Hotel de Russie, a Rocco Forte hotel - Rome

Dubbed ‘paradise on earth’ by French poet, Jean Cocteau, in 1917, Hotel de Russie, a Rocco Forte hotel is a luxury Roman retreat, located between the Spanish Steps and Piazza del Popolo. Its best feature is the extensive terraced gardens – a tranquil hideaway filled with rose bushes, and orange and pine trees, providing a mesmerising backdrop for dining al fresco away from the bustle of Rome.

The hotel is within easy walking distance of Rome's key attractions – it’s a mere 67 metres from Piazza del Popolo, designed Giuseppe Valadier in the 19th Century. Valadier was also responsible for designing the hotel’s leafy 2800 m2 ‘secret garden’, in which pine, yew and orange trees and climbing roses cascade down its many terraces. Keep an eye out for resident cats, Mona and Lisa, as you wander through. Outside the hotel, peruse the luxury shops of Via Condotti, around 700 metres away, stroll further south to reach the Trevi Fountain, which is less than a mile away, then continue southwards to the Colosseum, which is just under two miles from the hotel. Vatican City is two and a half miles across the Tiber River and Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport is around 20 miles away.

Accommodation showcases Rocco Forte’s typical elegant style. Superior rooms have street views and colourful contemporary artwork, while Elegant Deluxe Double rooms have the addition of a seating area and views of the city streets or Piazzetta Valadier. In each, luxury Irene Forte toiletries and Rocco Forte’s own plush bathrobes and slippers are found.