The 10 best Rome hotels with spas for an indulgent break in the Eternal City
Ancient Romans were famously partial to thermal baths with all the extras. None of the spas to be found in Rome’s hotels today come close in size to the Baths of Caracalla, the magnificent ruins of which tower above the Aventine hill, but the luxurious pampering they offer would surely keep even the most demanding Ancient folk happy. From compact and affordable to extensive and positively sybaritic, the pamper palaces in these hotels will work out the pains and strains of a hard day’s sight-seeing. Here's our pick of the best spa hotels in Rome.
Imagine having your very own stately home in Rome. The rooms here ooze old-fashioned luxury; there’s also a listed library, opulent communal spaces and a small formal garden and spa to unwind in after a hard day’s sightseeing. The expansive spa includes a wonderful Turkish bath (included in the hotel price) along with a gym (a personal trainer can be arranged) and a range of enticing treatments. Rooms are warm and welcoming with their rich fabrics, pastel-hued walls and bedcovers, Fiandra linen sheets and alpaca or cashmere throws.
A former Umbertine palace with lush gardens, solid marble bedrooms, and a look-at-me lobby decked out in walnut and gold leaf. It’s just off Villa Borghese, the landscaped English-style gardens that make up Rome’s largest green space. The facilities is where a palace hotel slightly out of the centre pays off – there is an outdoor swimming pool in the gardens, and a spa in the main building with thalasso mini-pool, sauna and steam baths. Traditionalists will appreciate the Crème de La Mer-based treatments. Food is adventurous and colourful, and the pasta dishes are gluttonously delicious.
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Rome's original design hotel – perfectly positioned between Spanish Steps and Piazza del Popolo – has a small but rather lovely spa. Facilities include a salt-water hydropool, Finnish sauna, steam room, state-of-the-art gym and hair salon. The signature rituals, which incorporate Silician oils and Trapani sea salts, are the perfect antidote after a day pounding the streets of Rome. The other big attraction here is the courtyard, home to the hotel’s classy cocktail bar and restaurant. All rooms have been brought in line with Olga Polizzi’s drive to make them feel like homes, and some suites come with lovely views over the Roman rooftops.
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This hotel bills itself as an urban resort and it doesn’t oversell. The hotel offers a vast range of amenities, beginning with the focal point of the meticulously kept grounds: two outdoor pools and adjacent patio bar and bistro. The exclusive Clarins-branded My Blend spa includes a plunge pool, sensorial showers, steam baths and saunas, and a full menu of face and body treatments. In addition, there are the elegant ground-floor Amaro lounge and Ossimoro restaurant, an indoor-outdoor fitness area, and a hair and beauty salon. Upgraded rooms offer luxe extras such as a pillow menu and in-room aromatherapy.
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Those with tastes more Versailles than Valentino will love the old-fashioned grandeur of Rome Cavalieri, set high on Monte Mario overlooking the city centre. The enormous Grand Spa Club, considered one of the best in Italy, features La Prairie and Aromatherapy Associates products. Choose an Imperial Room and entry to its glass-domed indoor pools, amethyst Turkish bath, hot tub, saunas and fitness centre is free, as is access to the exclusive seventh-floor Imperial Club, where complimentary food and drinks are available from breakfast through to nightcap hour in the posh lounge overlooking Rome. There’s also a rather enjoyable outdoor pool.
Pairing an exhaustive range of services with an amiable atmosphere that captures the informal warmth of Rome, the five-star Palazzo Naiadi – overlooking the dazzling eponymous fountain – strikes the perfect balance between international luxury and Roman authenticity. A highlight is the Fusion Spa, where the staff create massage oils using hand-picked herbs based on ancient Asian and Roman treatments; after your massage, a tray of healthy juices and a freshly drawn bath with perfumed salts await in your room. There’s also chic rooftop pool and bar where footsore guests can cool off with a dip and sip far above the city.
This landmark hotel dazzles with its Renaissance Revival architecture, updated Art Deco décor, and original Jazz Age frescoes in the restaurant and lounge. Guests can work off Rome’s famously hearty pasta dishes in the fitness room or relax after a day of touring the Eternal City in the Kami Spa, an Asian-inspired retreat with a sauna, salt water massage pool, and softly lit treatment rooms for a wide range of specialised massages, scrubs, wraps, and other indulgences. The swank Via Veneto address, white-glove service, and Art Deco bedrooms with private balconies add Gatsby-level grandeur.
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The classily opulent Eden sets the bar for high-end luxury in Rome. On the top floor, a gourmet restaurant and suavely chic all-day bar offer wraparound views of the Eternal City. Facilities include a spa with treatments by Sonya Dakar and Officina Profumo – Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, its playfully decadent design nodding at the thermal baths of Ancient Rome. There’s no such thing as a small room at the hotel; bathrooms are blinged out with lashings of gold and sparkly white marble and Bottega Veneta amenities. Visit chic rooftop La Terrazza restaurant and adjacent Il Giardino for the views.
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Rome’s five-star Aleph hotel stands out as one of the city’s best luxury spa hotels. The luxurious Arabian-style spa includes a thermal pool, sauna, and gilded hammam, all in marble mosaics, bathed in soft pink light. If you want to relax outdoors, the rooftop bar offers superb cocktails and delicately tasty hors d'oeuvres served alongside the small pool. Chef Antonio Vitale takes guests on a delectable journey through Italian cuisine that dares to be different, paired with an exceptional wine list.
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Residenze Argileto has everything you need for a relaxing spa break. The rooftop terrace is comfortably fitted out as an outdoor lounging space, where guests have free use of the hot tub for a 50-minute soak, and events such as small jazz concerts are sometimes held. A 90-minute session in the basement Argiletum Spa is also free for guests, including the sauna, Turkish bath, and hydro-massage plunge pool. The hotel’s street-level bistrot serves as the de facto lobby, where guests are offered a welcome drink and can gather for a glass of wine or a meal, or order from the menu to be served in their rooms or on the terrace.
Contributions by Sherelle Jacobs, Lee Marshall & Rebecca Winke
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