Vilòn Roma

Character and identity

Tucked onto a cobblestoned side street next to Palazzo Borghese, Vilòn occupies a former nunnery turned mansion, reimagined over a three-and-a-half-year restoration by set designer Paolo Bonfini. The 18 rooms layer mid-century modern and Art Deco against original Rococo columns, with contemporary Rome portraits by Massimo Listri on the walls. Expect mahogany floorboards, deep blue curtains, marble bathrooms and oversized showers, plus rare window views into the Borghese gardens. Adelaide, the ground-floor restaurant, spills into a creeper-strewn courtyard, and a black-and-gold jewel-box bar handles the Negronis. Service is discreet and quietly accommodating.

Who's it for

Bottom line

The pull here is the combination of address and atmosphere: a quiet cobblestoned lane backing onto the Borghese gardens, run at the scale of a private house, with a restaurant locals actually queue for. Book a Charming Room for value, or stretch to the Melangolo or Borghese Suites for the terrace views over the gardens. Reserve Adelaide for at least one courtyard lunch.