Orient Express La Minerva
ROME, ITALY
The Roman home of the Orient Express offers contemporary voyagers a refined refuge steeped in history
The bells of Santa Maria sopra Minerva ring nearby, the Pantheon is just steps away, inside the newly unveiled Orient Express La Minerva, the tempo slows, and the city’s past feels almost within reach.
In the very heart of Rome, the hotel revives aristocratic grandeur with a contemporary soul. Set within a 17th-century palazzo, on the lively and lovely piazza della Minerva, the hotel reclaims a storied address once favoured by Grand Tour luminaries. From Stendhal to George Sand and Herman Melville, artists and thinkers found inspiration in its quiet elegance and perfect location.
Today, artist-architect Hugo Toro reimagines its legacy and composes a poetic interior. He conceived each space as a subtle exploration. It feels like opening a trunk filled with treasures and souvenirs from distant journeys, as if an aesthete’s private residence, belonging to an elegant traveller, had transformed into a hotel.
Drawing inspiration from Rome’s rich historical and evocative power, Hugo Toro designed a controlled yet eclectic space, infused with both historical and sensual references. The hypnotic patterns on the carpets evoke the Pantheon, the hand-painted headboards contain the ever-changing skies of Rome, and the subtly blue-hued curtains mirror the shutters of neighbouring buildings. Gently patinated walls capture Rome’s golden light, and carefully restored antique ceilings inspire a dreamy, creative ease. Time and stylistic references ripple subtly.
Some elements, like the custom bar trunks or the oak nightstand are a reference to the mythic Orient Express and the golden age of travel, like in a refined escape.
On the seventh floor, Gigi Rigolatto Roma is a stunning rooftop restaurant and bar that radiates Riviera glamour. While at the heart of the lobby, La Minerva Bar glows beneath glass and iron ceiling. Both striking a balance between elegance and that effortless, nonchalant charm so intrinsic to the Città Eterna.
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