The streets and skyline of Rome inspire movie reminiscing on a grand scale, from Audrey Hepburn’s escapades in Roman Holiday (1952) to Fellini’s mood-shifting La Dolce Vita (1960). At Bettoja Hotel Mediterraneo on Via Cavour, you can immerse yourself in your own grand Roman adventure. The stately building with its wide, suspended marble stairs, original wooden features in guestrooms, tall windows and sweeping views of the city’s rooftops and domed tips will launch you into a film-like reverie — and the perfect state of mind for a long walk through the narrow streets. The location is ideal, with a metro stop on the nearest corner and Rome’s main train station, Termini, barely a block away. You can even follow Via Cavour from the front door of the lobby to the ancient ruins of the Roman Forum and the Coliseum.

Recognized as one of Rome’s most important examples of Art Deco, architect Mario Loreti designed the hotel in 1936 as a project for Maurizio Bettoja. The building’s remarkable past includes the years during World War II when Nazi officers commandeered the larger rooms, and the staff helped Jewish citizens escape via an elaborate communication system that often involved secret messages hidden in rooms. Tenth-floor suites with terraces overlook St. Peters and the Quirinale Palace, set upon the highest of Rome’s seven hills.

Throughout, elements include alabaster, precious wooden inlays, mosaics, stucco and beautifully maintained antique touches. The tale of Ulysses is told through mosaics in the main hall, while the downstairs breakfast room is literally a work of art, featuring painted ceilings and fine carvings of mermaid and sea tritons. With no shortage of shops and restaurants literally steps away, you may be tempted to forgo the hotel’s restaurant, but you’ll be cheating yourself out of a great experience. Traditional Italian dishes prepared by the hotel’s culinary team are served in the wood-paneled Ristorante 21, decorated with an original hunting mosaic. Enjoy breakfast in the downstairs Sala Taverna dining area with its tall ceilings, murals and hand-painted Vietri ceramics, or beneath the glass roof on the top floor in the Roof Garden restaurant; better yet, come back in the evening for a drink at the bar while the lights of Rome twinkle all around you.

© Bettoja Hotels