Hotel Aldrovandi Palace Rome

How this shoddy establishment is allowed to lay claim to four and a half

stars is anybody's guess.

We arrived late and tired on a Friday night for a weekend to celebrate my

girlfirend's birthday. Keen to get checked in and out on the town, we waited

fifteen minutes, not because the place was over-run, but because of the

three supercilious twerps behind the desk only one had the responsibility

apparently of looking after the paying customers.

So we missed our Friday night out. On the Saturday, we timed our getting up

to allow us to grab the advertised transit into town, only to be told that

it was full. Someone had let other guests book it up despite this not being

a possibility according to our instructions.

The final indignity came on the Sunday morning. I had phoned ahead the

previous week to have some flowers placed in our room as part of the

celebration, explaining the circumstances. I had come prepared to settle

this on account on the Sunday morning. The feckless receptionist,

unprompted, then took the opportunity to announce the cost of the flowers in

front of my other half, and insist that they were paid for in cash because

someone at their end had screwed up and not put them on the account

(apparently this was our problem...). Crass in the extreme. I asked if they

maybe an apology was in order for letting the cat out of the bag. None

forthcoming. Under pressure she whispers some curt response, but with no

apparent appreciation of the error she has made. In front of us the three

staff chat to each other about us in Italian and give us looks like WE'RE

the problem.

So that's it - the Aldrovandi Palace is a jumped-up, over-priced excuse for

nothing : the rooms are like most hotel rooms at a third of the price ; the

air-con's noisy ; you can hear the traffic from your room ; the hairdryer in

the bathroom has the lungs of a small marsupial ; and the anticipated

swimming pool was closed (well, it was only May!). You get two nice pens, a

half decent breakfast and a chariot full of aggro.

DO NOT STAY AT THIS HOTEL - YOU'LL ONLY ENCOURAGE THEM.



Stephen Matthews

An excellent hotel in a quiet area to the North of Rome. Staff were polite and helpful and the whole experience very enjoyable.

Awful rooms, dirty, tired over heated.

Rude staff, apaulingly rude, after staying here we did not return to Italy for 3 years believing all hotel staff in Italian 5 star hotels behaved like this.

The pool. whilst lovely is a joke, we were not told we had to pay to use it when we booked. After a day in Anzio visiting war graves with my father-in-law we returned to the hotel at 6pm it was a very hot day and I was really looking forward to relaxing by the pool to cool off. The pool was closing at 6.30pm, we were shocked, we were more shocked when they wanted us to paythe full day rate to use the pool for half an hour we ended up having a huge row with the manager and the pool staff but we were joined in our anger by another guest who had his towel taken off him half an hour before the pool closed, I'm amazed it didn't end in physical violence.

After this spat the staff went out of their way to be as unhelpful as possible, forgetting to book us taxis, pretending not to understand us, it was awful.

I have stayed in several leading hotels of the world and frankly they are all pretty awful, if there is a hotel I want to stay in I now check to see if it is in the LHW if it is I won't book it.

While Rome has always been one of my favorite cities, the traffic noise and congestion can drive me crazy, so I was looking forward to staying at the Aldrovandi Palace, a gorgeous hotel discreetly located in the elegant Parioli area of Rome, amid the most beautiful mansions and embassies in the city. And directly across the street are the magnificent Borghese Gardens, so the area is not only beautiful, but amazingly quiet.

At first, I thought the location might be a little remote to be convenient, but the hotel offers a shuttle service to the Spanish Steps area, so as far as I'm concerned, this is now the best location in Rome-elegant, quiet and residential, yet just a shuttle away from the heart of the city.

Its neighbors include the residence of the American Ambassador, the owner of Il Messagerio, Rome's influential newspaper, along with the Dutch and Israeli embassies, so the area is not only exclusive, but incredibly secure.

The lobby area is spacious and elegant, with a small bar tucked in the corner, and plenty of casual seating areas for reading or chatting. I was very impressed with the perfect English spoken by the entire staff, and the front desk manager escorted me to my room. The rooms are exquisitely decorated, and very spacious, complete with Bang & Olfuson tvs, luxurious linens & pillows, and beautiful marble baths. Two small things impressed me greatly: on the shelf above the sink were two boxes, each with a new toothbrush and toothpaste-a very thoughtful amenity, and second-the huge fluffy bath towels were hung directly over the end of the tub, so it's not necessary to drip water across the room to retrieve them.

Directly behind the hotel is the spectacular pool area, surrounded by lush plantings, and scattered with tables under canvas umbrellas-a favorite place for a poolside drink or lunch. When in the pool area, all you can hear are birds-it's as if you were on an estate in the country, rather than in the middle of one of the busiest cities in the world-true luxury in the city center.

Alfonso Iaccarino, the two Michelin-star chef from Naples, has recently opened his new restaurant, baby, on the lower level of the hotel, overlooking the pool area, and it's sensationally decorated with white on white, brushed chrome recessed lighting, and wonderful sculpture & paintings. The menu is incredible, offering both a la carte items, and a tasting menu of 5 or 6 courses. A magnificent wine list, divided by areas of Italy, compliments the food, and the service is impeccable. This was truly one of the most delightful dining experiences I've had this year. But it's very popular, so make reservations in advance!

Breakfast is offered on the second level, and is a beautifully presented buffet. On each side of the main room is a glass-enclosed dining area-one for smokers, one for non-smokers-and the view over the pool and the trees is breathtaking! A perfect place to start the day, and one that's difficult to leave since it's so peaceful and captivating.

In short, the Aldrovandi Palace offers a true 5-Star hotel experience, located in a quiet, prestigious area of Rome, and I can't wait to return!

John Paulness

Boston

We arrived in rome after a truly wonderful week in capri where we stayed in the capri palace which is also a member of the leading hotels of the world. The aldrovandi is in a totally different league this should NOT be in the leading hotels of the world where do start- firstly the hotel is in dire need of refuirbishment it looks very tired and VERY dated yes i know its italy and this might be traditional but this is a five star hotel not a 3 which it should be. After checking in which i must say was fine and the concierge was helpful,we were shown to our rooms which are very small and again the decor more travel inn than 5 star The bathrooms were ok but not to clean and limescale around the tiles.

We wasted no time in setting of for sight seeing and then returned back to the hotel around 5.30 to find our beds turned down curtains closed ready for bed? we thought we would go for swim to cool down at around 5.40 when we arrived at the pool we were told by an extremely rude pool attendant that the pool closes at 6 and we would not be given towels as the pool was shutting in 20 Minutes! after a protest she reluctantly gave us towels. Next morning we ordered the works for breakfast to our room it was in edible. Off we went for another days sight seeing to return at 4.30 to find our rooms had not been serviced yet! The next morning we thought we would be best going to the dining room for breakfast as it might be better uh no such luck again it was disgusting. Last morning we thought we would spend round the pool( which does not open till 10!) have a nice drink and relax yeah right. Again we were greeted by rude staff and as for the drink we gave up in the end.

Icould go on and on about this hotel but i will be here all day my advice to you is do not stay here there are much better 5 stars in rome

Upon arriving at the Aldrovandi Palace, I thought it was going to be another snobby, stuffy hotel like the one we left in Capri. I was happily mistaken.

Although this hotel is away from everything, we walked about 90 minutes before we found anything to eat. I would stay here again if peace and quiet is what I am looking for.

The Conceirge, the front desk staff, the shuttle driver ALL were so nice to us it was amazing! We really didn't expect it! And people think New Yorkers are rude! We have nothing on Italians!

Although this hotel is rated one of the top hotels in the world, I don't think it is. If price is the only deciding factor for being a top rated hotel, then I would agree because you do pay top dollar to stay at the Adrovandi. However, I am sure there are more hotels in Rome that are better. Below are my issues:
- location, location, location.

It is located in the North part of Rome a good 10 Euros cab away from all the sites. Although, they do have a shuttle that goes directly to the spanish steps, it only leaves once an hour and only runs from 8AM-6PM. Plus you need to arrange a time for them to pick you up. If you miss the last shuttle, 10Euros it is to get back.
- 55 Euros for breakfast! That's right. 55 Euros for buffet breakfast that has limited selection. That about a $65 coffee, eggs, bacon, sausage and 3 cereals. That about the best choices you will get. I hated that they did not even have a price list. It's pretty much a guessing game.
- No restaurants around the area. If you are stuck at the hotel during dinner or lunch then you can take a cab to the main area or eat the their restaurant. If it's 55 Euros for bkfst, just use your imagination for lunch and dinner.


The Good:
- Albert the concierge. He's very helpful with restaurant choices, site to see and tips that are very helpful to make your stay in Rome worthwhile. - Business center. Internet access was convenient and very fast connection.

My wife and I stayed at the Aldrovandi Palace Hotel in early June, 2003. We enjoyed the hotel so much that we would love to stay there again if we ever are so lucky as to return to Rome. This hotel is located roughly between the Villa Giulia and the Villa Borghese, on the north side of Rome. A pleasant walk through the Borghese Gardens takes you to the Plaza di Populo or the Via Veneto. A hotel shuttle takes you to the top of the Spanish Stairs, from where you can explore Rome. We found the restaurant, La Piscina, most enjoyable. The staff was friendly and helpful, the food and wine delicious and reasonably priced. The hotel staff never nagged us about eating at the restaurant, as a result of which we always did! The Prosecco, at 16 euros a bottle, made a great aperitif in the 105-110 degree weather that prevailed during our stay. On the map, this hotel may look like it's on the outskirts of Rome, but the Villa Borghese houses some of the most fantastic statues in the world--Bernini's David and his Daphne--and the Villa Giulia contains fantastic Etruscan art. (The hotel is roughly between the two.) We cannot wait to return, should we be so lucky.

This hotel is located in the upscale Parioli district which is a nice change from the touristy areas of Rome (all lovely flats and old villas) only as long as you are willing to take taxis in and out all the time. However, if you're looking for luxury, try the Hotel Eden or other Veneto area hotels instead. We stayed here twice because we had already pre-paid (in and out of Italy to Sicily) and on one night we had the equivalent of a 3-star room and on another stay we had a small but comfortable room. However I found the furnishings in the lobby and the room rather fading and old, and the hotel service itself is atrocious. Reception people and concierge are below par with other similar establishments, and were very inefficient as well. The only really good thing about this hotel was its buffet breakfast in a nice and airy room.

Room was nice. Staff a little stuffy and not so accommodating. Not well located.