The Rome Cavalieri hotel boasts an unparalleled art collection. With over a thousand treasures displayed throughout its corridors and lobbies, this privately owned Waldorf Astoria property houses what is widely considered one of the world’s greatest private, museum-worthy collections, spanning from the 16th century to contemporary works. The centrepiece is a precious triptych by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo from around 1725, featuring “Odysseus finds Achilles among the daughters of Lycomedes,” “The Flaying of Marsyas,” and “Hercules and Antaeus.”
This is merely the beginning of a journey through art history. Guests can find Beauvais tapestries from 1725 depicting scenes from “L’Histoire de l’Empereur de Chine,” a commode owned by Augustus III, King of Poland, and Francesco del Cairo’s “Judith with the head of Holofernes.” The collection seamlessly blends the antique with the modern, featuring Andy Warhol’s ‘Dollar Sign’ series, works by Robert Indiana, and even original sofas and armchairs designed by the late Karl Lagerfeld for his own apartment. For those wishing to delve deeper, the hotel offers guided tours with an art historian.
Luxury Accommodation with Imperial Views
Beyond its galleries, the Rome Cavalieri offers 345 rooms and 25 suites, where luxury is embedded in every detail. The hotel, which underwent a multi-year remodeling programme, presents deluxe rooms with marble bathrooms, Ferragamo toiletries, antique furniture, and private balconies. The pinnacle of service is found in the exclusive Imperial Club, a private lounge on the seventh floor offering complimentary breakfast, afternoon tea, and cocktails to guests in Imperial rooms and suites—a chic, discreet respite with panoramic views.
The suite collection is designed to astonish. The split-level Penthouse Suites feature private rooftop terraces with Jacuzzis and breathtaking views of Rome, decorated with Warhols and Lagerfeld furniture. For larger groups, the Petronius Suite accommodates up to eight guests and includes a private wine cellar. The Napoleon Suite features a desk once owned by the Emperor himself, while the Planetarium Suites offer whirlpools and one features a twinkling LED ceiling. All suite reservations include complimentary Imperial Club access.
Dining at the Pinnacle and Grand-Scale Leisure
Culinary excellence matches the artistic and accommodation standards. The rooftop restaurant, La Pergola, holds the distinction of being Rome’s first and only three-Michelin-starred establishment. Helmed by Chef Heinz Beck and recently redesigned, it offers an eight-course tasting menu and panoramic city views. Demand is so high that reservations are typically needed two to three months in advance, though hotel guests can visit for an aperitivo outside dining hours. The more casual L’Uliveto restaurant serves Mediterranean dishes overlooking the park and pools.
The hotel’s facilities are extensive, centred around the award-winning, 2,500-square-meter Cavalieri Grand Spa Club, an Roman-inspired complex with a Turkish bath, plunge pools, and a state-of-the-art fitness centre. Guests can choose between four swimming pools—one indoor under a glass dome and three outdoors—and enjoy 15 acres of private parkland with walking trails and red clay tennis courts. These courts and the pool bar are particularly popular during the annual Rome Masters tennis tournament, an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event held each May at the nearby Foro Italico.
It was at this very pool bar in 2015 that tennis legend Serena Williams first met her future husband, Alexis Ohanian. The hotel’s connection to notable guests is longstanding, having hosted figures from Leonardo DiCaprio and Julia Roberts during film shoots to royalty and heads of state. Its history is rooted in glamour: inaugurated in 1963 by Conrad N. Hilton during Rome’s “Dolce Vita” era, it originally opened as the Cavalieri Hilton before becoming the first Waldorf Astoria in Europe in 2008.
Perched on Monte Mario, Rome’s highest hill, the hotel offers commanding views of Vatican City and the historic centre, which is approximately a 15-minute drive away. A complimentary shuttle service to Via Veneto bridges the tranquil, leafy retreat with the heart of the Eternal City, completing the picture of a resort that offers a world of its own.
