REVIEW | Palazzo Montemartini Rome, A Radisson Collection hotel

It was spring 2022 with the biggest COVID-19 travel restrictions gradually being lifted it was time for the first big holiday for my boyfriend and I. As I wanted to convince my boyfriend that travelling without his beloved car can also be fun I decided to drag him along on a Mediterranean cruise on Celebrity Reflection, starting from the Italian port of Civitavecchia near Rome.

When looking at hotels in Rome, all of them appeared to be rather expensive, in hindsight probably because we would be there on June the 2^nd, Italy’s national day. So I was very happy to have found an affordable deal for a good hotel with the Palazzo Montemartini. It had a good location. Being opposite of Termini station allowing for easy transfer from the airport on the Leonardo ‘Express’ and onwards to the port of Civitavecchia on a regional train service. The building itself was historical, being the former headquarters of the Rome Transport Authority. It was also located right next to the ancient baths, overlooking the remains.

Upon arrival we had a very warm welcome and as soon as we entered the driveway the bellboy immediately came up to meet us and grab our baggage’s. After a short wait at reception we where swiftly checked-in and shown to the elevators.

While it is an historic building, every historic aspect is kept but whatever was not historic has been done in a modern Italian design style, which I liked very much. In the lobby area there was a two floors spanning library which looked very impressive.

We received an unexpected upgrade to a junior suite on the 4^th floor. It was nice and spacious and I like how they integrated the sofa into the centrally located bed.

The bed frame had buttons to control lighting and the exterior blinds as well as a USB outlet at both sides to charge your personal electronics.

The main room also offered a bar area with both a Nespresso coffee maker and an ordinary water cooker for tea.

There was a closet to store your clothes in the main room and an equally big one in the bathroom, so plenty of storage available. The hotel also provided bathrobes and slippers.

The bathroom was wonderful, it features a gorgeous spacious bath tub, perfect to enjoy a bath together. The sink area was also nice and big so we were able to spread out all our toiletries.

The toilet together with a bidet was in a separate area, closed off with a heavy frosted glass door.

The bathroom also featured a small sauna and a rain shower with hammam functions, both in separate alcoves.

It is one of the more elaborately equipped bathrooms I have ever had in a hotel and it was very much appreciated.

Should you need some more pampering than the hotel offers a fully equipped spa in the basement level.

To access it you need to pay an extra charge of €20 per person, which in my opinion is a bit ambiguous. On one hand it should be included in the room rate as the hotel’s normal rates are high enough to have it included, on the other hand having it as add-on charge makes it a much more quiet and exclusive experience as people are less likely to just pop in.

The facilities offered make up for the entry fee, there is nice sized swimming pool with both back and foot water jets, controlled by buttons. Next to it is a nice big Jacuzzi with two different kinds of treatments controlled by buttons.

There also is a salt room, on which you can lie down on a bed of salt crystals. There is a proper sauna and separate Turkish bath. You also have both cold and warm experience showers. The staff is also very friendly and pro-active, always making sure everything is clean and in perfect condition. When we were there for a while they also came to offer delicious complementary herbal teas.

Of course there is also a gym. Which can be found on the 1^st floor. However you have to pre arrange with reception to be able to access it, as our keycards couldn’t unlock the door.

Food is served in the downstairs restaurant which is located in a beautiful classic hall, with a contrasting modern interior outfit in the classic décor.

Breakfast in the morning is a buffet, with coffee and tea brought to your table on request as well as some egg dishes made to order. On the buffet there are some hot dishes as well as the usual bread and cold cuts. What stood out was the big offer of cakes and other sweet bites, which are typical for an Italian breakfast. They were by far the best the breakfast had to offer, and some of the best cakes I had in a hotel.

On the last evening we also had dinner in the hotel. All different courses where delicious and perfectly executed. We also enjoyed a delicious local Lazio wine which was recommended by the staff.

I must say that my stay at the Palazzo Montemartini exceeded my expectations and was the best hotel stay I had in recent times. Perfect service, friendly and capable staff. Every little detail was correct. With this experience I can only say I will most likely stay here again when I visit Rome again and I can only recommend staying here.