8 hotels in Rome for every type of traveller

So, you’ve been dragging a mountain of cases behind you since leaving the plane – for what seems like hours. The Rome Metro has left you far from your destination and now you’re wandering about with a map in your hand like a fool. But simply turn onto this beautiful cobbled street and breathe a sigh of relief. You cannot get more Roman than this area – it’s exactly what you imagined when you planned your trip. You can hear church bells ringing and have already spotted a simple, perfect restaurant.

At Relais Giulia, you can glimpse the remnants of Renaissance Rome. The friendly staff are always ready with advice from the moment you check in – just the people you want to meet when you travel somewhere for the first time. Time to settle into the room where your canopy bed is waiting for you. Kick off your trainers and rest your tired feet on the stone floor. The windows are wide open, allowing the light and sounds from the garden to filter in.

Tomorrow, wake up earlier than usual and ask for breakfast in bed. Or have breakfast in the garden for an invigorating start to the day. Afterwards, enjoy lots of walking with zero stress: all of the tourist attractions are close by. There is no better way to see Rome for the first time than staying at Relais Giulia.

You’ve arrived in Italy laden with packs of nappies, cuddly toys and baby blankets. It may be very early in Rome but, after a sleepless night on the plane, it seems very late to you. Luckily your hotel will make everything okay as soon as you drop your bags onto the beautiful wooden floor. We think the Gli Artisti is perfect accommodation for anyone visiting Rome with small children.

The yellow room gives you the freedom of a private and separate entrance, with lots of space for planning your Roman conquest. This welcoming Bed & Breakfast is located just 100 metres from Ottaviano metro station, where you can reach Termini, Rome’s central station, and the Vatican, in just 10 minutes. The hotel owner can give you information on what to see in the city, how to travel and where to find good food – making your experience much more personal.

Finally, the rooms have Wi-Fi for watching Peppa Pig, air conditioning (summer in Rome can be very hot) and breakfast in a shared kitchen – including the children’s favourite: Nutella!

You wake up with sunlight flooding your room and the alarm sounding. It’s 9:30 am and this is the first day of your Roman holiday. Normally, nothing would drag you out of bed. The “snooze” button would be hit immediately. But the thought of missing breakfast – which finishes at 10:00 am at the Terrace Pantheon Relais – is unthinkable. The Italian breakfast, with its incredible double espresso, will fill you with inspiration and perfectly complement the selection of artwork on the walls of your hotel. Take to the streets at 10:30 am feeling renewed with a lemon gelato.

Why stay here? If you come to Rome, you are probably interested in the culture and history of the city. Located in the heart of the historic centre, the surroundings offer you what you need: the Pantheon, Piazza Navona and Campo de’ Fiori. Also nearby: Piazza Venezia, the Spanish Steps, the Colosseum and the bohemian Trastevere district. The rooms are equally charming, with tiled floors and immense windows complete with contemporary shutters.

Your fun family holiday is already beginning to look like National Lampoon’s Vacation and you’ve only taken a taxi from the airport. You’ve dragged your teenage children along on this trip, so you can all enjoy some family time – but they don’t appear to have gotten the message. You’re dropped in front of Hotel Apollo and the gang are already buried in their smartphones, trying to pretend they’re not travelling with their parents. It won’t be easy.

But at least the hotel will impress the teenagers, with exposed ceiling beams, enormous balconies (your daughter will dream of being serenaded by a handsome Italian – best keep an eye on her!) and the top-floor terrace, where the selfies will be unforgettable. You can let the kids go for a solo trip to the Trevi Fountain and Colosseum, which are nearby. In any case, you will always know where they are because you’ll share a room the size of a palace (to their horror!) and also enjoy the inclusive breakfast on the terrace every morning.

Your journey from the airport will be trouble-free: Simone, your charming Italian friend, will collect you from the terminal and take you directly to Palazzo Manfredi in a limousine. A rich history awaits: a gladiator school was discovered right in front of the hotel by archaeologists in the 1960s. The hotel building was constructed in the 17th century and rebuilt as a hunting lodge in the 18th century. It eventually became a hotel.

The design details are inspired by the archaeology of the city. The sumptuous marble pillars allude to the ancient past, the beds seem made for Baroque royalty, but the technology on offer is straight from the future. Every room has different wallpaper and a large selection of pillows. Ask the concierge to book the terrace with a view of the Colosseum and for directions to the Aroma Restaurant. Don’t forget to order an antipasti (starter) and a primi piatti (which has to be pasta) before the main dish – very traditional.

You may have been a little nervous during the flight, thinking of the streets of Rome packed with tourists, traffic noise and people chatting outside your window all night. You visited all of the tourist landmarks 30 years ago, first as a backpacker, then as a couple. Every time, you left more tired then when you arrived, but – what can you do? – you agreed to return to Rome with the love of your life. When you arrive at your hotel – surprise! – you will find clean air and the only noise will be the wind blowing through the trees.

You will receive a warm welcome at Castello della Castelluccia. Built in the 10th century (yes, try to work it out), this enchanted corner of Rome has works of art from the 16th century, old-world décor and a tower constructed in the 12th century. Each of the 23 rooms is unique, some with beds from the 18th century, marble bathrooms and immense fireplaces, and still bear the name of one of the aristocratic families that owned the castle.

You will be in the “outskirts” of Rome, but if you decide to go to the centre, there is a train station that will take you to the metro. Be sure to make a reservation in the castle’s restaurant, Locanda della Castellucia. The hotel also has a swimming pool and spa, and there is a golf course nearby.

You’ve arrived in Rome with your Rimowa case and immediately call an Uber on your iPhone. You booked your hotel after hours of navigating Instagram for the perfect place in Rome. Your eagerness to see whether your hotel will meet your high aesthetic expectations will be answered as soon as you enter this 16th-century Palazzo, G-Rough. The wooden walls and beams are crude and appear unfinished, in contrast to the bright modern décor, which is largely signed by 20th-century Italian design icons, like chairs by Giò Ponti and lamps by Joe Colombo. You can breathe a sigh of relief: you’ve arrived in your ideal palace.

Clearly, the magic phrase here is: “Made in Italy”. You are greeted at the bar with a shot of espresso and find your “Mordomo Lifestyle”, which includes a visit to the secret places of Rome, as well as lesser-known museums and palaces on a “Non-Conventional” tour. You too are unconventional, preferring to zip around the suburbs on a Vespa to going to the Colosseum.

You’re visiting Rome to work, to meet with clients, but you’ve decided to extend your visit. With your suits carefully folded and some polo shirts, you are a relaxed traveller, cool and experienced – and you want a hotel in the same style. While other executives opt for a chain hotel located at the airport, you still prefer to enjoy a view over Roman churches and to wake with the buzz of the city. Your room at Tree Charme will give you all of this.

On the banks of the River Tiber, this is a typical 20th-century Roman building, with a mixture of Art Deco and designer décor. The Tree Charme is in the middle of the Trastevere district, full of bars, shops and cafés. Enjoy a full breakfast served on the terrace before that crucial meeting. Afterwards, there’s no lack of options for relaxing with a drink in Trastevere. Tree Charme is the best way to immerse yourself in a totally local and authentic experience, even on a business trip.