5 fine design hotels in Rome

Converted from a 17th-century palazzo, D.O.M. projects an atmosphere of fine Scotch and Nick Cave music. Maybe it has to do with the crystal chandeliers, suede furniture and the deer skulls on the exposed-brick walls. The tastefully plush rooms earn this hotel’s five stars, especially the suite with the private terrace.

Its location above the Ferragamo store in the high-end Via Condotti is your first clue about Portrait Roma. You’ll never see the Ferragamo logo, just the panache, with its classic-contemporary decor by famed interior designer Michele Bonan. The terrace is one of the best around the Spanish Steps.

The ‘rough’ in the title could stand for the exposed walls in this luxury hotel, stripped as they are of any paint or decoration. That coldness is balanced with the warm colours in the velvet furniture, and exposed wooden ceilings. From the rooms to the lounge bar, the vibe is shabby-chic, and urban hipster.

The Worldhotel Ripa is a large four star hotel that borders on futuristic. Its nearly 200 rooms come in six different varieties. Architecturally the most interesting are the loft-style executive rooms with a balcony, and the junior suites, with their Scandinavian furniture and vaulted ceilings.

This beautifully designed hotel got a headstart in the 16th century. That’s when Baroque master Francesco Borromini built it as a monastery. Today his tall archways and coffered ceiling make up 78 rooms. For outdoor space, there’s a rooftop terrace and a flower garden in the cloister.