Le Meridien Visconti Rome

Space is one of the first things you feel when you walk inside Le Meridien Visconti Rome. Rome is known for its many teensy tiny boutiques (particularly in the historic center), but this tall, unassuming building in Rome's Prati neighborhood houses a surprisingly spacious hotel. The sliding glass entrance doors lead to the renovated front desk and a lounge area, which has a sophisticated gray, black, and white color palette, marble flooring, and metallic Art Deco accents. The Longitude 12 Bar + Bistrot serves Illy coffee and eclairs from a stylish lounge space overlooking the patio.The outdoor public areas are furnished with dark brown tables, sofas, and chairs designed from wood, iron and wicker. The flooring alternates between wood and tiles, and while the overhead canopy wires are a bit unsightly, they are worth it on particularly sunny days. Daytime views are of neighboring roofs, so the roof is best at night or during sunset. The garden patio area has well-manicured plants and slightly more comfortable looking sofas.

With a convenient location off the west banks of the Tiber River in the Prati District, Le Meridien Visconti Rome is an ideal base for first-time travelers to the Eternal City. The hotel is near many of Rome's historical and cultural spots as well as tons of shopping, restaurants and bars. The Piazza Navona and Piazza del Popolo are within easy walking distance, while popular sites such as the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and Vatican City can all be reached in 20 minutes or less on foot. The Colosseum and the Termini Station (where trains depart for cities around Italy) are a bit too far to reach on foot, but multiple buses stop at Piazza Cavour (less than a five-minute walk) away.

The 242 rooms are divided into six room categories, ranging from the basic Superior Rooms to the Terrace Suite, a top-floor apartment-style suite with private balcony and snazzy decor. Renovated rooms have sleek, Art Deco style in shades of gray and white, with silver and light wood accents.All rooms should have a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, minibar, selection of toiletries, and either a shower/tub combo or walk-in shower. Wi-Fi is free.

This hotel has more business features than many hotels in Rome, including two large conference rooms, four ground-floor boardrooms (great for smaller business meetings), and audio-visual equipment (although there have been complaints about the speed and reliability of internet). Two outdoor event spaces can hold cocktail parties or receptions.All travelers can take advantage of the hotel's moderate-size fitness room (with machines and free weights), jogging trail recommendations, on-site currency exchange, and room service (only during limited hours). Fee-based services include babysitting, parking, and dry cleaning/laundry service (that is noted to be quite expensive).The rooftop terrace is the main feature here, and also doubles as an alfresco dining area serving barbecued meats and fish as well as drinks -- reservations are recommended, especially during sunset hours. Inside, the cafe serves casual fare (and free breakfast) in a casual atmosphere, and the contemporary Longitude 12 Bar + Bistrot has cocktails and an a la carte menu.