This glamorous five star is one of the places to stay in Rome that the celebrities flock to when they don’t want to get noticed. Madonna, Michael Jackson and Bruce Springsteen have all walked the halls and Pavarotti practically took up residence in the honeymoon suite. The 98 rooms are modern and simple in style with plenty of crisp whites and bold colours. Furniture, down to the monogrammed bed-heads, is designed and custom-made by the Violante family, who own the hotel. Communal spaces provide plenty of quiet corners where A-listers can escape the glare of the pararazzi and nibble Italian pastries over tea. Breakfast is served in a delightfully airy dining hall, which has an elegant terrace attached for al fresco meals on spring and summer mornings. When Frank Sinatra stayed he ordered 500 mini-Basil plants for the terrace, which were later ground up into pesto for his pasta. A personal shopper package includes a guide for Rome’s boutiques and discounts at many of them. By the end of the year, spa treatment rooms and a sunbathing terrace are due to open on the top floors. Amenities include a gym, a restaurant serving traditional Roman fare and a cluster of private screening or meeting rooms. The ballroom is a splendid show of old-school extravagance.