Class Airbus A320neo (WAW-ATH)
- Review: Academias Athens, Marriott Autograph Collection
- Review: Bulgari Hotel Rome, Italy
- Review: ITA Airways Business Class A330neo (FCO-MIA)
Want to take advantage of Marriott STARS benefits, including a space available room upgrade, complimentary breakfast, a hotel credit, and more? Contact Ford ([email protected]) for more details. He may even be able to help if you already have a stay booked. This is valid for paid stays at BVLGARI, EDITION, Ritz-Carlton, Ritz-Carlton Reserve, and St. Regis.
For the return portion of our brief trip to Greece, we spent a night in Rome, prior to our ITA Airways flight to Miami. For our overnight we decided to check out the 114-room Bulgari Rome, which is the brand’s newest property, having just opened in June 2023 (I’ve previously reviewed the Bulgari Milan and Bulgari Dubai).
This is a special property for the brand, given that Bulgari was founded in Rome around 140 years ago, so now the brand is coming full circle, opening a hotel there as well.
I’m happy to report that the Bulgari Rome is gorgeous, my favorite Bulgari property I’ve stayed at. The hotel has a stunning aesthetic, excellent dining outlets and bars, friendly service, a beautiful pool area and spa, and a central location.
I think the one thing to keep in mind compared to other luxury properties is that the Bulgari brand is very much targeted at those who are otherwise into the brand, and fashion more broadly. So not only is the guest profile different than some other luxury properties, but you almost feel like you should “dress the part” here, more than at some other comparable hotels.
Anyway, let’s get into the review…
In this post:
Booking the Bulgari Rome
Even though Bulgari is a collaboration with Marriott, the brand unfortunately doesn’t participate in Marriott Bonvoy. That means you can’t earn or redeem points for stays at Bulgari properties, and also can’t take advantage of any Bonvoy elite benefits. It sure would be nice if that changed, just as Ritz-Carlton Reserve has joined Marriott Bonvoy.
As you’d expect, rates at the Bulgari Rome vary seasonally, given that Rome has so much demand in summer. For the night we were staying, the cash rate would have been €1,600. That was within €50 of the rate at both the St. Regis Rome and Rocco Forte’s Hotel de Russie or Hotel de la Ville. Travel demand to Europe is strong, eh?
For what it’s worth, Ford got a travel advisor rate for our one night stay (so we received a discounted rate). All opinions expressed are my own, and haven’t been reviewed by the hotel.
The best way to book a stay at any Bulgari property is through a travel advisor affiliated with the Marriott STARS program, so you can receive extra perks, like complimentary breakfast, a room upgrade subject to availability, a hotel credit, and more. Ford is happy to help with this, and can be reached at [email protected].
Since STARS is Marriott’s own proprietary program, these upgrades are prioritized over those through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts, Virtuoso, etc.
Bulgari Rome location
The Bulgari Hotel Rome has a central location, at Piazza Augusto Imperatore, in the Campo Marzio district. This is within walking distance of the Spanish Steps, Via del Corso, and more. If you’re coming from Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO), the hotel is about a 40-45 minute drive, depending on the traffic.
While this is a brand new hotel, as you can tell from the exterior, the building has quite some history. It was designed by architect Vittorio Ballio Morpurgo and built in 1938.
Bulgari Rome lobby & check-in
When you enter the Bulgari Hotel Rome, you may at first wonder if you’re in a museum, a high-end store, or a hotel. The architecture is very cool, and just inside the entrance you’ll find a hallway with all kinds of Bulgari jewelry pieces on display.
Inside the entrance to the hotel and to the right is the reception and concierge desk, where we were warmly greeted and promptly checked in.
The hotel elevators are immediately next to reception, and can whisk you up to the guest rooms or rooftop restaurants.
Now, you might be thinking “wait a minute, is there no seating in the lobby?” The hotel does have The Bulgari Lounge, which is totally hidden, and is exclusively reserved for hotel guests. The door isn’t even marked, so you’d have to know to go here.
This is a cozy area that feels a bit like a combination of a study and and a speakeasy, with couches, cafe-style tables, an outdoor terrace, and more. You can just relax here, or there’s also the ability to be served food and drinks. What a cool and private lobby concept!
Bulgari Rome junior suite
Upon check-in we were escorted to our room on the fourth floor (the hotel has six floors). You can access this either via the elevators, or via the gorgeous staircase.
The hotel’s hallways are elegant, with dark colors that almost make you feel like you’re on a yacht.
We were assigned room 424, a 51 square meter (550 square foot) junior suite. Interestingly the hotel has 30 junior suites, so it’s tied for being the most common room type in the hotel.
The junior suite was spacious and had lots of natural light. I was impressed by the attention to detail in the design, from the wall and ceiling accents, to the furnishings.
As you’d expect from a junior suite, the living area and bedroom area were all in one big room. The living area had a dining table with two chairs, then a couch with a chair, and a TV.
Then the bedroom area had a soft and plush king size bed. There’s even a pillow menu, should you want to customize your type of pillow.
The bedside had great tech, including charging outlets and a panel that allows you to control all of the room’s functions. There was even a speaker and some headphones on the bedside table.
Back near the entrance to the room was the minibar area, with a large selection of drinks and snacks for purchase.
There was also a complimentary Nespresso coffee machine, plus a selection of tea.
Also waiting in the room was a welcome gift consisting of a fruit plate, as well as some delicious amaretti di mombaruzzo sweets.
The bathroom entrance was near the center of the room, and it stretched nearly the entire length of the room.
The bathroom had double sinks, a soaking tub, a huge walk-in shower, a room with a toilet and bidet, and a vanity at the far end of the bathroom.
As you’d expect, toiletries were from Bulgari, and were in individual containers.
I liked the basket of basic amenities that were underneath the sink, as these are all things you otherwise typically have to call the front desk to request. It’s nice to have these all handy.
Our room faced the Mausoleo di Augusto, so that’s a pretty cool view to have. Note that there seems to be some construction going on there at the moment (as it’s temporarily closed), but noise wasn’t an issue during our stay, and we didn’t see anyone working on it.
In the evening, turndown service was provided, and as seems to be standard for the Bulgari brand, tea was served with this. On top of that, we were both given customized luggage tags, which is a standard treat given at Bulgari properties on the last day of a stay (or the only night of your stay, if you’re only there for one night).
All-in-all, I thought the room design was fantastic. At the two previous Bulgari properties I stayed at, I thought the design was a bit style over substance, while I thought this room was both beautifully appointed and functional.
Bulgari Rome pool & spa
The Bulgari Hotel Rome has a massive wellness area, spread across three floors (floors two, one, and minus one). Visually the best part of this area is the 25-meter indoor swimming pool, located on level one, which has to be one of the coolest-looking indoor pools I’ve ever seen.
Now, there were two things about the pool that weren’t ideal. First of all, personally I love when these kinds of pool areas have hot tubs, though unfortunately this one didn’t. Furthermore, while the columns look super cool, they’re not very functional for swimming, as the 25-meter pool is basically wide enough for one person to swim the entire length.
The pool area did have plenty of lounge chairs, though, and it was a nice area to relax.
The main spa area is located on level minus one, and this area also has a sauna and steam room.
We didn’t get any spa treatments during our short stay, but the spa treatment area is large, and there are plenty of options to choose from. You can find the spa menu here.
Bulgari Rome gym
The Bulgari Hotel Rome has a 24/7 gym that’s located on the third floor. The gym is modern but on the small side. Then again, that’s pretty common at city hotels in Rome. The equipment was great, though, and there were a variety of weight and cardio options.
Dining at Bulgari Rome
Bulgari properties place a huge emphasis on food and beverage outlets, and this location is no exception. While some hotels struggle to get outside guests to visit, that’s definitely not the case at the Bulgari Rome.
What’s interesting is how consistent the Bulgari brand is with its food and beverage outlets, as each hotel has an Il Ristorante Niko Romito, plus an Il Caffe location. Personally I love that consistency, as you know exactly what to expect. If you’re looking for something more Rome-specific, there’s no shortage of great restaurants in the neighborhood.
In addition to The Bulgari Lounge (exclusively for hotel guests), the hotel has four other food and beverage outlets:
- The hotel has Il Caffe, serving breakfast, plus an all-day dining menu and drinks
- The hotel has Il Ristorante Niko Romito, the signature restaurant that serves lunch and dinner
- The hotel has The Bulgari Bar, the signature all-day bar next to Il Ristorante Niko Romito
- The hotel has La Terrazza, the rooftop bar that’s an amazing spot for watching the sunset
Let’s take a look at each of these options.
Bulgari Rome Il Caffe
The Bulgari Hotel Rome’s Il Caffe is located on the lobby level, and it’s open daily from 7AM until 12AM. It serves breakfast in the morning, and then an all-day menu, plus a selection of drinks, throughout the day. This is an elegant restaurant with both a large indoor seating area along a central corridor, plus a very nice terrace. This was very popular with outside guests, and was busy all hours of the day.
Our stay at the Bulgari Rome included breakfast, and you can find the breakfast menu here. The restaurant has both an a la carte menu, plus a set menu. To drink, I had a cappuccino, which was sublime. Ugh, they don’t make them like this in the United States (well, at least not on a widespread basis).
We ended up ordering two of the breakfast sets (one healthy breakfast and one Middle Eastern breakfast), and it ended up being way too much food. We were first offered a basket with a selection of bread.
Then we were brought halloumi with tomatoes, shakshuka, veggies, ful medames, an egg white omelet, two fruit plates, stewed apples, granola and berries, yogurt, and chia pudding. Even if breakfast is included, one breakfast is really enough for most people to share. Goodness…
We also ended up deciding to have an afternoon snack here, and you can find the all-day menu here. We were offered a tasty selection of bread upon sitting down.
We then decided to split the tomato bruschetta, the tuna, tomato, and capers salad, and the tonnarelli pasta with pecorino cheese and black pepper. They already separated out the portions for us onto two plates, so I’d say all the portions were quite generous, and this was more filling than we expected.
Bulgari Rome Il Ristorante Niko Romito
Il Ristorante Niko Romito is the Bulgari Rome’s signature restaurant, and it’s located on the fifth floor. It serves lunch (from 12PM until 3PM) and dinner (from 7PM until 11:30PM) daily.
There’s a collaboration between Bulgari and Niko Romito, so each Bulgari property has one of these restaurants. We’ve eaten at these when we stayed at Bulgari properties in the past, and the experiences are consistently excellent.
The restaurant is a beautiful space, with both a nice indoor dining room, plus a pretty terrace.
We had a lovely meal here, and you can find the dinner menu here. At the start of the meal we were offered tomato gazpacho and a selection of tasty bread.
We weren’t that hungry, due to what we ate earlier in the day. So to eat, I ordered the steamed sea bass with capers, lettuce, and lemon, while Ford ordered the veal Milanese style.
This came with an amazing array of sides, all of which we enjoyed.
Gosh this was a filling meal. At the end of the meal we were quite full, so skipped dessert. However, we were still offered an infusion of lemon from the kitchen.
Bulgari Rome Bulgari Bar
The Bulgari Bar is located immediately next to Il Ristorante Niko Romito, and it’s open daily from 9AM until 2AM, for anyone who wants to grab a drink or snack. You can find the menu here.
It’s a stunning bar area, and perhaps what’s most remarkable is the outdoor terrace. It’s so cool to get outdoor space like this in a city hotel.
We didn’t end up having anything here, because I can’t eat and drink everything, and there are only so many hours in the day — sorry!
Bulgari Rome La Terrazza
The Bulgari Bar isn’t the only outlet at the Bulgari Rome with an outdoor, rooftop terrace. Actually, I’d argue that perhaps the coolest space in the entire hotel is La Terrazza, the hotel’s seventh floor rooftop terrace bar. This requires taking up an extra set of elevators and then going up a set of stairs, as it’s above all other points at the hotel.
La Terrazza is open daily from 10AM until 5PM for hotel guests, and from 6PM until 1AM for everyone else. Reservations here are recommended, especially around sunset time.
La Terrazza has all kinds of greenery, plus lots of private seating areas spread out across the rooftop, so you really have a huge amount of privacy. There’s even a DJ up there most evenings.
The views are tough here as well…
We came here for pre-dinner drinks, and I had an excellent dirty martini (rare in Europe, outside the UK), and Ford had a negroni. As is customary in Italy, we were offered a huge selection of snacks to go along with this.
Bottom line
The Bulgari Rome is my favorite Bulgari property I’ve stayed at. This is a top notch hotel, with amazing design (combining the historic “bones” of the building with modern luxury), a central location, very nice rooms, impressive food and beverage outlets, a beautiful spa and pool, and friendly service.
Not surprisingly, this comes at a price, and the hotel is priced in line with the other best hotels in the city, and unfortunately there’s no way to redeem points for this experience (at least not yet).
The only other thing I’d caution is that if you’re looking for more a traditional classic design and don’t want to feel like you’re at a fashion show, something like Rocco Forte’s Hotel de Russie or Hotel de la Ville might be a better option.
What do you make of the Bulgari Hotel Rome?
How can someone spend so much money in decoration for such a depressing result : tiny lobby, lobby lounge and rooms with old 50's something furniture,
sinister hallways ...
Except the terrazza of the bar, everything is sad and the atmosphere does not reflect the feeling it should in a place like Rome.
Look how decorators such as Peter Marino or P.Y. Rochon can literrally can transform places, a pitty for a brand like Bulgari.
This is one of the most unfortunate buildings in that part of Rome, having said that, what a transformation from what it was in the past. Do you know if the Spa sells the The Vert Bulgari scented products? I cannot find them anywhere these days. I'll be in Rome in a few months and will schlep down that way for coffee (cafe peru!) and if it is possible to purchase from the hotel, I'll happily check my bag home.
dang...this review reads like someone "licked the plate clean right up till the last crumb"
I know Marriott manages Bulgari hotels but I don't understand why they are available for booking through Marriott's booking channels if stays don't earn points and points can't be used for stays. How many people are actually booking Bulgari directly through Marriott?
"How many people are actually booking Bulgari directly through Marriott?"
perhaps that's the whole reason they don't participate?
I'm sure it was very comfortable, but the bathroom looks poorly lit, which is one of my pet hates in hotels.
This building is a great example of the Rationalist style that developed in Italy in the 1920s & 30s. It's unfortunate but true that the ideas behind Rationalism - that our built environment can be understood through science and ordered appropriately - flow from the same ideology as Italian Fascism. That association and the fact that lots of the grand Rationalist projects in Rome were built by the Mussolini government has tarnished these (imo) gorgeous...
This building is a great example of the Rationalist style that developed in Italy in the 1920s & 30s. It's unfortunate but true that the ideas behind Rationalism - that our built environment can be understood through science and ordered appropriately - flow from the same ideology as Italian Fascism. That association and the fact that lots of the grand Rationalist projects in Rome were built by the Mussolini government has tarnished these (imo) gorgeous buildings. There's a recent resurgence in popularity, and in another fashion connection, the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, a Rationalist masterpiece, was restored and is now the headquarters of Fendi.
Another great POINTS review :0)
That steam room picture made my day
I'm less than a month out - a review of the new IC Ambasciatori would have been buenisimo! As far as points hotels go, the Waldorf outside of town looks interesting as well.
It’s good that a hotel realizes that the Roman Empire lasts forever.
Apart from that: yes, very nice hotel, but prices are way too high. I was surprised that, apart from the crazy breakfast prices, the prices in the all day dining restaurant were halfway reasonable.
No offense but the comment about portion sizes.... that half of the pasta looks extremely tiny, almost to parody levels.
Double that plate would be a typical size for Italy. Pasta is a “primo” or “first dish”. It’s a smaller portion with the idea being you order a “secondo” as well
I've read before here that you like to travel in casual clothes so do you have clothes that you only pack for hotel stays like this and do you enjoy the dressing up part of it?
@ Nikojas -- Hah, good question. Left to my own devices, I'd always wear athleisure clothes. However, I also travel with a couple of button downs, collared shirts, and khakis. So when we went outside to walk around I'd be in my usual casual clothes, though when visiting the outlets at the hotel, I dressed up just a bit. Frankly it's the same I'd do if I were visiting any semi-fancy restaurant or bar in Europe.
Looks good.
You mention Rocco Forte a few times.
I actually think the Rocco Forte Hotel de la Ville is better and with a better location/ view than the de Russie which you mention. Had a phenomenal stay at the de la Ville last year and would return in a heartbeat. Right at the top of the Spanish steps. Amazing experience. Would recommend over the de Russie no question.
@ Jason -- Great point! I haven't stayed at either, but have heard good things about both. I just added a mention to both Rocco Forte properties to the review.
Maybe it is just me but I don’t go to Rome to spend time at a hotel. Hotel in Rome is to store my luggage, take a shower and sleep. Nothing else. Why go to Rome to visit the hotel gym, hotel spa, hotel bar, hotel restaurant, hotel cafe, …..? Rome has so many amazing things to explore, so many cafes, restaurants, etc… that even if breakfast was included I would not eat at the hotel at all. Quick check in, drop bags and get out.
I have been to Rome so many times in my life because I have family there and I can't agree more with what you are saying. The thought of going to Rome and not exploring beyond the hotel feels blasphemous. It's one of the few cities in the world where I would skip hotel breakfast, even if it was free, to go to an espresso bar and have a cornetto and cappuccino in proper Italian...
I have been to Rome so many times in my life because I have family there and I can't agree more with what you are saying. The thought of going to Rome and not exploring beyond the hotel feels blasphemous. It's one of the few cities in the world where I would skip hotel breakfast, even if it was free, to go to an espresso bar and have a cornetto and cappuccino in proper Italian fashion. There are also tons of places to grab an aperitivo before heading off to dinner at one of the city's many wonderful restaurants. My preference is for the ones in the Trastevere neighbourhood.
We are on the same page here. I stayed at the St Regis last time I was there and even with included breakfast we skipped it every day to eat at local coffee shops in the city. I just can understand spending that much money eating at a hotel restaurant when you have hundreds of amazing options for a fraction of the price around the city.
You must be new here.
No, I am not and I understand the business here is to review hotels but at €1,600/night in Rome I scratch my head on how many readers really care for the review of the hotel restaurant.
There is a point to the review.
Staying in a luxurious place, be it home or hotel, can always be seen as frivolous.
Bed, shower, toilet, kitchen (not in a hotel). What else do you need?
I've stayed at very luxury properties around the world, Cheval Blanc, Aman, Belmond etc.
I've stayed at reasonably nice ones too, Ritz-Carltons, Park Hyatts and the like.
I've stayed at comfortable luxury type places, Intercontinental, Hyatt Regency, Westin and...
There is a point to the review.
Staying in a luxurious place, be it home or hotel, can always be seen as frivolous.
Bed, shower, toilet, kitchen (not in a hotel). What else do you need?
I've stayed at very luxury properties around the world, Cheval Blanc, Aman, Belmond etc.
I've stayed at reasonably nice ones too, Ritz-Carltons, Park Hyatts and the like.
I've stayed at comfortable luxury type places, Intercontinental, Hyatt Regency, Westin and such.
I've even stayed at 'budget' accommodations either due to crazy prices owing to a conference/event in town, or lack of better options in the city (Innsbruck one example). Hotels I'd put in this category would be AC Hotels, Holiday Inn's, Best Westerns, and the like.
Put it this way, staying at Cheval Blanc, I feel pampered and surrounded by the best of everything in terms of consumable items. Cuisine is too high end to eat all the time, but great as a one off fine dining meal.
At Amans I feel at peace with the earth and its beauty, a design language that speaks of the beauty of simplicity and working with the world's natural form. Cuisine is annoying, boring but quality Italian and Japanese. Not creative.
At Belmond hotels, I feel a sense of place and history. Cuisine is understated luxury, with just the right balance of creativity, flavour and being formal but not too formal.
At Four Seasons hotels, I know I will get a good bed and shower, and attentive service. The design 9/10 times will be bang up to date (some FS hotels are not), and the decor will be a little boring. Dining will range from excellent (FS George V Paris, FS Dubai, FS Hong Kong, to diabolical - FS Milan).
Ritz Carlton, Park Hyatt, these options do seem a little pointless to me. The rooms are often nice but not as comfortable and practical as Four Seasons. Sense of place is either non existent (RC) or exaggerated and a falsely pretentious interpretation (Park Hyatt) The F&B at Ritz Carltons can be interesting, but not always. Park Hyatt have nice options but always feel too much like Hotel restaurants. I don't think other brands suffer so much of this syndrome.
To me save your money and go for a standard Hyatt, or Intercon.
Whilst there is nothing wrong with an AC Hotel, and I did still enjoy the cities when I stayed in such hotels, it's often a terrible shower, less comfortable bed and strange quirks, like AC Hotel would not send water up to the room even if I was willing to pay.
Parched off a flight, with a less than ideal bathing and sleeping experience, sure I will survive but its not something I would elect for.
I've stayed at Bulgari Milan, Dubai and visited the one in Tokyo. All were very comfortable and I did not experience such issues.
Is €1600 too much for this - well that depends on your wealth... its not really a matter of whether anyone cares for it!
Whether or not there are too many of these luxury nonpoint hotel reviews is oft-debated here. That being said since the review is being made, it wouldn’t be complete without discussing the restaurants.
@ Santastico -- Totally fair question! Honestly, we were in town from the afternoon until early morning. We went on a fun three hour stroll around town, and enjoyed that. However, part of what I do for a living is review travel experiences, so a one-night stay is also a great way to thoroughly review a hotel. If I weren't in the business of reviewing hotels, we definitely wouldn't have experienced as many of the...
@ Santastico -- Totally fair question! Honestly, we were in town from the afternoon until early morning. We went on a fun three hour stroll around town, and enjoyed that. However, part of what I do for a living is review travel experiences, so a one-night stay is also a great way to thoroughly review a hotel. If I weren't in the business of reviewing hotels, we definitely wouldn't have experienced as many of the hotel's facilities. Then again, if travel weren't my business, I also wouldn't travel so much, so...
This is pretty much true for any city hotels. I'm not there to eat at the hotel or enjoy the hotel amenities. I'm there to sleep, shower, rest, and keep my stuff. Most of the time, I'm out and about.
Resorts is where I feel staying at nicer places is worth the money.
I agree with Luis. I took this approach to a recent trip to Portugal, paying a premium for two great resorts before returning to a nice, well-located hotel in Lisbon to end the trip. Couldn't have been more pleased with my choices.
keep in mind his literal JOB is to review hotels and its facilities lol....did u forget what you were reading..?
its his literal JOB to review hotels and its facilities lol....did u forget what you wwere reading??