I’ll briefly skip to the would-be addendum of this story and get it out of the best way – and I’ll stress it was no fault of the lodge by any means. We did, expensive reader, find yourself getting towed. Yep, towed. Nothing like an unadvertised marathon to clear the streets…
However, anyway, the wheels didn’t come off our 72-hour escape, so that is my first tip to you and I can’t stress it sufficient: sack off the wheels, do Rome on foot.
For our Roman Vacation, we – in blissful ignorance – hurtled our approach in direction of the Everlasting Metropolis from our residence in close by Abruzzo in our beloved Panda, banging out one of the best of Radio Kiss Kiss enjoying Italy’s wonderful rising pop-music hits (test it out, it’s having a serious second, I promise).
Mr Smith and I had been just a little early for check-in however the lodge had kindly already informed us that so I had made a reservation at Sora Margherita, a long-time wish-list trattoria.
Fortunately for these staying at Rhinoceros, it’s a mere 10-minute stroll alongside the Tiber earlier than you need to duck into essentially the most quintessential of Roman piazzas and gravitate in direction of its yellow awnings.
If you’re given the choice, eat inside as a result of this place has essentially the most genuine of Roman interiors and fayre. Fried artichoke (carciofo alla giudia) was beneficial, as was the traditional fettuccine cacio e pepe and pasta e fagioli. All had been obediently ordered and promptly devoured with some very moreish vino bianco a casa.
Hearts and bellies full, we wandered again alongside the river to the lodge on essentially the most fantastically sun-kissed night. The water is mere moments away from the lodge and located in arguably one in all its most magical converges the place you possibly can witness locals taking a picnic on the banks and take an uninterrupted second for an Insta shot – or infinitely higher, put your cellphone away to take pleasure in some reflection and contemplation.
Again on the automotive park (T-48-hours to The Tow, obvs), we fetched our issues and checked in.
First off, Rhinoceros Roma will not be your standard lodge. For those who think about being walked into the Tate Fashionable and given your personal studio condo on the primary ground, that roughly describes it.
Based by heiress to the Fendi style dynasty, Alda Fendi, it overlooks the Arco di Giano, stated to be the doorway to bankers who labored within the Discussion board Boarium, which has been sensitively preserved and which our room had a stellar view of.
If overlooking a construction from the mid-4th century isn’t spectacular sufficient, inside we marvelled on the work from a present design legend, architect Jean Nouvel who was employed to design the interiors of every room. His signature stainless-steel looms massive within the particulars right here, put in across the unique stone partitions with the gratefully preserved hexagonal white-and-red tilling underfoot.
His delicate consideration to element is mirrored in each inch of our suite. As Mr Smith inspected the intersecting wall between state-of-the-art lavatory (that might connect with our Spotify account to serenade us within the bathe as we bathed in Diptyque merchandise), I had a nostril across the kitchenette with its full ready-mixed cocktail bar (a martini, an quaint, a negroni and a Manhattan).
Anybody who has stayed in an excellent apartment-hotel state of affairs earlier than will know what I imply once I say that this place made me assume that I might truly reside in 62 sq. metres for the remainder of my life, such was its intelligent design.
‘Who wants a great deal of stuff?’ I believed to myself, imagining how fortunately we might reside right here Marie Kondo-style with our two cats.
(Nota bene: It seems, that another person had the identical concept, and so relocated for a 12 months and introduced their canine. A be aware right here that it is a pet-friendly lodge, which is to say whenever you’ve taken a vacation to flee your cat waking you up at 4am every single day, it isn’t the most enjoyable noise to have a canine howling at you thru the evening. We’re as a lot dog- as cat-lovers, and in order sympathetic as we had been to a pooch left solo in an odd place, we multo appreciated that the lodge administration ensured it was taken out for a stroll to settle its nerves.)
Morning arose, and recent from a brilliant cozy sleep and a happy-house bathe, we hit the street. On the danger of sounding just like the transport police, if Rome isn’t good for a automotive, then being a strolling vacationer ain’t variety on the knees.
So, second tip: until you’re being chauffeured across the metropolis (and to be sincere, that might be a crying disgrace) scrap these attractive stringy Italian sandals you may need purchased for the event (no grip; like strolling on butter) and even be cautious of the unforgiving suspension of sensible-chic Birkenstocks.
Carry your finest recycled rubber trainers by your fave eco-fashion model and also you’ll be as variety to your pectineus muscle as you might be to the planet.
That approach, you can also make all of it the best way to Villa Borghese on foot, a majesty of botany and tranquillity which sheds an entire new perspective on the bustle of Rome. Or traverse to Villa Medici Museum. I reckon you can even make a hop throughout the river to the Vatican in the event you needed.
The latter already ticked off on a earlier journey, we dropped again all the way down to the centro storico as Mr Smith indulged a extra fundamental vacationer bucket-list merchandise of mine derived from my love for The Proficient Mr Ripley and resigned himself to an costly espresso in a fictional espresso spot beneath the Spanish Steps. It might have been 1958 (in the event you ignored all us vacationers).
For extra of the unique experiences we loved, attempt Chakra Café in Trastevere – simply across the nook from the extra well-known and bustling Bar Calisto (perpetually full of nowhere to take a seat) which is simply divine for a low-key aperitivo.
Equally as enchanting, if just a little extra well-known, is Trattoria al Moro, serving spaghetti carbonara since 1929. To stroll it off, hint the steps of the sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro, whose sculptures envelop the town in essentially the most unlikely of areas. We delighted in all, returning to the rooftop bar of Rhinoceros every night, the place the views are among the highest within the metropolis.
On our remaining evening, recent from a feast of extra artichokes and home made lasagne at Ristorante le Campana (the oldest restaurant in Rome, and one other must-stop), we began to wander residence – earlier than flagging a taxi to the soundtrack of extra jubilant radio beats to which we shared a singalong with our driver, Antonio.
It was the right finish to our 72-hour Roman vacation – even when we had no concept at that time our technique of leaving had been…disappeared.
So would we return? In a heartbeat. I feel I kind of determined to offer this place 5 stars after lower than 12 hours within the place, regardless of the canine howling and the shortage of scorching water for the primary day of our keep.
Did I neglect to say that? Lengthy story brief, native roadworks minimize the entire block off for hours longer than anticipated however, in addition to giving me common apologetic e-mail updates, Simone, the lodge supervisor, took an evening off our keep for the inconvenience.
He even jumped on his cellphone to assist us find our automotive on the pound exterior city and prepare a taxi for us to gather it with no hitch when on departure we realised we had no means to really, um, depart.
However that’s what you need from a lodge, isn’t it? Someplace that’s uncommon in addition to actual, and offers with issues in the best way you need them to – come howling pets, come water points, come parking violations, come what might.
It’s simple to take it as a right when every thing goes with no hitch in a very lovely place like this, however when the going will get powerful in a home-away-from-home, it’s how issues are dealt with and the individuals who take care of you that you just admire essentially the most. This place nailed it.
Simply keep in mind, like a rhinoceros, go to on foot.
Discover out extra about Rhinoceros Roma or browse our full assortment of Rome accommodations
When she’s not roving and reporting on style around the globe, former Vogue staffer, and contributor to The Guardian, The Observer, and Wallpaper*, Scarlett Conlon, might be discovered exploring the hidden corners of Italy, the place she’s now based mostly.
