The Hotel d’Inghilterra in Rome is one of
the city’s most famous
five-star hotels, a cultural landmark in its own right, with an
illustrious
guest list of celebrities past and present, from Lord Byron to
Wilbur Smith.
The Hotel d’Inghilterra benefits from superb
advantages due to its
magnificent location in the heart of fashionable Rome, from the
fascinating
atmosphere resulting from its historic and cultural traditions.
It has always
been considered a mythical residence and it continues to host
celebrities from
the world of culture and the arts.
The intimate and warm atmosphere makes guests
feel at home, whilst enjoying both efficiency and comfort.
Elegance and
attention to detail are both shown by the antique furniture and
decorations,
cared for by a full-time restorer.
A splendid collection of Neapolitan gouaches
displayed in the lounges contributes to the beauty and elegance of the
lobbies.
HistoryThe building dates from the mid-15th century and, initially
served as a guesthouse for the visitors to Prince Torlonia’s
palace located across the street. The little square in front
of the Hotel was used to park their carriages, and
the fountain to wash both the carriages as the horses.
At those days Rome’s guest accommodations were concentrated in this
area, prevalently inhabited by foreigners. In fact, it seems that the
adjacent Via Borgognona derives its name from a colony of Burgundians
who lived here from early 1400 onwards.
Carriages and coaches entered Rome from the ancient Via Flaminia and
Via Cassia, crossing the threshold at the Northern gate - Porta del
Popolo. Only with time and the development of railways did hotels start
to move and to settle around the area of today’s Termini Train Station.
In the 19th century, Pope Pius IX, due to his plans
for urban development, produced radical alterations in the whole
district. In addition, in 1845, the Palazzo was transformed into the Hotel
d’Inghilterra. The name is due to the flow of Englishmen,
poets and artists, who came to Italy on their Grand Tour of Europe and
resided in the Hotel. In addition to this, the romantic poet Keats who
lived at Piazza di Spagna, was constantly accommodating his friends
like Lord Byron here.
One of the first celebrities who stayed at the new hotel - at that time
considered avant-garde because each room had its own fireplace - was
the Italian patriot Vincenzo Gioberti who addressed the Romans from one
of its windows in 1848 to incite them to fight for their independence.
A plaque at the entrance recalls the memorable visit of Pope Pius IX on
July 2, 1855, the only instance of a Pope ever leaving the Vatican, in
order to meet “His Most Faithful Majesty Don Pedro V King of Portugal”.
Another plaque records the stay of Sienkiewicz, author of the famous
novel “Quo Vadis”.
From the very beginning the hotel was considered fashionable and was
patronized by the nobility and the international society. Later it
became the center of the Rome of D’Annunzio, which gravitated between
Via Condotti, Piazza di Spagna and Via Bocca di Leone.
Innumerable illustrious guests have stayed here over the last
150 years, including Franz Listz, Hans Christian Andersen,
Henry James, Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway, up to the
recent visit of H.R.H. the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh,
who signed the Hotel’s Golden Book celebrating its
150th anniversary.
The logo of the hotel is actually inspired by the British
Royal Family’s coat of arms and bears testimony to the
centuries-old connections to the Royal House of Windsor.