On the heels of the revitalization of its renowned onsite gardens, Hotel de Russie in Rome has also unveiled the update of its lobby and launched seven new garden suites. Led by Rocco Forte Hotels director of design Olga Polizzi, the renovations aim to exalt a mix of classic and contemporary style inspired by the Eternal City. “The hotel has to reflect the feeling of the city that it’s in,” Polizzi explains. “Rome is a very strong, stoic, elegant city, and so I tried to replicate that in the design.”
Warm brown, orange, green, and ochre tones adorn the lobby, which is reimagined as a refined Roman living room. Early 20th-century elements, like an antique bas-relief of the Archangel Gabriel, serve as focal points alongside contemporary furnishings that further stoke the dialogue between old and new. Bespoke and locally crafted furnishings also populates the communal hub in addition to a unique technological wood capsule equipped with a dynamic acoustic design that ensures total privacy for calls or just listening to music.
The hotel’s onsite restaurant, Le Jardin de Russie, also recently received a facelift courtesy of Italian artist Gio Bressana. A worldly sophistication deeply rooted in Italian tradition is conveyed through immersive new murals that depict lush gardens and greenery inspired by the hotel’s historic 19th-century winter gardens.
Patterns and colors reflect uniformity between public spaces and the new suites (the latter of which are punctuated by accents of cobalt green). Lavish furniture pieces and custom seating anchor each chamber alongside other decorative items informed by the art of ancient Rome. Photographs by Serafino Maiorano reinforce modern depictions of the city, while views of the garden infuse serenity. “The Garden is an incredible feature of the hotel, which very few hotels have,” Polizzi adds. “It is truly the heart of the hotel—whether you are looking out onto it from one of the rooms, or enjoying a drink in the garden, one can find a true sense of calm and relaxation in the heart of the busy city. We have tried to bring this tranquility into the rooms.”
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