We arrive in the Eternal City after being picked up by Antonio, one of Rome Cabs’ superior drivers, a full 1.5 hours early after a record breaking 7.25 hours flight into Rome.
Our Mercedes mini-van circles around the Santa Maria Maggiore to arrive at the Hotel Mecenate Palace entrance, and I can’t help but think this property has the quintessential “back yard” with the Basilica’s vista as its backdrop.
We are greeted by a warm and professional staff at reception (note to self: not everything we read on Trip Advisor is a fair assessment) and whisked up the elevator to the 5th floor, where a grand staircase brings us to the Presidential Suite, private rooms on the 6th floor with a sweeping view of the city and a vista of the grand Basilica Maggiore directly to our left.
We take advantage of the Roma Passes offered at 32.50 € (2,50 more than we’d have paid at the Termini, but worth it to save the half mile walk!).
The Presidential Suite is a treat for us and has a tough list to be compared to! We have previously been spoiled in the Rome Cavalieri and the Westin Excelsior, some of the finest luxury properties in Rome. This time we opted to take a finer accommodation in a 4-star rather than a rack room in a 5-star, sacrificing a little in terms of service and amenities for a spacious room from which to take in the Eternal City.
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Our rooms are spectacular – separate living room with marble (decorative) fireplace, silk wallpaper, a sofa and two love seats, a dining table with 4 chairs, separate bed and full marble bath, and the best gem of all – an expansive terrace. The room is time-worn but extremely comfortable, and accents like hand-blown glass lamps and stained-glass windows, fronted by dual pane storms give the impression we are staying in a real palazzo, which of course we are! In a city with more than 3000 years of history, we prefer the ambiance of 17th century decor to a modern room.
The views from the terrace bring me back to the cinquecento, and there is even a spectacular vista to be had from the shower (fortunately for my vanity’s sake as well as the sanity of the neighbors, the steam allows for a significant dose of modesty!). Bathing in here each morning makes me feel like a Princess, and the jetted Jacuzzi tub soothes tired muscles after all-day touring.
We strolled into Santa Maria Maggiore for a look, then walked easily as far as San Pietro en Vincole before returning to retire for the evening to a bed filled with fluffy pillows and crisp cotton sheets and duvets.
Upon our return, we enjoyed a libation in the cozy bar in the lobby, then returned to our fully freshened room with all the amenities we requested before our walk. We take a quick repast to the terrace for coffee (available to make right in the room and a “must” for me!) and then ascend to the rooftop restaurant for a delicious menu courtesy the wait-staff, who are stoic and a bit slow with service, but this is typical for expert wait staff in Rome. Dinner is meant to be savored rather than inhaled, and when we slow down to the pace they set for us, we find that our feast of rigatoni carbonara and saltimbocca is pure magic!
The Mecenate Palace was a superb choice, and we are more than pleased with our accommodations in this beautiful property!
