Palazzo Dama, Rome, Italy

There are plenty of independent palazzi in Rome, but not many that are open to the public, so the 19th century Palazzo Dama is a welcome addition to the eternal city.

Owned by the Malaspina family, and named after former resident Anna Maria Malaspina, an 18th century Marquise and writer, the villa has been turned into a 30-room hotel complete with a secluded leafy garden scented with olive and lemon trees and unusually for Rome, a petite outdoor pool.

Neapolitan architect Antonio Girardi, also responsible for the D.O.M Hotel Roma, has maintained the original Art Nouveau doors, wooden staircase and marble mosaics in the reception area and added vintage Venini glass fixtures, locally crafted midcentury style furniture designed by Girardi using Ralph Lauren and Loro Piana fabrics and lithographs of artworks by Miro, Warhol and Picasso.

The F&B options here are unmatched; restaurant L’Autre Dame serves a health-conscious menu of juices and raw dishes in a stunningly appointed white-panelled room with brass accents, antique Persian carpets and tall palms.
The roof terrace, with views across the terracotta rooftops and cupolas of Rome, is the perfect spot for an aperitivo before you descend for cocktails with Rome’s elite set in the subterranean nightclub.