Bling is still king in the Middle East, where Bulgari, Palazzo Versace and Armani hotels all compete for the title of most extravagant luxury fashion branded hotel in Dubai. But things are less ostentatious in the Italian capital, where luxury brands maintain a low profile among the myriad hotels that pepper the city.
A case in point is Fendi Private Suites Roma, a small but perfectly formed collection of gorgeous boutique hotel rooms on the third floor of Fendi’s flagship store on Via dei Condotti. Although it opened stealthily in 2016, the boutique bolthole remained mostly anonymous until joining Small Hotels of the World earlier this year.
Formerly a 17th century aristocratic residence, Palazzo Fendi is situated in the heart of Rome’s historic centre, a short walk from the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain. The Fendi boutique takes up the first two floors of the building, while the second has been reserved as the Palazzo Privè – an ultra-exclusive shopping experience for the brand’s most important customers.
Seven exclusive suites on the third floor have been designed in elegant Fendi style, with Italian materials such as Carrara and Levanto marble, Fendi Casa furniture, black and white Karl Lagerfeld photographs on the walls and tomes covering the world of Italian fashion lining the shelves.
Each of the suites is unique: some can be doubled up to create two-bedroom residences and some offer dual aspect views of Rome’s historic quarter. In-room iPads come loaded with seven walking tours, and all guests can embark on a private tour of the store plus priority reservations at Zuma, which occupies the top two floors of the palazzo.
