Piazza del Popolo / Tridente

Hotel Locarno

★★★★★

The Hotel Locarno has been a Roman institution since the 1920s, and it still has the atmosphere of a private, well-loved house rather than a grand hotel. It stands on Via della Penna, a quiet street just off Piazza del Popolo, between the Tiber and the Tridente shopping streets, and it is a favourite of artists, writers, film people and Romans who come for a drink at its bar. The interiors are a large part of the appeal: Art Deco details, antique furniture, original tiles and lamps, and a lived-in elegance that feels authentic rather than staged. The ground-floor bar is one of the most stylish places in the area for an aperitivo or a late cocktail, and in warmer months it spills into an ivy-covered courtyard, shaded and green, which feels like a hidden garden in the middle of the city. Upstairs, a roof terrace offers views across the domes and rooftops toward the Pincio. Rooms vary in size and style, from compact classics to larger rooms and suites, each individually decorated with period pieces and modern comforts. Breakfast is included, and one of the hotel's most charming traditions is the free use of bicycles, ideal for a ride into Villa Borghese, just up the hill, or along the Tiber paths. Turismo Roma lists the hotel in the five-star category, though its character is closer to a refined boutique hotel than to the palace hotels of Via Veneto, with service that is warm and personal. The location is excellent: Piazza del Popolo and its churches are a minute away, the Spanish Steps and Via del Corso a short walk, and the Ara Pacis and Mausoleum of Augustus a few minutes south along the river.

Location math: Piazza del Popolo is at the end of the street, with the Pincio terrace and Villa Borghese above it, and the Borghese Gallery a pleasant walk or bike ride through the park. The Spanish Steps are about ten minutes on foot along Via del Babuino, and the Pantheon and Piazza Navona about fifteen to twenty minutes. Flaminio Metro station, just beyond the piazza, links to the Vatican side and Termini, and trams run from Piazzale Flaminio.

Room craft: room sizes vary considerably, so read descriptions carefully and pay for a larger category if space matters. Ask for a room facing the courtyard for quiet, or a higher floor for light. Couples should spend an evening in the courtyard bar and a sunset on the roof terrace. Families can make good use of the bikes for a morning in Villa Borghese.

Practicals: rates sit at the upper end of the market for the Tridente, but below the grand hotels a few streets away, which is part of its value. The area is quiet at night compared with Campo de' Fiori. The hotel lies within the limited-traffic zone, so arrive by taxi rather than car; paid garage parking can be arranged. Fit: couples, art and design lovers, and travellers who prefer character and a sense of history to marble-lobby luxury.