REVIEW: Chapter Roma
A new chapter begins in the Eternal City with the opening of this streetwise, timeless and innovative city hotel.
Tucked down a little side street in the Regola neighbourhood – a sleepy spot far enough away from the crowds but still at Rome’s heart – is the 42-room, three-suite Chapter Roma. First impressions of this new Design Hotels member are of a smart boutique hotel with notes of industrial-chic, but within the 19th-century building there is classical elegance at every turn.
“We are introducing a new hospitality vibe in Regola with Chapter Roma,” says owner Marco Cilia, who made the jump from business and finance to hospitality having learnt the boutique hotel ropes under Anouska Hempel, and Carlos Couturier and Moisés Micha of Grupo Habita. “I was born here, and it is important that we put our guests in the Italian state of mind; protecting Rome’s design heritage while celebrating the future with genuine and original design, service, and F&B. With Chapter Roma we’re telling the first part of our story – we want to create a place where guests truly feel like a local.”
Cilia – formerly General Manager of Blake’s in London then Hotel Americano in New York – and South African interior designer Tristan Du Plessis are the dream design team behind the property.
Cusping the Jewish ghetto, and a short walk from the historical magnets of Rome and bohemian Trastevere, every part of the hotel feels luxurious: from the stylish, warm-hued communal areas through to the friendly service and the refined, minimalist, guestrooms. Blending classical opulence with more current influences, this fusion brings to life spaces including a restaurant, an organic food market and a luxurious lobby bar with a street slant.
The building itself dates back to the 1800s, and the design team have managed to retain its grandeur and history whilst putting a refreshingly modern spin on things. The property is located on Viadi Santa Maria dei Calderari, or the street of the blacksmiths, which Du Plessis has honoured by weaving a range of metals and industrial elements throughout.
“We have created a lot of beautiful and engaging features in our design,” Du Plessis offers. “But my favourite elements are the existing age-old arches on the ground floor.” Here, the designer has used raw steel, brass, copper and bronze, adding an industrial touch to the historic space, along with parquet floors, and Mid-Century Italian furniture. The dramatic setup is rounded off nicely with a palette of dark green and rust, and a coat of soft touch velvets.
A sassy city bolthole, everything has been considered throughout the rest of the hotel too. Furniture designed by Tom Dixon, Seletti, Diesel and Moroso can be spied once inside. Beyond the arches, there’s a breakfast and bar area with a bright and breezy spirit featuring classic Italian elements such as original high ceilings, neat breakfast tables with co-working facilities, fabulous graffiti by local artist Alice Pasquini, a dashing bar and a row of decadent sofas.
Guestrooms, meanwhile, are thoughtfully designed and meticulously executed. There are delightful, industrial-luxe double options with exposed brick walls, handsome velvet-bordered beds, polished copper and brass finishes, black metal touches and intricate wooden herringbone flooring underfoot.
The glamour and elegance of Chapter Roma’s Mad Men-esque suite is equally impressive; it has three large rooms for living, ravishing sleeping quarters with a charming balcony, an alluring bathroom with gold taps, a terrazzo flecked floor, a huge shower space with a fragrant selection of La Bruket toiletries and a seductive forest-green velvet lounge with a glossy cocktail bar area completing the set. Don Draper would surely approve.
“We wanted to create a design that stood out for its youthfulness, whilst still respecting the traditions of the city,” Du Plessis explains. “We used local craftsmen, materials and aesthetics for a large amount of the hotel and collaborated with young artists, furniture designers and lighting manufacturers – based both locally and internationally – to embed a spirit of rebellion throughout. The age of the building was both inspiring and challenging, but the old walls and ancient layout made sure that each room had a unique footprint, which has lent us the opportunity to create interesting room types.”
Slipping into the social hub – the hotel’s breakfast and bar area – guests can choose from an extensive continental buffet including Italian classics and other healthy options. A flexible layout allows guests to grab a cappuccino in the morning from the coffee station and an Aperol spritz from the bar at happy hour. Chapter’s communal atmosphere is relaxed and club-like, with people pulling up their stools to chat to the convivial staff at the bar or lounging on the sofas. The mixed crowd of millennials and older, well-versed trippers makes for some interesting conversations come cocktail hour.
A restaurant is set to open in future, but in the meantime the newly-launched Market is a refreshing take on hotel dining, combining a salad bar, juice stop, coffee shop and grocery store in one. It’s a small space decked out in blonde wood and brilliant white tones.
Retreating to guestrooms, a peek from the balcony takes you back to old, romantic Rome; the one where Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck filmed Roman Holiday; where narrow, cobbled laneways lead to ancient piazzas filled with markets, flowers, cafés and trattorias; where independent makers create leather goods in petite warehouses; where old couples linger on park benches and have animated conversations on the street; where locals queue for the best takeout pizza slices from Roscolio.
Design sensibilities aside, stepping out onto the picturesque streets, the beauty of this neighbourhood is not lost, and offers any creative traveller a real glimpse into Italian life in this part of town. Perhaps this is the Rome we all desire?
Words: Rachel Everett
Images: © Courtesy of Design Hotels
This article originally ran in Sleeper 88.
