hotel review: st. regis in rome (on starwood points!)

(Rome, Italy).  The first hotel in our honeymoon tour of Italy was the St. Regis in Rome.  We normally don't splurge so much on accommodations but because we were diligent in hoarding our Starwood points, we were able to get 3 nights free!  We got a non-smoking Superior Room (which I'm guessing is the most basic room) with a King-sized bed. 

The cab ride from the airport took about 30 minutes, but we were sort of tricked into taking an unofficial car that ended up costing us way more (120 euros) and my husband didn't realize that he didn't need to tip, so the driver basically got a huge windfall.  That was annoying, but then we weren't going to let it taint our trip.  The ride was quick and comfortable and we didn't have to wait in the long taxi line in the airport, so I guess I can't begrudge the driver.


Hotel/Room - The St. Regis has the Fountain of Moses as part of its facade which is quite impressive.  When you enter into the lobby, you get the sense you are stepping back into time - a time of old-fashioned elegance.  The main room is tastefully opulent and lit with an impressive crystal chandelier.  All of the guests (other than us) seemed very posh, quiet and ... white or Asian.  We were taken up to our room on the 4th floor and I felt as if I had walked into the set of Dangerous Liaisons.

While our room was not big, it was decorated in the traditional style and the bed was super comfortable.  This is actually quite rare since many European hotels I've stayed in before had surprisingly hard, unforgiving beds.  Our bathroom was covered by marble but was still updated with modern features (waterfall showerhead with handheld).   The toiletries were very nice (Remede) and they provided sufficient cotton swabs, cotton pads and shower caps.  The shower was a bit small for my  husband who is 6 feet tall, but it had good water pressure and temperature.

Location - The hotel is located very close to the subway stop Repubblica and the train station.  It's about a 15 minute walk from the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain.  It's a longer walk to the Pantheon and Piazza Navona.  My husband and I were able to get to most of these places by foot, but by the 2nd day we were definitely feeling the pain.   I think if I were to return to Rome I would prefer to stay somewhere closer to the Spanish Steps or something more central.  There was also not that much activity or nightlife near the hotel so we often had to go somewhere else and then take the steep climb back to the hotel or hop into a cab (ranging from 7 to 10 euros per ride).

Breakfast - Our room did not include breakfast.  We had seen a very lavish spread in the main lobby area so we thought we'd give it a try.  It was super nice, but so expensive - about $55 per person.  There was someone making fresh egg dishes and omelettes, an array of fruit and pastries, pancakes, french toast, juices, etc.  However, I felt like I was paying an exorbitant fee, not for the food, but rather for the privilege of eating in the opulent dining area.  I'm not sure it would be worth it for most people.  I certainly didn't want to do it more than once.

Le Grand Bar -  This bar was named the best bar in Rome in Newsweek Magazine.  Does it deserve this honor?  I'm not sure it's the best bar in Rome, but it was definitely gorgeous and they made an awesome Negroni. I would recommend checking it out even if you are not staying at the hotel.

Service -  Service throughout the hotel was attentive and formal.  The bartenders at the bar were especially pleasant (and not stuffy).



Misc.

• Wi-Fi is NOT included.  This is a huge pet peeve of mine.  I can't understand why in this day and age that hotels continue to gouge its guests in this regard.  The fee per day here was more than $30!  Highway robbery!  Because I'm a Starwood Gold member we were able to get it for free.
• While they have more modern elevators now, they do still maintain the original elevator which
  
  you can use.  I thought it was fun so I rode it a few times, but then I noticed the only people using it were myself and kids who were staying at the hotel so I decided to be more mature and take the other elevator like all the other adults.

Overall - This is a lovely luxury hotel if you can afford it.  For first-timers in Rome, I'm not sure I would recommend this location especially if you want to do a lot of sight-seeing. But if you don't mind the walk (or taking the subway and/or paying for lots of cabs), then you will be happy with the choice.  Its close proximity to the train station is also useful if you plan to take the train to another part of Italy.