The Westin Excelsior, Rome

Character and identity

A 1906 Belle Époque landmark on Via Veneto, this 319-room hotel sits within walking distance of the Trevi Fountain and the Villa Borghese gardens. The architecture leans grand and museum-like: each floor's lobby is dressed with paintings, statuary and period furniture, and the Via Veneto Suites carry the theme into the rooms with Biedermeier furnishings, chandeliers and marble-clad living areas. Doney Restaurant anchors the dining, with a Mediterranean lunch buffet and an à la carte menu running to dishes like wild asparagus risotto with mint and Morolo cheese. A piano bar and spa round out the public spaces, and the service register is warm and personal: staff are known for remembering returning guests.

Who's it for

Bottom line

The draw here is atmosphere: a genuine early-20th-century palazzo with location, scale and a service team that treats guests by name. Spend the money if you want classical Roman grandeur within walking distance of the Trevi and Borghese; book a Via Veneto Suite for the Biedermeier rooms and marble salons, and target shoulder seasons for better rates on the higher categories.