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Built to attract Americans, the St. Regis Grand Rome is a world-renowned destination

Cesar Ritz's extraordinary vision of classic luxury lives on in the St. Regis Grand Rome

The contemporary and totally original Italian style of Vivendo Restaurant

The di...Vino wine cellar can be yours for a private dinner or corporate reception

The Royal Suite that you just can't get enough of...

There is no better place to show off the bride than in the Ritz Ballroom

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St. Regis Grand Rome

Location:

Style: Historic

The influence of Cesar Ritz, whose extraordinary sense of style put Rome on the luxury hotel map, lives on as the St. Regis Grand.

The year was 1893. The city was Rome. The hotel was the Grand Hotel, and it was created by Cesar Ritz. The Grand was the most elegant and lavishly appointed hotel in Rome, and it was regarded as one of the great European hotels of the stylish Belle Epoque period. The hotel’s guest list included royalty, diplomats, and the “stars” of the day in theater, music, and eventually the silver screen.

The Grand Hotel was the shining result of a strategic plan to draw elite tourists, primarily Americans, to Rome. It was Cesar Ritz’s goal to provide them the same state-of-the-art luxury accommodations to which they were already accustomed in his other European hotels. Ritz was initially approached by Italian diplomats and entrepreneurs, and he ultimately became the hotel’s developer and major investor. 

Ritz purchased the property from a previous hotel developer who was unable to complete it. He then hired his architect, Charles Mewes, who had worked with Ritz on other hotels. The Grand Hotel was the first hotel in Italy to be illuminated 100% by electricity. Ritz brought in his plumbers, and the hotel became another first in Rome to have private bathrooms in each guest room.

Ritz’s success with the Grand Hotel did not last long. Ritz became increasingly involved with other hotel projects and was spreading himself too thin. He was sought around the world for his advice and expertise in hospitality, including the United States. In 1898,  4 years after opening the Grand Hotel, Cesar Ritz and his team were fired.

Through most of the 20^th century the Grand Hotel was a member of the longtime Italian-based CIGA luxury hotel group. The hotel continued to be the choice of elite leisure travelers, diplomats, and the nouveau riche. The CIGA brand was acquired by Starwood Hotels in 1999 and after a short closing for renovations, the hotel reopened as the St. Regis Grand Rome. 

The St. Regis Grand offers 138 guest rooms and 28 suites. The suites are especially appealing, including the “Couture” Suites,  the “Bottega Veneta Suite”, and the opulent “Royal Suite.”  

The hotel’s public spaces are as grand today as Ritz originally conceived. The Ritz Ballroom, aptly named after him, is one of the most beautiful and sought-after event spaces in Rome. The main restaurant, Vivendo, offers traditional regional and Mediterranean cuisine in a sophisticated and “upscale retro” setting. The hotel’s wine cellar, di…Vino, is available for private dinners and small group receptions.

Images courtesy of Starwood Hotels