Positioned at the heart of Rome’s prestigious Pinciano neighborhood, Aldrovandi Villa Borghese acts as a leafy retreat from the busy streets and piazzas of the city. As well as being within strolling distance of the sprawling greenery of the Borghese Gardens, it is a short shuttle ride away from the city’s iconic landmarks including the Spanish Steps and breathtaking Trevi Fountain. In the grand marble-clad interiors of this 19th-century villa and former convent, you can recover from a day of exploring Rome in the spa’s serene and intimate thermal suite and take your time over an aperitif in the enclosed courtyard garden before having a long, drawn-out dinner at the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Assaje. This palatial, foliage-enclosed hotel is one of seven unique properties in the new Mytha Hotel Anthology collection, in which history, nature, culture and gastronomy come together to reflect their Mediterranean identity.
STAY
Beyond the grand lobby and restaurants and bars flowing through to the courtyard and pool garden, you’ll find palatial suites decorated in the classic Italian style to preserve this historic villa’s aristocratic past. Choose between Royal Suite and smaller but no less lavish Executive Suites featuring wooden parquet flooring, swathes of marble, and a light and bright backdrop with pops of rich purple, blue and soft gray. Ornate chandeliers hang from the ceiling and golden-framed paintings decorate the walls, with classic Italian furnishings and oversized vases completing the timeless look. In each of these suites, it’s the charm of the decor and luxurious detail that gives each space its personality and appeal. Order in-room champagne and canapés before heading out to dinner.
DINE
Michelin-starred Mediterranean dining spot Assaje is undoubtedly one of the hotel’s greatest highlights – the dining experience may even be worth the trip alone. Overseen by executive chef Andrea Migliaccio and driven by resident chef Claudio Mengoni, the restaurant specializes in fine dining plates that combine the culinary traditions and ingredients of the region with creativity and an innovative spirit. On candlelit tables spilling out from the elegant dining room and into the garden, dine on dishes like smoked paccheri pasta with lobster, courgettes and toasted almonds (a personal favorite); homemade lemon tagliolini pasta with burrata cheese, red raw prawns, sea asparagus and oyster leaf; amberjack marinated in tomato water with caviar, sea asparagus, avocado and apple; and roasted suckling pig with salsify, porto wine scented shallot and mustard. For dessert, try the almond panna cotta with rum ice cream and blackberries compote. The hotel also has a cozy grill restaurant, outdoor Garden Bar and sophisticated American Bar serving classic cocktails. Each morning brings an extravagant breakfast spread, which you can enjoy in the light-filled dining room overlooking the pool and garden.
RELAX
Unwind at the end of a busy day in the hotel’s peaceful Mytha Spa. Enjoy the sauna, steam room, thalasso pool and relaxation area of the low-lit thermal suite and try treatments using products by Biologique Recherche, from anti-aging facials to circulatory, travel recovery and connective tissue massage, and additional therapies such as reflexology, and the exclusive Leg Treatment developed by MD F. Canonaco. Beauty treatments and a fitness center complete the wellness experience, and the hotel’s heated pool takes pride of place in the leafy courtyard.
EXPLORE
Even with its tranquil setting outside the busiest part of the city, the hotel acts as a convenient base for exploring Rome. Use the complimentary bicycles to ride around the lush Borghese Gardens and take the free shuttle into the center of Rome to follow a map between ancient sites, try the gelato and discover the restaurants and bars that line so many streets here. You can also request tailor-made tours, for which options range from being accompanied by a personal shopper to hopping on board a Vespa. The concierge is on hand to give you local insider tips, such as taking in the opera at Teatro dell’Opera di Roma.
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