Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese: Calmness in a Busy City

Although this is something you normally don’t hear a veteran travel writer with gray hair, say, I just visited Rome for the first time this past November. At first, we stayed in a hotel on a busy street that was within 10-15 minutes of walking to hit Rome’s greatest hits. When we moved to Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese, it was like turning on the noise-canceling function on a set of good headphones and feeling the world get instantly calmer. 

The 19th-century mansion that eventually became this hotel sits next to the sprawling Villa Borghese Park that, you can see from the rooftop restaurant and some of the rooms. It is a collection of gardens and historic buildings that provides a buffer with its 198 acres of land (80 hectares).  Despite the fresher air and treetop views, this luxury Rome hotel is still quite close to many attractions: it’s a few blocks up from the famous Spanish Steps and the designer shops around them. 

Everything is looking shiny and new after some major renovations in the rooms and public facilities while retaining elements of the historic building and still providing regular nods to the city around every corner. The restored original staircase still connects the different floors of the building if you want to get some exercise, leading to hallways adorned with close-up photos of sections of Roman marble statues.

The lobby’s modern take on a mosaic floor and its designer furniture both complement the original architectural details. 

Drinking and Dining With a View at Settimo

The rooftop restaurant and lounge Settimo is worth making a reservation for even if you aren’t staying here. You can come for a cocktail with a view over the park and to St. Peter’s Basilica in the distance. Or have dinner here and watch the colors change as the sunset glow passes through the glass walls or bathes you in its light as you dine outside. (See the photo further down for the view.)

The decor is playful and inviting, the space filled with plants and natural light, with velvet furniture in bright colors and floral patterns, and the floor mixing in mosaics. 

The two of us enjoyed an excellent dinner at Settimo on what ended up being Thanksgiving Day, so I gave thanks for being fortunate enough to spend it at a fine dining spot in Rome rather than arguing with my relatives somewhere stateside. The good wine and attentive service made it one of the more memorable fourth Thursdays I’ve experienced. 

Instead of turkey and cranberries, the two of us enjoyed four kinds of bread with Italian extra virgin olive oil, the focaccia being especially memorable, before an appetizer course that was excellent. My wife had a tender seared octopus while I had the supli Roman-style croquettes with crispy squash blossoms.

Then we moved on to a main course that was equally impressive, with wine by the glass pairing suggested by our waiter.  There was risotto with shrimp, a fish filet, and these lovely pasta triangles that tasted as good as they looked. 

Breakfast is in the same space, but of course, the mood is different, with the room lit up by the morning sun and a less formal service arrangement. Most of the items are on a buffet table, with an array of quality cheeses, fresh juices, yogurt, granola, and, of course, some excellent French croissants, this being a Sofitel from the French company Accor. Breakfast has been a highlight at every property from this brand that I’ve stayed in. The Sofitel Manila breakfast buffet might be the most amazing one I’ve ever seen in my decades of reviewing hotels. 

There’s a menu of items to order, however, if you’d prefer less volume. Many international standards are included, but there are a few Italian touches, a few French ones, and a nice array of healthy items. If you’re trying to make up for indulgences at other times, you can get chia pudding, a detox juice, an egg white omelet, or a breakfast salad.

Note that this is also one of the best neighborhoods in Rome for eating out, with a lot of excellent restaurants where you’ll find as many locals as tourists. 

Facilities and Excursions

This hotel is known for setting up some unique packages that go beyond what is usually offered at city hotels. A five-night Family Roman Odyssey package includes a historical treasure hunt through Vatican City, a family cooking class with a local chef, interactive art and culture tours, a day trip to the Roman countryside, and a private movie night at the hotel.

Or for those hitting a special decade mark, there’s a “Milestone Birthday Package” for an all-out Rome experience for a group. It’s $50K for five nights, but that’s for “up to 14 friends or family traveling together are in seven Luxury Rooms.” In the mix are hot air balloon rides, an e-bike tour, paintball, a Vespa tour, and gladiator training. 

They can set up plenty of less ambitious excursions for a day though, including visits to the Borghese Gallery by the hotel, private tours of the Vatican or St. Peter’s Basilica, and trips to special in-the-know places that aren’t on the tour bus circuit. See more on experiences here.

The gym here is small but well-equipped, with several high-end cardio machines, weight machines, and hand weights. Four meeting rooms serve those who need to do business in the city.

Rooms at Sofitel Villa Borghese

As with the public areas, rooms at this Sofitel effectively mix a nod to the past with a modern sensibility. Prints and photos on the walls remind you that you’re in Rome, and the painted ceilings effect—I’m guessing it’s some kind of wallpaper—is a nice nod to a feature in the many churches and mansions in this city that you’ll probably visit. 

Our room looked out at the park and trees, which was a nice change from the busy street in our previous hotel, and it was quiet at night. The incredibly comfortable bed had individual gooseneck reading lights and there were ample places to charge devices, with USB, European, and US plug types.

Luxury amenities include robes and slippers, a shoehorn and shoe brush, quality hangers, an Illy capsule coffee maker, a tea set-up, a minibar, and a spacious marble bathroom with a heated towel rack and nice toiletries. 

Suites are roughly twice the price of a regular room, though the top choice does have a big terrace with a Jacuzzi, which could make it worth the splurge… 

Booking Your Stay at Sofitel Rome

Rome is an expensive city all year long, from the low end to the high, so it’s no surprise that rates here start at $440 in the winter and can often start at $850 in the summer for a standard. Suites generally top $1,000 per night all year when you include taxes. Breakfast is a minimal addition and is worth adding since the restaurant atmosphere is so nice and the food quality is so high. 

As with a lot of hotel sites these days, if you book directly, the same room can cost several different rates depending on whether you’re a loyalty member and whether you pay in advance with strict penalties or choose the option where you can cancel the day before. See details on the official Sofitel website or an online booking site. 

Check rates online at Expedia, Booking.com, or Hotels.com.

Review and photos by Tim Leffel, who was hosted for purposes of review by Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese. As always, all opinions are his own.