Hotel Locarno

We recommend the Locarno to travellers seeking Rome away from impersonal palaces, with a penchant for roaring twenties charm and intimate addresses. It's a hotel for thirty-something couples and up, romantic getaways, discreet anniversaries, a few regulars from the art and publishing worlds. Families find their place here but the atmosphere remains hushed, almost confidential.

The Locarno occupies a 1925 palazzo steps from the Piazza del Popolo, recognisable by its Art Nouveau façade and wrought-iron sign. Preserved period interiors: creaking parquet, emerald velvet armchairs, Tiffany lamps, original wood panelling. The 66 rooms mix upholstered headboards, white marble bathrooms, some with claw-foot bathtubs. The patio-garden hidden behind a glass roof shelters centenarian orange trees, the rooftop terrace opens in season with views over the ochre rooftops and pines of the Villa Borghese.

Breakfast is taken in the patio under the orange trees, continental buffet formula with pastries, Italian charcuterie, fresh fruit. No proper restaurant, but the bar serves platters and cocktails in the evening, private salon ambience. The neighbourhood is full of trattorias and osterias three minutes' walk away, the concierge guides willingly.

The Locarno stands on Via della Penna, a quiet artery 200 metres from the Piazza del Popolo and the Villa Borghese. Flaminio metro five minutes away, Pantheon and Piazza Navona fifteen minutes on foot. Vintage Bianchi bicycles available allow effortless exploration of the park and Tiber banks. Fiumicino 45 minutes by private shuttle.