If you love Rome but crave an alternative to the Hotel de Russie and J.K. Place then you’ll be pleased to know that Fendi has opened a new hotel in the centro storico, just five-minutes from the Spanish Steps. Named Fendi Private Suites, you’ll find this exclusive hideaway sandwiched between the brand’s massive new two-storey flagship boutique, below, and the first Italian outpost of the upscale Japanese restaurant chain Zuma, above.
“This project is about creating image. It’s a game changer for us, because we believe that visitors will discover what we like and they will like it too,” says Pietro Beccari, the brand’s chairman and chief executive officer.
Designed to feel like a home away from home, the Fendi Private Suites will have you hooked from the moment you access the street-level private entrance, where sentry-like desk staff and guards act as gatekeepers to this hidden world of luxury.
It was designed by Italian architect Marco Costanzi, who was also charged with transforming one of Rome’s most imposing modernist landmarks – the Mussolini-commissioned Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana – into Fendi’s new HQ. Yet, contrary to what you might expect, the hotel’s décor is free from overt Fendi branding, and Costanzi says he went to great pains to avoid making just another fashion hotel. Instead, he subtly incorporated various elements that recall some of the house’s signature themes – such as geometry, dualism, manipulation of materials, colour blocking and, of course, fur – with the result akin to being in a spacious Roman art collector’s flat.
The walls, panelled in grey, polished wood, have been inset with photographs of Rome by Karl Lagerfeld. The furniture, mostly custom Fendi Casa has been supplemented with modern design classics, like the Wegner Shell chair, Campana brothers’ Cipria sofa and Lindsey Adelman’s brass chandelier. And the veiny marbled bathrooms, which are gloriously spacious, feature glass showers as well as freestanding bathtubs.
There’s an interesting mix of amenities too, including Diptyque products for hair and body, a Bosch hair dryer and straightener, Marvis Italian toothpaste and mouthwash, underfloor heating, as well as yoga mats and hand-weights to keep you in tip-top shape, just like you would be at home.
Private Suites serves up a healthy organic breakfast from nearby Ciampini Bistrot and Fendi’s guest assistants act as personal butlers, arranging everything from personal trainers and make-up artists to private dinners and exclusive tour experiences. It all ties together neatly to form a wonderful incarnation of Fendi’s aesthetic but there is one slight problem – you may never want to leave.
