6 New Hotels to Book in Rome

As tourism continues to rebound in Rome, travelers are finding an array of new choices when it comes to hotels, tours and experiences.

Italy’s capital continues to welcome new hotels, especially in the luxury segment. Among the fastest-growing hoteliers in the city is IHG, which just opened the Intercontinental Rome Ambasciatori Palace this month. The 160-room hotel is set in a building on Via Veneto that was built in 1900 to host visiting ambassadors and later housed the U.S. embassy’s library. The new hotel features a restaurant called Scarpetta NYC and a rooftop lounge that stages live music performances and DJ sets.

Also new within the IHG portfolio is Six Senses Rome, which opened in March as the brand’s first hotel in Italy.

Set in a restored palazzo, the property features 96 guestrooms in 12 different categories, including rooms with courtyard views and suites overlooking Via del Corso. Guests can reserve a Roman Empire-inspired, five-course tasting menu at the hotel’s Bivium Restaurant-Cafe Bar, which specializes in locally sourced cuisine.

The Pavilions Hotels & Resorts is also in growth mode; in 2022, the company debuted The First Musica, a 24-room luxury hotel with two restaurants, set on the banks of the Tiber River. Later this year, The First Musica is to open a new spa and indoor swimming pool.

Hotels Opening Soon in Rome

Travelers looking to infuse their time in Rome with a fashionable touch might want to take a look at the Bulgari Hotel Roma, which opens in June on Piazza Augusto Imperatore, in the Campo Marzio district. The 114-room property features a spa, a pool, a gym and a library as well as two food and beverage venues: The Bulgari Bar and Il Ristorante – Niko Romito. Guests looking to splurge can opt for the 3,229-square-foot Bulgari Suite.

Also in the works is Romeo Roma, the second hotel in the Romeo Collection, which opens in October near Rome’s Piazza del Populo. The 74-room hotel, set in a 16th-century palazzo, will have a restaurant, a bistro, a private art collection, a 22,000-square-foot courtyard with indoor and outdoor swimming pools and a 13,000-square-foot wellness center by Sisley Paris.

Slated to open in spring 2024 is Nobu Roma. The 122-room property, set in two 19th-century buildings on the chic Via Veneto, will have a spa, a fitness center and a Nobu Restaurant with club lounge that will host live music, a rooftop terrace and a Nobu Suite that spans more than 5,350 square feet.

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New Tours in Rome

One of the newest tour options comes from City Experiences, an operator that belongs to Hornblower Group. Last year, the company debuted a portfolio of new tours focused largely on providing unique experiences and exclusive access to top attractions. The VIP Key Master’s Tour: Open the Sistine Chapel, for example, allows guests to enter the Vatican Museums before they open to the public. The opportunity to view the museum collections and the Sistine Chapel — and even use keys to unlock the doors — is an ideal way to avoid the usual crowds.

Another new tour from City Experiences is Welcome to Rome: Twilight City Stroll and Gelato Tasting, which goes beyond the usual walking tour by visiting lesser-known underground ruins at Piazza Navona, as well as major attractions such as the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain — topping off the tour with an introduction to the city’s most beloved dessert, gelato. City Experiences also offers exclusive access to the Colosseum and a Devour Trastevere foodie tour of the city’s bustling Trastevere neighborhood.

Several hotels have also introduced their own tours and activities. Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese, for example, recently debuted an Italian cinema-inspired Sightseeing & Savor Experience, which includes stops at several sites made famous by movies set in Rome, including Angels & Demons, Roman Holiday and La Dolce Vita.

The 238-room Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome, meanwhile, has launched a new Eat, Pray, Love experience, during which guests explore the city in a Vespa sidecar. The property is also revamping its spa and just opened a new gourmet restaurant headed by restaurateur Heros de Agostinis.

Fans of Rome’s culinary scene may also want to consider a stay at The Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel. The property recently unveiled a series of special food and beverage menus to commemorate its 60th anniversary. The new culinary offerings are available at  La Pergola, Uliveto and Tiepolo Bar.