Planning your summer vacation already? It’s actually never too soon! Flights and hotels start to book up earlier and earlier every year, with many of the most famous hotels and resorts being totally sold out by April!
Well, If you’ve got your eye on Rome as your destination of choice this summer, the stunning celebrity choice, the celebrated Hassler Hotel is absolute luxury at the top of the Spanish steps, in the heart of the city.
On a recent trip, my daughter Kaya and I had the opportunity to stay at this famed hotel which had been on my bucket list for some time. And while the Hassler Hotel is gorgeous and has their own Michelin starred restaurant named Imago, it was another Michelin Star restaurant in the city that captured our hearts! Ristorante Aroma, with renowned Chef Giuseppe Di Iorio at the helm.
Ristorante Aroma can boast the most fabulous dining location in the city, with spectacular views of the Colosseum, the Forum and the Green. Aroma is part of the boutique luxury, Relais & Chateau, Hotel Palazzo Manfredi.
This highly sought after reservation has only 28 seats and set in the magical rooftop garden penthouse of an elegant 14 room Palazzo. From our perch at our table on the terrace, Kaya and I watched the sun set over Rome’s antiquities, with the Colosseum so close you could hit it with a good arm and an aranchini! The sunset was so spectacular it looked like it lit the city ablaze. But the FOOD, ooooh, Mama Mia, the FOOD (insert plenty of dramatic gesticulation)!!
Every single thing from amuse-bouche to dessert was a perfection! There was Ravioli of oxtail on a fondue of Parmesan cheese and smoked apple. Grilled duck breast with coffee crumble, tropes onions and red currant sauce. Braised veal cheek in red wine with cream of white polenta and curried chips. Tagliolini pasta, pumpkin, gorgonzola, with caviar and rosemary bread. Toss in equal parts insanely impressive wine list and delectable appetizers and desserts like three flavor choices of soufflé, or dark chocolate brownie with salted caramel ice cream, caramel popcorn and peanuts…and it’s all a recipe for leaving fat and happy!
Plus, something amazing happens when 28 strangers are put together witnessing this same dreamy view and unbelievable dining experience… you make friends from all over the world! By the end of the evening we had all exchanged travel stories, a lot of laughs and took each others keepsake photos of the night with the Colosseum aglow in the background. The perfect ingredients for beautiful memories.
