Bulgari in Rome: Among the Best Hotels, Showcasing Niko Romito's Culinary Creations and Gem-Inspired Suites – Here's the Overview.

Even in the centrally located Piazza Augusto Imperatore, Niko Romito's cuisine has arrived at Bulgari Hotel Rome, a unique experience in the maison's history due to its unbreakable bond with the city where it was born almost 140 years ago. From the restaurant and cocktail bar to designer suites, an in-depth story of the entire experience.

The hotel 

A short walk from Via del Corso and Piazza di Spagna, and the historic Bulgari boutique on Via Condotti, the Bulgari Hotel Rome, was finally inaugurated in June. Located in a historically significant site, right in front of the Mausoleum of Augustus dating back to the 1st century. You'll encounter the emperor at the entrance, or rather, his original statue, before a series of five, sponsored by Bulgari for restoration.

It's impossible not to feel the history in Rome, especially here, where everything is a reminder of the eras that made the capital eternal. This includes the interior design entrusted to the Italian architectural studio ACPV ARCHITECTS Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel, balancing the aesthetic rigor of the stones used in imperial Rome with the architectural style of the building and its rich textures. With 114 rooms, many of them suites, decorated in four different color palettes – white, yellow, red, and green – each offering a view of Piazza Augusto Imperatore or the charming Via della Frezza.

Significant attention is given to greenery, with over 4,500 plants located throughout the hotel, both inside and outside, making Bulgari Hotel a true urban resort focused on sustainability. The landscape design was signed by the P'arcnouveau studio, drawing inspiration from key themes such as the abundance of vegetation in Rome, the tradition of Roman terraces, and the richness and hues of Bulgari jewelry in direct connection with blooms and fruit plants throughout the seasons.

The cocktail bar

A residence of great value and hospitality, where every well-traveled and beauty-loving guest should stay. However, we know that even the most welcoming and esteemed hotel today is not complete without a worthy gastronomic offering; this is where acclaimed chef Niko Romito comes in, bringing his culinary concept to "Il Ristorante - Niko Romito," already present in Bulgari Hotels & Resorts in Dubai, Beijing, Shanghai, Milan, Paris, Tokyo, and now finally in the Italian capital.

After greeting Emperor Augustus at the entrance, one continues to the fifth floor, or if not a hotel guest, enters through the entrance dedicated to the restaurant. The arrival is at the Bulgari cocktail bar, which accommodates 33 guests indoors and 108 outdoors. This is the first invaluable strength, as during beautiful days, two large terraces are available, one overlooking Via di Ripetta and one on Piazza Augusto Imperatore, with an outdoor bar and timeless aperitifs.

But come back inside and take a seat at the sumptuous black marble counter adorned with 60 Murano glass swirls, in the hands of the director Desirè Verdecchia and an all-male competent team. Whatever the time, remember that somewhere in the world, it will always be the hour for a Martini Cocktail. So, explore the drink list created along a theme that touches Rome in different ways: the Cleopatra with cognac, sherry, and clarified donkey milk honey syrup, the Naked & Glorious with mezcal, Aperol, yellow chartreuse, and Cynar (artichoke element), the Amphorae served in terracotta glasses crafted by an artisan from the Castelli Romani to drink like our pleasure-seeking predecessors.

The menu also includes great classics prepared with artistry, as demonstrated by the excellent Martini Cocktail served during a minimal but delightful aperitif featuring bites such as supplì, carpaccio, stuffed focaccias, Parmigiano, and "Romitiano" savory bombette.

Il Ristorante - Niko Romito

It's time to head to the restaurant through a walnut inlaid vaulted passage, wood being omnipresent in the hotel, and settle on the sofas where closely spaced two-seater tables or more spaced round tables follow one another. The menu conceived by Romito, as in other restaurants of Bulgari Hotels, speaks of Italian cuisine in its simplicity – the high simplicity that the Abruzzese chef has made his distinctive mark, here in the hands of the 1995-born Campanian Emilio Di Cristo, who was already the sous-chef at Bulgari Resort Dubai for four years.

The offering is evidently far from the three-star Reale restaurant in Castel di Sangro, but here Romito has still managed to seal the nobility of dishes and ingredients considered ordinary through flavors that rediscover what is often forgotten or taken for granted, and he does so in an accessible way for everyone - an important aspect in the cuisine of any type of restaurant, which often tends to be overlooked nowadays.

For those approaching the brand's restaurants for the first time, a valid option is the sharing menu. It begins with an offering that has become a classic, the Italian appetizer, which, in multiple sets, brings various tastings to the table, including pan-seared mackerel with anise, lemon, and ginger, veal with tuna sauce, beef carpaccio with tomato mayonnaise and mixed greens, pasta frittata with smoked mozzarella, roasted cardoncello mushrooms, and anchovies "alla beccafico."

Sharing, the colorfulness of the dishes, and the play of tasting make everything enjoyable and flavorful. Next come potato ravioli with Luciana-style octopus sauce: a well-executed idea and presentation, but the balance, especially in terms of saltiness, needs to be reconsidered.

The light and delicate turbot in mushroom stew is pleasant, though excessively light, lacking the palate push, which, however, comes with the crispy pork and orange sauce—lively, harmonious, and above all, revitalizing. The price of 140 euros for the sharing menu, which reaches 200 euros with wine pairing (the wine list in the hands of sommelier Fabrizio Gismondi is extensive and excellent), seems fair, considering various other factors, including a place of absolute pleasantness and beauty, a sensory narrative, and a team of young waiters in the dining room.

To sweeten the experience, three significant added values are present in the hotel: the Bulgari Spa, where you can relive the atmospheres of ancient Roman baths in a 20-meter-long pool adorned with sparkling Bisazza mosaics reminiscent of the famous Baths of Caracalla; a spectacular rooftop with a 360-degree view of Rome, always active during the summer days; and an exclusively à la carte breakfast where you can order a robust zabaglione.

To conclude, six months since the opening may be considered halfway through the year, but they are also a handful of months compared to the biblical times required to complete the hotel. Some aspects are still in the adjustment phase, but they will guarantee an evolution and an even more comprehensive experience for lovers and connoisseurs of quality luxury.