Ed.: The Inspired Stays series highlights hotels we love around Italy. Each property is independently reviewed by an Italy Magazine writer, who is generally hosted on a complimentary basis. Our contributors do not accept compensation or gifts in exchange for specific types of coverage. We only showcase properties we would genuinely recommend overall.
Why we love it
Monti — one of Rome’s oldest and most beloved neighborhoods — has always been a great place to stay, but it’s never had a true five-star luxury boutique hotel until the opening of Casa Monti.
What to expect
With a whimsical, maximalist design full of color and prints, Casa Monti aims to feel like a bohemian artist’s home. It’s small in scale, with just 36 rooms and suites, a ground-floor restaurant, a rooftop bar, and a petit spa, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in personality. Fun design touches include illustrated wallpaper featuring ancient Roman scenes, beautifully crafted mosaics, and a fountain inspired by the ones you see around the city.
Background
Housed in a historic building on the steeply sloping Via Panisperna, Casa Monti is the first hotel in Italy by the Leitmotiv Group, a family-run French company with hotels in Paris and the French Alps. They tapped Paris-based designer Laura Gonzalez to imbue it with eclectic style, drawing inspiration from the neighborhood.
Location, location, location
Monti is by no means a secret, but despite its proximity to the Colosseum and Roman Forum, it has retained its charming village feel. You’ll find vintage shops, clothing designers, artisan jewelers and family-run restaurants. You won’t find chain stores or tourist traps. The hotel is a 10-minute walk from the Cavour stop on Metro line B and less than a 15-minute walk from the Repubblica stop on line A.
Where you’ll sleep
The rooms range from a snug single room to the spacious Roman Suite, which has a large private terrace. All feature headboards and matching wallpaper with whimsical prints (there are four different ones), bathrooms with red tiles, Nespresso machines and bluetooth speakers. I loved my room, which had a big comfy bed opposite a sitting area in front of curtains that concealed the TV. Much of the furniture — including the sofa, headboard and bedside tables — was custom-designed for the hotel.
Dining & drinks
The main restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, while the intimate rooftop bar is the ideal spot for an aperitivo or after-dinner drink with views of the surrounding residential buildings. While most rooftop bars in Rome are seasonal, the one here has a cozy indoor space, making it a great place for a drink even in bad weather. At the restaurant, I appreciated the lighter takes on traditional dishes, like ricotta-stuffed zucchini blossoms served raw rather than fried, and a baked interpretation of eggplant parmigiana.
Service notes
The staff were genuinely friendly and happy to chat. They’re mostly young and eager to ensure guests have a nice time. The General Manager, Andrea Ronchetti, who previously worked at Cristallo in Cortina d’Ampezzo and the Hassler in Rome, wants Casa Monti to have approachable service.
Spa time
The hotel is home to Rome’s only Susanne Kaufmann spa, with massages and facials that incorporate the German brand’s natural skincare and holistic philosophy. There’s no sauna or steam room, but guests can relax in the jacuzzi in the airy rooftop space.
Family perks
The hotel welcomes its youngest guests with books that teach kids about ancient Rome. (There are three different books for kids of different ages.) Furry family members are welcome in the rooms, restaurant and rooftop bar.
You should know...
The hotel can arrange tours of Rome in vintage Fiat 500s, Alfa Romeos and Vespas. They’re also working on creating a guide with their own insider tips about where to eat and drink and what to do in Monti and beyond.
Accessibility
- The hotel has an elevator.
Features & amenities
- City setting
- Restaurant
- Bar
- Free WiFi
- Spa
- Fitness room
- Pets allowed
Contacts
Casa Monti
Via Panisperna 210/212, Rome
Tel. +39 0645229523
Website
