DESIGN
HOTEL DE LA VILLE ,
HOTEL DE LA VILLE , ROME Polizzi worked with interior designer and architect Tommaso Ziffer to give Hotel de la Ville , set at the top of Rome ’ s famous Spanish steps , a different feel from their minimalist-designed Hotel de Russie ( at the bottom of the Spanish steps , coincidently , also designed with Ziffer ). “ We thought , well , why not the Grand Tour , and do something rather different than what we ’ ve done before ,” Polizzi says .
They mixed traditional Italian artifacts like statues and columns that might have been purchased by a Gilded Age traveler on a European tour , but gave spaces a modern feel using bright colors , sometimes clashing , and prints on colorful wallpaper .
“ Some of the rooms have bright greens and blues , not what you would have thought of in the 18th and 19th century , but the furniture is traditional ,” Polizzi says . Many rooms have private terraces adding to the sense of place . “ The feel is very Roman , yet there is this hint of the English gentleman ,” she says .
Prior to the renovation , the hotel had 190 rooms , but changes lowered room count considerably , opening up the space and bringing in light , Forte says . The hotel has 89 guest rooms , plus 15 suites , including the presidential suite with a terrace overlooking the city .
Irene Forte , the group ’ s wellness director and Forte ’ s daughter , oversees the spa . Inspired by
Junior suite bedroom
Sitting room of the Suite De La Ville
September 2019 hotelsmag . com 45