Martis Palace Hotel Rome

Occupying a sunny-hued Neoclassical building, the upscale Hotel Martis Palace marries polished interiors with excellent service that garners plenty of compliments from guests and inspires repeat visits. Public spaces are elegant and modern, but with a touch of history in grand architectural details like arches and marble columns and in stylistic touches like gilded mirrors and pieces of old wall carvings displayed like paintings. It's a nice contrast to all of the sleek marble and granite surfaces and modern furnishings that fill spaces, while cool neutral color palettes make for a calming atmosphere. Colorful decorative tiles in the restaurant pop against light blues and mauves. The TV room/library offers a pleasant space in which to relax, surrounded by bookshelves stocked with art books and coffee table tomes. The rooftop terrace is another highlight, a chic space with lovely views over the Roman cityscape.  

Guests are mainly well-heeled tourists, many of which are families attracted by the hotel's large family suites. Rates are pricey, but many guests say they're worth it, raving about the excellent location, breakfast buffet, and overall impression of this boutique property -- though it does lack fitness and spa facilities.

Many guests deem the location as one of the hotel's top features, and it really is a prime one. Surrounded by historic attractions and some of the city's top tourist destinations, the property is ideal for tourists wishing to explore the city on foot. There are countless dining options, cafes, and gelato places in the area. Piazza Navona is just down the street; both Piazza Campo de' Fiori and the Pantheon are a five-minute walk away. The Trevi Fountain can be reached in 15 minutes. The Colosseum is a 10-minute bus ride away or a 25-minute walk. The Vatican takes about 29 minutes on foot or 10 minutes by car to reach. Roma Termini, the main train station, is about a 20-minute drive or bus ride away. Both Fiumicino and Ciampino airports are about a 40-minute drive (depending on traffic) or an hour via public transportation.

Rooms are moderately sized and feature a modern elegance, with stylish contemporary furnishings. There are several different room categories available, starting with French Rooms, which range between 160 and 194 square feet (15 and 18 square meters), moving on to 215-square-foot (20 square meters) Classic Rooms and 280-square-foot (26-square-foot) Deluxe Rooms, the latter adding sitting areas. Suites range in size from 344- to 398-square foot (32 to 37 square meters) Junior Suites to the 602-square-foot (56 square meters) Luxury Family Suite, which comprises two adjoining Deluxe Rooms.

Each room is individually decorated, but expect tasteful color schemes and artful details like mosaic-style wallpaper in Classic Rooms or bold floral bed runners and armchairs in Deluxe Rooms. Floors and furniture are wooden, while plush beds command large headboards in most rooms. Many rooms have colorful accents, such as the Classic Rooms, which come in a variety of shades displayed in bed runners, chairs, and curtains. 

Standard amenities include 42-inch flat-screen TVs, electric kettles accompanied by a selection of teas and coffees as well as Eataly snacks, minibars, electronic safes, and free Wi-Fi. Spacious bathrooms are sleek and attractive, equipped with bidets, heated towel racks, and illuminated magnifying mirrors. Walk-in rainfall showers are large and luxurious, and all bathrooms are stocked with Malin+Goetz toiletries and plush robes. Note that window views are lackluster in most rooms, plus some guests have complained of street noise.

Hotel Martis Palace offers convenient and elegant features. The hotel has a restaurant, where a free breakfast is served in the mornings and an a la carte menu of traditional Roman dishes is available for lunch and dinner. The breakfast buffet selection is extensive and varied, garnering praise from guests. It includes items like pastries, cakes, fresh fruit, cured salmon, and eggs.

The hotel offers a handful of beautiful, stylish common spaces to relax in, be it in the inviting TV room, a chic living space stocked with coffee table books, or the rooftop bar, which offers beautiful panoramic views over the city and surrounding rooftops. It's a lovely spot to take in the sunset with a cocktail, and particularly popular at this time of day. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property.

The property lacks spa and fitness facilities, however, but it does offer access to the spa at its sister hotel, Hotel Lunetta, which is a two-minute walk away. It has a chromotherapy shower, sauna, and hydromassage tub, plus a number of treatments are available for booking.