May 31, 2023: Rome’s Hotel de Russie opens reservations for its newly renovated presidential suite – the Nijinsky Suite. Located on the sixth and final floor, the suite is designed as a private rooftop enclave, opening onto an outdoor terrace spanning 240 m² with a 172 m² interior (excluding the optional connection to the second deluxe room), making it the hotel’s largest suite.
At a glance, the suite blends an eclectic mix of Italian vintage pieces with modern furnishings, exuding a clean yet luxurious look. The design director, Olga Polizzi, reveals that the update was intended to create a “tangible link between the suite, the building and the city of Rome”, the culmination of a three-year renovation project including the restoration of the hotel’s famous (and not so secret) Secret Garden, originally designed in collaboration with the hotel by Giuseppe Valadier in the 19th century.
The suite pays tribute to Vaslav Nijinsky, esteemed ballet dancer and choreographer and beloved guest of the hotel. He is part of an illustrious list of historical luminaries who have been drawn to the hotel since it opened in 1814, most famously Pablo Picasso and Jean Cocteau who called the hotel “paradise on earth”. Hotel de Russie is located right in the heart of Rome between Piazza del Popolo and the Spanish Steps, on the precipice between old and new. With all that is good about the Eternal City within easy reach, the Nijinsky Suite offers a unique opportunity for digital nomads and vacationers to enjoy luxurious privacy while keeping up with the rhythm of a bustling city.
The fading allure of luxury hotels
Still, there is something to be said for the disruption of the hospitality industry over the past decade. Namely, the rapid rise of the multi-billion dollar short-term rental platform Airbnb. The company’s stunning IPO at $144.71 in 2020 spoke volumes about the rising consumer trend to stay in “homes” as opposed to hotels. Perhaps it’s the ever-rising cost of home ownership or the advent of quiet luxury, but more and more travelers are choosing the authenticity of “live-in” accommodation over the obvious luxury of fancy hotels.
There is certainly a certain sense of comfort in arriving in a foreign country all by yourself, quietly making your way down to a private apartment on an unassuming street, unlocking the front door with a password known only to you – it’s the feeling of living as a local. Therein lies a core pitfall in the hotel industry. Staying in a hotel can mark the fact that one is just a visitor, a passerby. After all, it is often the foreign guest for whom open hospitality is reserved. These feelings of alienation drive travelers away from hotels where too many miss the mark in stifling what appears to be an emerging desire for secrecy.
Inside The Nijinsky
It is perhaps this desire for belonging that the Nijinsky Suite was designed to be the answer to. A kind of exclusive hospitality that removes itself from your attention, so that you feel like you are at home (except, in none other than the beautiful city of Rome).
The suite is built like an apartment with each room connected to the next. The entrance atrium leads directly into the open study and main corridor and acts as the spine of the suite. The main hallway enjoys plenty of sunlight from the outdoor terrace to the right while the bedroom and living room enjoy some privacy to the left, separated by a tangent corridor.
Inside, the interior is painted in vibrant shades of green, yellow and brown to match the panoramic view of the nearby Villa Borghese from the terrace. The kitchen has a sophisticated corner bar and connects to an open dining area that can accommodate a decent party of around 10 people, making the suite perfect for hosting small gatherings or private work events. The cozy master bedroom has a luxurious walk-in closet and an en-suite bathroom clad in marble and equipped with a Turkish bath – a polished ode to the Roman bathhouse.
Outside, the terrace is furnished with wooden chaise longues and soft sofas around long teak tables, providing guests with plenty of cozy corners where guests can enjoy the Roman sunset in silence and gather spaces for an alfresco meal. The family of regional plants that adorn the outdoor space act as an extension of the secret garden below, with the gentle sounds of the waterfall flowing between the garden’s three nymphaea floating up to the suite like music to one’s ears. Pay a quick visit to the garden and enjoy a drink at the connected Stravinskij Bar, a popular central hangout for people in the city. Guests will have the luxury of truly doing as the Romans do, or people-watching in solitude from the comfort of the suite above.
Visit Rome in comfort and style
Rome may be known as a lively, sometimes hectic place, but the Nijinsky Suite provides reprieve in both comfort and style. Guests can stay close to the center of the city and still enjoy a quick escape back to their room, enjoying luxury with convenience.
A stay at the Nijinsky Suite includes transportation to and from the airport or train station, as well as personal concierge service to help you navigate Rome’s bustling streets. Choose the complementary professional guide (up to four hours for a tour of the city) or go on your trip for free and easily. Babysitting services up to three hours are also available. The Nijinsky Suit starts at €15,400 per night, including VAT and breakfast. For more information about the suite, click here.
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