This new Rome lodge is one in every of Zaha Hadid’s last tasks

In one in every of Zaha Hadid’s last tasks, she left her signature natural and flowing fashion on Romeo Roma, a lodge of distinction and progressive timelessness, newly opened in 2025, having taken ten years to finish. On the time of embarking on the undertaking, a 12 months earlier than she died, Hadid had already made her avant-garde mark on the everlasting metropolis with MAXXI, Rome’s first public museum devoted to modern creativity. For the lodge, a extra intimate design prospect, she collaborated with Alfredo Romeo, founding father of the Romeo Assortment, whose debut property in Naples and now the Rome location pair hospitality with artwork, structure, wellness, and eating.

Wallpaper* checks in at: Romeo Roma

What’s in your doorstep?

Housed inside a Sixteenth-century palazzo on By way of di Ripetta, Romeo Roma sits on the coronary heart of the Tridente district, a triangular formation of three important streets in central Rome. Exit the lodge and switch left to simply attain Piazza del Popolo and its twin Baroque church buildings, or head proper to enterprise into the Centro Storico, the place one can be a part of coin tossing at Fontana di Trevi. By way of del Corso’s luxurious boutiques is likely to be laborious to withstand, however the close by Villa Borghese, Villa Medici and Galleria Doria Pamphilj demand full consideration.

Who’s behind the design?

After Romeo bought Palazzo Capponi in 2012, the lodge group’s in-house design workforce started engaged on the constructing’s conversion, bringing in Hadid and her workforce, led by Paola Cattarin, in 2015. The invention of an archaeological web site mid-build brought about delays within the undertaking, ensuing within the decade it took to finish. Whereas the outside showcases Renaissance structure, the interiors diverge from the interval’s coherence, prominently that includes Carrara Statuarietto and Nero Marquina marble, Makassar ebony wooden and Krion by Porcelenosa.

The lodge is stuffed with juxtaposing particulars, from Hadid’s signature flowing strains to a bust of the primary Roman empress, Livia Drusilla, within the foyer. The reception sees gold brass buildings that shimmer towards marble partitions, whereas tree-like ramifications outline the restaurant’s interiors. Elsewhere, the indoor pool with a clear ground reveals historical Roman ruins beneath. ‘Rome’s architectural historical past may be learn in its masonry vaults, from the Roman, by the Renaissance and Baroque intervals, into the 18th century. We took inspiration from this concept, to make a brand new interpretation of vaults and their intersections. All of the completely different rooms, all the way down to the furnishings, are designed with this idea,’ shares Cattarin.

The room to e book

Romeo Roma homes 74 rooms and suites that really feel like a examine in distinction. The 2-level Fresco Suites are a palimpsest of architectural layers, showcasing restored Seventeenth-century frescoes, ceilings of painted trompe l’oeil arches, and a format that ebbs and flows like signature Zaha Hadid. The residing space features a bespoke fire and a balcony with views of Piazza del Popolo, whereas the toilet is supplied with a free-standing bathtub and bathe cabin with steam room and sauna. Though much less futuristic in nature, The Penthouse is the highest suite class and features a personal rooftop backyard of 100 sq m.

For structure buffs searching for to expertise the lodge for its maker’s contact, the Junior and Deluxe suites, each entry-level, are a compact tackle the higher classes, however show Zaha Hadid Architects’ fingerprint throughout stretched and elasticised partitions and particulars.

Staying for drinks and dinner?

Described as a ‘luxurious meals courtroom’, Il Cortile is the go-to for all-day Italian eating. Its indoor area is adorned with undulating ebony arches, whereas the tables outdoor boast the serenity of the lodge’s personal backyard. Quickly to open will likely be La Terraza, a sky bar providing a collection of Krug Champagne and panoramic views. For now, the Il Bar is a glossy spot for pre- and post-dinner drinks.

One other outstanding determine within the Romeo Roma combine is Monégasque chef Alain Ducasse, overseeing the lodge’s effective eating restaurant and breakfast service. Right here, native substances meet Ducasse’s precision, yielding surprising flavour mixtures. Company can select between an á la carte menu or an eight-course tasting journey. Standout dishes embody charred puntarelle paired with bufala cream and bottarga, Mediterranean blue lobster accompanied by turnip tops and wild myrtle, and a chocolate and occasional dessert made by Alain Ducasse Manufacture in Paris.

The place to modify off

The in-house Sisley Paris Spa unfolds throughout 1,000 sq m and encompasses a subterranean pool that reveals glimpses of Roman ruins, a leisure room with a sauna and hammam, a Technogym health space and therapy cabins providing phyto-aromatic remedies.

The decision

It’s laborious to not label Romeo Roma as an formidable and daring undertaking. The juxtaposition of Renaissance and ultra-modern may not be everybody’s cup of tea, because the dramatic aesthetic might really feel extra like a curated artwork piece than a welcoming retreat at instances. But, it’s in its high-end service and facilities that the lodge turns into homelike. With its central location, Romeo Roma is actually a brand new and thrilling manner of experiencing the everlasting metropolis.

Romeo Roma is positioned at By way of di Ripetta, 246, 00186 Roma, Italy; theromeocollection.com