For our long weekend family trip to Rome, I was keen on somewhere authentic, well-located and upscale for our stay, and our ever-helpful travel advisor Steve, suggested the brand new Hotel Casa Monti Roma, which has only been only open a few short months.
The property, located along Via Panisperna in the charming Monti neighbourhood, was tucked in neatly almost at the crest of a hill – noticeably only as we literally pulled up to the front door.
Unfortunately thanks to a late arrival and the baggage drama at Rome Airport, we arrived suitably late and in dire need of food – and in far less excitement for check-in or to be shown to our rooms.
And so, after an offer for us to enjoy the welcome drink on the courtyard patio (which we obliged), we didn’t waste a second further to also command the dinner menu and get ordering – a first to dine in the hotel before even seeing the room, but needs must.
I went for the duck ragu, which was delicious, along with a well-earned glass of wine from a very well and humorously explained wine menu (one bottle on offer, as we remembered for days after – was from a vineyard owned by the waiters’ ex-girlfriends’ father. Talk about an awkward sell…), all while enjoying the evening heat outside in the courtyard.
Check-in formalities were brief, with a quick confirmation of our stay benefits (100 Euro credit per room per stay, room upgrade, daily breakfast) – which you too can access by the way at hotels globally, by getting in touch with our Window Seat Preferred travel concierge – and before long we were en-route to our rooms.
There are a multitude of very colourful and stylish rooms on offer, and the whole property would be best described, aside from ‘new and modern’, as fresh, eclectic and unique. Even the staircase is worth a look if you get a chance.
Our rooms were both ‘Comfort’ rooms and both similar in layout if not design and furnishing – if you’re looking for a consistent room format, furnishing and style between different rooms, then this is absolutely not the place. Our room begun with the minbar and wardrobe, before opening up into the bedroom.
The style didn’t end in the bedroom, and the bathroom was similarly full of pizzazz, complete with all the facilities one would expect of a bathroom, including very large walk-in shower.
Meanwhile, back in the room, a writing desk and TV faced the bed and came with water replenished daily, as well as two bottles left on the bedside tables each evening very thoughtfully.
One possible drawback that may not be for everyone was that two rooms on each floor it seems – ours, in this case – faced into the courtyard and thus offered no real view of any sort, and meant we mostly left the curtains partly drawn most of the time, as you can see. On the plus side, Rome city noise wasn’t an issue whatsoever.
For those who fancy a midnight tipple – we absolutely did not on the first night, very much aware of our early start the next morning – there’s a lovely, intimate bar located off to one side of the reception area with ample seating.
There is of course also a wonderful and – as of now – relatively peaceful rooftop bar with a balcony that stretches the width of the building at the rear, on the top floor. We visited one evening and really enjoyed gazing out over the city at night.
We were up early – and in something of a rush – for breakfast the next morning, which is served at the restaurant on the ground floor to the back of the property.
Guests can select from about 4/5 a la carte dishes, which were lovely – although you could tire somewhat of the same choices after a longer stay. Off memory the choices were fresh pancakes, avocado toast, omelette, eggs to your preference, and an acai berry bowl.
At the buffet, there was a selection of two types of bread every day, croissants and pain au chocolats, cold meats and yoghurts, but oddly no fruit juice and inconsistent replenishment of the water. Staff were very friendly and accommodating, and happily provided juice on request, though it did sometimes seem like a nuisance asking for water to be replenished or for just a glass of orange juice.
Of course I’m never short of areas for improvement, and given that this hotel is so new, it’s no exception. Generally, the staff were exceptional – particularly the reception team (one in particular, Francesco, who went out of his way to continuously provide great suggestions – including a great bar down the road, offer advice, and ask after our stay) – but we did have to raise with the waiter on the rooftop that his wine pour was extremely ‘economic’. To be honest, he topped up the glass, but otherwise didn’t apologise and then became largely unavailable – making us really not keen to return to the rooftop bar. Secondly, we noticed at both dinner and consistently at breakfast that meals took a very long time to be presented. Likely both new hotel/new staff problems, but the only issues of note in an otherwise very pleasant stay.
Overall, we enjoyed our stay and would gladly recommend Hotel Casa Monti Rome – though the price may seem on the steeper side, it was modern, fresh, very stylish, and so well-located to all attractions despite being on such a quiet street with great food options nearby.
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