THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE ROME

Hotel Hassler is an old friend in the Eternal City

Written by Bridget Williams

Look deeper. See beyond the handsomely attired doorman, the marble floors polished to a mirror shine, the antique tapestries, the fine silk drapery, the monogrammed china, and the other accouterments of a five-star hotel, to find what really makes Hotel Hassler sparkle: Roberto E. Wirth, a fifth-generation hotelier and owner/General Manager of this iconic property, which is enviably located at the terminus of Rome’s iconic Spanish Steps.

Hotel Hassler occupies a prime piece of Roman real estate at the top of the Spanish Steps and next to the church of the Santissima Trinità dei Monti.

Wirth’s quiet, welcoming, and gracious presence is palpable throughout every inch of the property, which opened in 1893 and is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. “Rome has my heart,” said Wirth, who championed having the area around the Spanish Steps designated as a pedestrian-only zone. Born deaf, Wirth has never used his disability as a crutch, rather he has exhibited extreme resilience in the face of adversity, which has enabled him to become one of Europe’s top hoteliers, as well as a preeminent advocate for improving the lives of deaf and deaf-blind children throughout Italy.

Reflecting the vibrancy and excitement of the parade of humanity that flocks to the famous travertine staircase day and night, each of the 79 rooms and 13 suites in Hotel Hassler is unique in their design, but share a common usage of original art, antiques, treasures such as French crystal, and the most up-to-date in-room technology. Stepping inside the vestibule of my room (no. 723), I was greeted by my reflection presented in a six-foot-tall Venetian mirror surmounting a marquetry console with ormolu trim. A pair of velvet bergères with nailhead trim was positioned at the rise to a sitting room with access to a small balcony overlooking Rome’s rooftops, a Jenga-like configuration of architecture spanning several centuries. A pair of crimson crystal bedside lamps provided a dramatic pop of color in the otherwise black-and-white scheme. Beautifully perfumed “Amorvero” toiletries, created by Wirth specifically for the property, adorned the vanity in the American-sized bathroom.

A trio of recently refurbished Executive Suites is quite lavish. The Villa Medici Suite boasts a terrace large enough to suit an emperor, while the dining room of the Hassler Penthouse Suite is outfitted with bone china designed specifically for this suite.

Grand Deluxe Suite

Also recently renovated is the Hassler’s Michelin-starred restaurant Imàgo, which marked its 10th anniversary in 2017. The plethora of windows in the 6th-floor space puts all of Rome’s splendors at your feet, while exotic spices culled from near and far puts the world on your plate.

Thoughtfully preserved in all its 1940s glam is the cozy, wood-paneled Hassler Bar, reserved for guests and locals in the know. Famous imbibers have included Audrey Hepburn, George Clooney, and Princess Diana. Mr. Wirth recounted that the People’s Princess told him the Hassler Bellini was the best she’d ever tasted. During my stay, I developed a particular penchant for the unique flavor of Blavod black vodka in the Black Hassler martini as well as their Summer in Palm Court cocktail, a beguiling and refreshing blend of gin, limoncello, St. Germain, lime, and soda.

The Hassler Bar

Reflecting Wirth’s unwavering commitment to excellence in all areas of the guest experience, there is a calculated thoughtfulness to the service. One afternoon I left my sunglasses on the entry table in my room, and when I returned they were polished to a shine with a signature Hassler cleaning cloth neatly folded alongside. Cold water and a fresh towel always magically appeared within reach at the apropos moment when I visited the 3rd-floor fitness studio within the Amorvero SPA. A lovely terrace can be accessed through the fitness room, and the view will take your breath away if your workout hasn’t already.

Executive Suite

The Hassler’s location makes it the ideal spot for both strategic sightseeing and agenda-less ambling. On one morning, just after the dawn of a new day had broken above the ancient rooftops, I stood on the hotel’s seventh floor terrace, which is reserved exclusively for guests, and observed the puffs of steam curling up from the surrounding chimney tops, signaling that while the calendar pointed to spring, Mother Nature was still rendezvousing with Old Man Winter. Within minutes, I was standing at the top of the Spanish Steps, the travertine still wet with dew and wonderfully void of the crowds that would soon be arriving en masse.

The Fontana del Pantheon is located in front of the Roman Pantheon in the Piazza della Rotonda.

My companions on that early morning included a lonely laborer, tasked with cleaning up the previous day’s mess, and a pair of young Eastern European girls, giggling as they shared a split of champagne and a sandwich for their unconventional breakfast. It is a wonderful thing to feel like you have the Eternal City all to yourself, even if just for a fleeting moment. Taking full advantage of this window of opportunity, I quickly moved on to a lap of the exquisite nearby Borghese Gardens, already bustling with fellow early rising walkers and joggers, followed by quick stops at both the Trevi Fountain and the amazing Pantheon, making it back to the Hotel Hassler in time for breakfast service in the elegant Hassler Bistro at Palm Court.

Daytime view from Imàgo

For more information and reservations visit hotelhasslerroma.com.

We asked Mr. Wirth to recommend some of his favorite spots in Rome, and added a few of our own that we uncovered while exploring the area around Hotel Hassler:

Antico Café Greco (Via dei Condotti; anticocaffegreco.eu) – Opened in 1760, it is Rome’s oldest coffee bar. Mr. Wirth said his grandfather brought Buffalo Bill to this iconic spot, whose wonderful atmosphere and outstanding espresso endure.

Octopus, seaweed and roots from Imàgo

The Gardens of Palazzo Colonna (galleriacolonna.it/en) – Located in the heart of Rome, the gardens, first planted in the early 1700s, are open to the public on Saturday mornings.

Campo de’ Fiori (fornocampodefiori.com) – Since 1869, a daily market has been held at this square, which was once the site of public executions. At its center is a statue of philosopher Giordano Bruno, who was burnt alive for heresy related to his cosmological theories. The bianco pizza at Forno Campo de’ Fiori is considered among the best in Rome.

Campo de' Fiori

Cul-De-Sac (Piazza di Pasquino, 73) – Located near Piazza Navona, this wine bar is one of the city’s oldest. Come early (or late) to snag one of the coveted outdoor tables.

Da Felice (feliceatestaccio.it/en) – Located in Testaccio, it’s regarded as the old-school favorite for cacio e pepe, tossed up tableside.

Emma (emmapizzaria.com) – A popular pizzeria in the Campo de Fiori area, the recipe for the crust was developed in collaboration with acclaimed baker Pierluigi Roscioli. The crisp, thin base serves as the perfect backdrop for a host of simple and fresh toppings. Babette (babetteristorante.it) – Run by a pair of sisters who used to work in fashion, Mr. Wirth is a regular at this chic French/Italian hybrid that is located on a quiet street just a short stroll from the Hotel Hassler.

Parmesan cappellotti pasta "Double Umami" from Imàgo

Il Palazzetto (ilpalazzettoroma.com) – Built in the 16th century alongside the Spanish Steps, Mr. Wirth purchased the five-story building in 1999 and spent three years renovating it into a fourroom boutique hotel and event space with a hugely popular rooftop wine and cocktail bar.

Keats-Shelley Memorial House and Babington’s Tea Room (keats-shelley-house.org; babingtons.com) – Located opposite one another at the foot of the Spanish Steps. The former is a museum dedicated to English Romantic poets, while inside the latter, which opened in 1893, there is a worn but endearing feeling of quirky English eclecticism.

The Roman Forum

Pipero Roma (piperoroma.it/en/) – After ogling the architecture of Santa Maria in Vallicella, constructed in the late 1500s, head across the Piazza della Chiesa Nuova to this Michelin-starred restaurant, operated by sommelier Alessandro Pipero.

Ruscioli (salumeriaroscioli.com) – A deli, restaurant and wine bar in one. Not for the indecisive, with 300 types of cheese and 2,800 wine labels available.

Sora Lella Restaurant (trattoriasoralella.it) – This homey family-operated spot is the only restaurant on Tiber Island that is open year-round. Mr. Wirth is particularly fond of their tagliolini pasta and meatloaf.