Rome
Romantic hotels in Rome: eight hotels for two
It is half past seven and the domes of Rome are turning copper. From the right rooftop, you watch the whole city change colour with a glass in hand.
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In short: romantic hotels in Rome
Rome's most romantic hotels sit around Piazza Navona, Piazza del Popolo and the lanes of Monti. Look for a rooftop terrace, a garden or a room on the courtyard side. Our first choice is Hotel Raphaël, 30 metres from Piazza Navona, with a rooftop terrace above the domes.
Our first choice: Hotel Raphaël. Check availability and prices at Hotel Raphaël
Not all of Rome is romantic. Around Termini the trams rattle past, and at the Trevi Fountain people queue to throw a coin. Yet two streets away it can be quiet enough to hear a tap dripping in a courtyard.
Each hotel below has something you will remember on the flight home. It might be a terrace above the rooftops, a garden for breakfast or a spa set into the foundations of a theatre built in 55 BC. All of them score highly with guests on Hotels.com. For the grandest addresses, see our guide to the best hotels in Rome.
Rooftops above domes and piazzas
Romans call them terrazze, and the best ones are four or five floors up with church domes in every direction. These four hotels have their own.
A house wrapped in ivy
Hotel Raphaël stands on a side street off Piazza Navona. Photo: Hotels.com (Expedia Group)
Hotel Raphaël
Ivy covers the facade, and in spring wisteria and bougainvillea flower over the door. Inside are paintings, lithographs and a collection of Picasso ceramics. There are 42 rooms, and two floors were designed by the American architect Richard Meier.
In the evening, head up to the Bramante Terrace and look out across the roofs and domes of the old centre. The restaurant cooks organic, largely plant-based food. Ideal if you want to step outside and be on Piazza Navona within a minute.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hotel Raphaël
Aperitivo above Piazza del Popolo
Terrazza Locarno covers 250 square metres. Photo: Hotels.com (Expedia Group)
Hotel Locarno
Hotel Locarno opened in 1925, and its lounges are furnished in art deco. A birdcage lift carries you up to the rooms. Bicycles are free to borrow, and the gardens of Villa Borghese are five minutes away.
The 250-square-metre roof terrace looks over Piazza del Popolo and fills up early on warm evenings, with Romans as well as guests. A good choice if you like a hotel with a past and a bar with some life in it.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hotel Locarno
A palace built on sewing machines
The Singer company put up this building in its heyday. Photo: Hotels.com (Expedia Group)
Singer Palace
The Singer sewing machine company built this art deco palazzo at the height of its success, close to a century ago. Today it is a small hotel with 32 rooms, and the Michelin Guide has awarded it one Key.
The rooftop serves as a restaurant from breakfast to dinner and turns into a bar after dark. You are in the streets around the Pantheon, so most sights are a walk away. Right for couples who want somewhere small and central with a terrace of its own.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Singer Palace
Wine on the roof
The Etere terrace sits above the courtyard of Palazzo Ripetta. Photo: Hotels.com (Expedia Group)
Palazzo Ripetta
The palazzo dates from the late 1600s and was once a convent. The architect Luigi Moretti remodelled it in the 1960s, and its 78 rooms now wrap around an open-air courtyard with tables under the sky.
Etere, the rooftop terrace, is built around wine. From here you can walk to Piazza del Popolo and the Spanish Steps. Pick it if you want a larger hotel but a quiet room facing the courtyard.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Palazzo Ripetta
Gardens where the city falls away
If silence matters more than a view, stay on a hill or behind a wall. These three are a little off the tourist trail.
A pool where an emperor's mother lived
Villa Agrippina sits between Trastevere and the Vatican. Photo: Hotels.com (Expedia Group)
Villa Agrippina Gran Meliá
The hotel stands where Agrippina, mother of the Emperor Nero, had her villa. The site later became a convent, and builders found first-century objects in the ground during construction.
The garden has a pool in 1920s style, and the bar is set inside a former church. Trastevere is just below, and St Peter's is about a quarter of an hour on foot. Here you can mix a city break with a lazy day by the water.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Villa Agrippina
Breakfast in a Monti courtyard
The Fifteen Keys is a ten-minute walk from the Colosseum. Photo: Hotels.com (Expedia Group)
The Fifteen Keys Hotel
Monti is the neighbourhood behind the Roman Forum, with antique dealers, tiny coffee bars and laundry strung between the houses. This townhouse has just 15 rooms, with painted brick walls and parquet floors. Breakfast is served outside in the garden courtyard.
The top-floor room has a balcony looking over the rooftops. The hotel is adults only, and the Colosseum is a ten-minute walk. Rooms are compact, so pick one of the larger categories for a longer stay.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at The Fifteen Keys Hotel
Parioli, where Romans live
Hotel Lord Byron is a stroll from Villa Borghese. Photo: Hotels.com (Expedia Group)
Hotel Lord Byron
Parioli is a leafy residential district full of embassies. Lord Byron is an art deco hotel with panelled walls and a terrace for a glass of wine as the sun goes down.
Its restaurant, Sapori del Lord Byron, cooks Roman dishes with a modern touch, and the park at Villa Borghese is a few minutes away. Best for couples who know Rome already and want to sleep far from the crowds.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hotel Lord Byron
A spa in the foundations of an ancient theatre
The dome of Sant'Andrea della Valle
From the veranda at Hotel Lunetta you see the church domes around Campo de' Fiori. Photo: Hotels.com (Expedia Group)
Hotel Lunetta
The hotel is built into the walls of the Theatre of Pompey, completed in 55 BC, on Piazza del Paradiso. The spa sits down in the foundations, and the ancient stonework is still there to see.
In summer the rooftop bar opens, facing the dome of Sant'Andrea della Valle. Campo de' Fiori is two minutes away. A fine pick for a design hotel in the oldest part of Rome, with a spa for rainy afternoons.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hotel Lunetta
An evening for two
Sunset in Rome is free. From the Janiculum Hill above Trastevere you see the whole city, and from the Orange Garden on the Aventine you see St Peter's framed by trees. If you are staying near Piazza del Popolo, climb the steps to the Pincio.
For a drink up high, head to the Spanish Steps. Two of the grand hotels there welcome outside guests: Imàgo restaurant at Hassler Roma and the Cielo bar at Hotel de la Ville. Book a table ahead. For restaurant tips and advice on tickets, read Gita Simonsen's first trip to Rome.
Before you book
Ask for a view or a courtyard room: Street-facing rooms can be noisy. Say so when you book if you want the courtyard or the rooftops.
Check when the terrace is open: Many rooftops are summer bars that close or move indoors in winter.
Budget for the city tax: Rome charges a tourist tax per person per night. It is paid at the hotel and rarely included in the price shown online.
Spring and autumn are best: May and September bring mild evenings on the terrace without the summer heat.
Our first choice in Rome for two
Hotel Raphaël
Hotel Raphaël is a small hotel of 42 rooms, 30 metres from Piazza Navona. The facade is green with ivy, art hangs on every wall, and the hotel keeps its own collection of Picasso ceramics. In the evening, go up to the Bramante Terrace and watch the roofs change colour. The restaurant cooks organic food. The Pantheon is five minutes on foot, and Trastevere is a quarter of an hour across the Tiber.
Frequently asked questions about romantic hotels in Rome
What is the most romantic hotel in Rome?
Our first choice is Hotel Raphaël near Piazza Navona, with art in the lobby and a rooftop terrace above the domes of the old centre. For more luxury, Hotel de Russie and Hassler Roma by the Spanish Steps are the classic choices. If you want peace and a garden, Villa Agrippina near Trastevere is the one to book.
Where should couples stay in Rome?
Couples visiting Rome for the first time should stay in the centre, between Piazza Navona, the Pantheon and the Spanish Steps. You can walk to most sights and stroll back after dinner. For quieter nights, the Aventine and Parioli are good alternatives, but expect to take a taxi in the evening.
Which hotels in Rome have a rooftop terrace?
Hotel Raphaël, Hotel Locarno, Singer Palace and Palazzo Ripetta all have their own rooftop terraces with a bar. Hassler Roma and Hotel de la Ville have rooftops that welcome outside guests, but you need to book. Many terraces only open in the warmer half of the year, so check before a winter trip.
Is Rome romantic in winter?
Yes, Rome is romantic in winter, with fewer visitors and days that often reach 12°C. Rooftop terraces are often closed, but museums and trattorias stay open and the queues are shorter. Choose a hotel with a good bar or a spa, such as Hotel Lunetta, so you have somewhere warm to end the evening.
How long should a romantic break in Rome be?
Three nights is right for a romantic break in Rome. That gives you time for the big sights without rushing, plus long dinners and an evening on a rooftop. If you want help planning the days, follow our itinerary for three days in Rome.