Portrait Suites - Rome, Italy Review

First a bit of background

WHILE MANY OF OUR FRIENDS ARE OPTING FOR RELAXING VACATIONS ON LUXURIOUS CRUISE SHIPS, MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE  OPTED TO CONTINUE OUR  INDEPENDENT TRAVEL  - HIKING , BIKING, RAFTING, OR BOATING IN REMOTE CORNERS OF THE GLOBE. WE ARE NOT YOUR TYPICAL BACK -PACKERS  .WE PLAN OUR TRIPS TO  ACCOMMODATE OUR TASTE FOR LUXURIOUS DIGS AND FOOD TO MATCH. WE ARE SELF ORDAINED "FOODIES" AND GENERALLY IMMERSE OURSELVES IN THE CULINARY DELIGHTS OF  EVERY LOCALE.

WE HAVE GONE ON BICYCLE TRIPS TO CHINA, VIETNAM, AND THE WINE COUNTRY IN FRANCE- NURTURED AND PAMPERED BY THE INCOMPARABLE  BUTTERFIELD AND ROBINSON OF HIKING AND BIKING FAME.

THERE ARE MEMORIES OF US TREKING  THE MILFORD TRACK IN NEW ZEALAND , CONSIDERED TO BE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WALK IN THE WORLD. THE SHARED FRIENDSHIPS  AND THE COMARADERY WHICH DEVELOPED AMONGST OUR FELLOW TREKKERS  MADE THIS BREATHTAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL HIKE THROUGH  A TEMPERATE RAIN FOREST A SHARED DELIGHT FOR US ALL. 

OUR RECENT TRIP TO INDIA (ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING TRIPS OF ALL)  WAS BOTH DIFFICULT AND WONDEROUS. WE WERE READY FOR ROME -LA DOLCE VITA----ROME.

And now, for the review of our recent hotel stay in Rome

UPON  OUR ARRIVAL  AT THE PORTRAIT SUITES HOTEL ON THE VIA CONDOTTI  WERE WELCOMED BY A CHARMING YOUNG WOMAN WHO OFFERED TO GIVE US A TOUR OF THE TINY HOTEL WHICH WAS TO BECOME OUR PIED A TERRE FOR THE NEXT FOUR DAYS.

WE WERE LEAD UP TO THE ROOFTOP TERRACE WHICH BOASTS A SPECTACULAR VIEW OF THE SURROUNDING AREA- THE SPANISH STEPS, THE QUIRINALE, THE PINCIO, AND THE MONTE MARIO. WE WERE THEN INVITED TO ENJOY THE HONOR BAR WHENEVER THE SPIRIT MOVED  DURING OUR STAY. WE WERE THEN SHOWN TO OUR ROOM, WHICH PROVED TO BE  AN UNCLUTTERED MODERN JUNIOR SUITE WITH MARBLE AND WOOD  BUILT-INS STUNNINGLY JUXTAPOSED WITH CREAM AND GRAY MATERIALS AND LIGHTER TONES OF CYCLAMEN TO ACID GREEN. EACH DETAIL WAS EXQUISITELY EXECUTED AND OZZED WITH TASTEFUL TOUCHES THROUGHOUT. WE WERE IN HEAVEN. THERE WAS ALSO A KITCHENETTE WELL EQUIPPED WITH A MICROWAVE, A SMALL STOVE, DISHES AND UTENSILS. A HOME AWAY FROM HOME.

BEST OF ALL, WE WERE DELIGHTED TO FIND THAT OUR ROOM HAD  A TERRACE THAT OVERLOOKED THE WONDERFUL SIGHTS OF ROME. WE WERE SERVED BREAKFAST ON OUR TERRACE (COMPLIMENTARY, AT THAT) EVERY MORNING.

I ALMOST FORGOT TO MENTION THAT THIS CHARMING BOUTIQUE HOTEL IS PART OF THE LUNGARNO HOTEL CHAIN AND CONTROLLED BY THE FERRAGAMO FAMILY. THUS OUR LOCATION ON TOP OF THE STORE -THE FERRAGAMO MAN'S STORE IN ROME.THE ARTWORK IN THE ROOMS AND THROUGHOUT THE HOTEL IS REASON  ENOUGH TO PAY A VISIT IF YOU DO NOT STAY AT THE HOTEL. THERE YOU WILL FIND PORTRAITS OF FILM AND FASHION CELEBRITIES  AND VIEWS OF THE CITY AT EVERY TURN

OUR STAY AT THE PORTRAIT SUITES WAS MAGICAL,BUT VERY EXPENSIVE - IN PART DUE TO THE WEAK DOLLAR. PARADISE DOES NOT COME CHEAP.