Empire Palace Hotel Roma

The Empire Palace Hotel, a four star superior hotel, inaugurated in September 1999, enjoys a fantastic location in the historic and fashionable centre of Rome, just a few steps from the famous Via Veneto.

The hotel is housed in an impressive building built in 1870 for the aristocratic Venetian Mocenigo family, who produced several of the Doges of the Republic of Venice.

On entering the hall, visitors will be amazed by the starry sky and full moon painted on the ceiling of the Reception. The gold leaf decoration of the arches recalls the Venetian origin of this historic building, while the lobster-coloured areas are decidedly modern.

The large lounges are furnished with comfortable sofas in morocco leather with pink velvet poufs. The rooms are decorated with huge Intimist paintings by renowned modern artist Paolo Giorgi.

A very unusual strip of inlaid coloured marble runs along the floor of the lounges, created by expert craftsmen from a design taken from a painting by Veronese.

The new meeting rooms inaugurated in 2007 are situated on the sixth and last floor, and enjoy natural light framed by windows that look out onto a panoramic view of Rome’s characteristic roofs and terraces. The space can be divided up into modular areas using soundproofed partitions. The meeting rooms are equipped with all the latest generation technology.

The hotel boasts 110 rooms in classic style and extremely comfortable.

The furniture is in light cherry wood and the dominating colour of the nineteenth century- style fabrics, is golden beige.

The floor is covered with a soft bordeaux or blue patterned carpet. To complete the furnishings is a set of English hand-painted watercolour prints depicting English Wedgwood pottery or Etruscan vases. All the rooms have individually-controlled air conditioning direct line telephones, satellite TV with LCD screen and Genesis system Pay TV with a choice of 60 films in 6 languages, including Russian, and 1500 different music tracks, a safe, Wi-Fi internet connection, bathrobe, and slippers.

The bathrooms are in white marble veined with yellow gold. They offer a quality line of courtesy toiletries, hair dryers, a courtesy make-up mirror and terry and linen towels.

The Blue Bar was created from the old stables, keeping the original rose-coloured brick vaulted ceiling, with cobalt blue walls. The atmosphere is made all the more attractive by the light wood panelling, the small marble bar counter, and the original beige high-backed sofas designed by Philippe Starck. The walls are decorated with brightly coloured paintings of children’s faces and water lilies, by artist Dora Tassinari. The menu offers a wide range of cocktails and light refreshments. Guests are entertained with music from the piano bar in the evenings.

Courtyard under the stars the large, attractive open-air courtyard inside the hotel is laid out with tables, umbrellas and greenery. Typical Roman materials have been used in the courtyard, such as travertine and porphyry, while the Carrara marble-clad fountain is a sixteenth century original. Bar service is available in the Courtyard under the Stars, with a vast range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, snacks of all kinds and quick meals served at any time of day. On the warm Rome summer evenings, it is particularly delightful to relax outside with a drink after a busy day working, sightseeing or shopping.

The Aureliano restaurant is a classic design area, with light cherry wood panelling and mirrors with brilliant modern red and blue appliques in Murano glass. The chef is Moreno Picchietti, a top-class professional who offers a creative-Mediterranean cuisine based on high quality seasonal products. Picchietti’s cuisine is the classic kind: traditional and authentic, with clearly defined flavours. The selection of raw materials, all rigorously seasonal, is of primary importance. The menus he creates follow the maturation cycles of the products. At lunch time, a different single main dish is served every day, and there is also a small menu offering two and three course meals accompanied by a glass of wine, for a moderate price. In the evening guests choose from the extensive menu that varies with the seasons. The wine list offers a vast selection of wines, nearly all from Italy. The restaurant also has an independent external entrance from Via Aureliana 45. Seats: 65 Opening times: 12.30-14.30; 19.30-22.30 Closed on Sundays.