Hotel Vilòn and Palazzo Shedir share a prestigious setting: Palazzo Borghese, which is one of Rome’s most magnificent aristocratic residences. The owner, Prince Scipione Borghese, lives in another wing of this sprawling Renaissance palace, which takes up an entire city block in the Eternal City’s central Campo Marzio district, with the Spanish Steps and ultra-fashionable Via Condotti just minutes away.
When it opened in 2018, Hotel Vilòn, which is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, was the first of the five-star boutique Shedir Collection, which now also has the Hotel Maalot, Umiltà36 and Palazzo Roma in Rome, and the Tiberio Palace on Capri.
The unobtrusive building on a quiet street was once an elementary school under the patronage of a Borghese princess, and guests ring the doorbell to enter the hall with the original black and white tiles and the cozy reception area. General Manager Martina Avitabile (martina.avitabile@hotelvilon.com; 0039-349-3385141) told us it has hosted VIPs like Harry and Megan, Elizabeth Olsen and Game of Throne’s Emily Clark who liked to remain incognito and avoid Rome’s camera-happy paparazzi.
While Palazzo Shedir just down the road is opulent beyond description, reflecting every last cent of the Borghese family’s great fortune (and exquisite taste), the Vilòn’s part of the palazzo was originally a guest annex and has been given a luxury cosmopolitan vibe. In the lounge bar a huge Rococo mirror, photos and old art paintings create a striking effect with the bespoke carpet and jewel-colored walls, and there are comfortable plush couches and stylish touches like the signature V on the back of the high bar stools.
The 17 bright guestrooms, 11 with garden views and others with street views, start with the Vilòn Charming rooms, ranging from 320 to 430 square feet, including one designed for guests with mobility issues. Another Charming Room, Number 305, can connect with an adjacent Junior Suite thanks to a door in the corridor, and there are two other sets of connecting rooms.
Top Tip: Among the three Vilòn Charming Terrace Suites, we recommend choosing the one with the corner terrace, which overlooks both Via dell’Arancio and the private garden of Palazzo Borghese. Other top choices are the Borghese Suite and the Melangolo Suite, which also offer exclusive views over the garden and, like all terraces, have two chairs, a small table and sun umbrella. All have walk-in closets and large shower cubicles, and the minibar soft drinks are complimentary.
Avitabile says May to June and September to October are peak months, so it’s better to plan and book ahead for specific rooms. She also adds that children are welcome, and guests can also bring their pets at an extra cost. Front Office and Room Division Manager Benedetta De Pascale (fom@hotelvilon.com; 003-906-878-187) is the contact for transfers, booking tours and local attractions. Avitabile says De Pascale can also suggest restaurants for guests, and that these include Poldo and Gianna and Taverna Trilussa for traditional Roman cuisine, and Da’Mare for fish.
We say the Vilòn’s Adelaide Restaurant is an absolute must. And once is not going to be enough. It feels like being in an elegant private club, with dishes carried from the kitchen on huge silver trays to a serving table before being placed before guests. Executive Chef Gabriele Muro (chef@hotelvilon.com) told us his meat, fish and vegetarian gourmet tasting menus (the latter from his travels in Peru) and his Thai-inspired Tom Yum with smoked lobster are firm favorites. Gabriele had us start with delicious roast eggplants, followed by a risotto with richly flavored tomato textures, tagliolini pasta with mantis shrimp and black lemon powder, and to end a perfect replica of a lemon filled with decadent white chocolate, lemon mousse and compote.
There is a small inner courtyard with tables under a riot of tropical palms and plants, and a small room for private parties, while the newly opened Il Nido rooftop is a hideaway with views of the Palazzo’s gardens and can accommodate up to four.
A stay in Palazzo Shedir is going to make any guest feel like royalty. Measuring 10,750 square feet it blends sumptuous Baroque 17th- and 18th-century art and embellishments with vintage and modern furnishings. The large entrance reception area has original frescoes and a handsome marble staircase which, we thought, would be an outstanding choice for wedding photos. There are three large reception rooms in different period styles. One has a grand piano, and, like many of the corridors, they have paintings, portraits, marble busts and statues from the Borghese family’s private collection.
The magnificent Galleria degli Specchi mirror gallery can seat 40 for gala occasions and when lit by candlelight is like stepping into a historical costume drama. There is also a basement gym with a running machine, a cinema-night club, a sauna and Turkish bath and an indoor swimming pool.
The Chapel Room is gently curved and is the most intimate guestroom (452 square feet), with original bas-reliefs, a decorated ceiling, a king-sized bed, and a large modern marble bathroom. The Cembalo Junior Suite also has frescoes and windows that look out on the marble fountain in the Palazzo’s gardens, while the first floor Borghese Presidential Suite, measuring 1,215 square feet, has a direct lift. It also has a separate living room with ceiling-to-floor windows looking out on the gardens and the bathroom, which is larger than most hotel suites, has double showers, double restrooms and a glass bathtub.
There is parking for two cars in the Palazzo’s private gardens, the Vilòn’s executive chef Gabriele Muro and his kitchen brigade can provide all-day catering from the kitchen, and guests have the services of a private butler. As in the Vilòn, all rooms and suites can be booked over the GDS. A new general manager is on the way, but for the moment any inquiries or buyout requests should go through Avitabile (00-393-493-385-141) at the Hotel Vilòn.
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