Hotel/Day #2 - Hotel Raphael - in the lap of luxury and comfort, perfectly located in the midst of the centro storico

 

After leaving the Palazzo Manfredi this afternoon, I was taken by cab to the Hotel Raphael (short cab ride = under 10 Euros). Upon arrival, I was greeted by a bellman with a top hat and cape and escorted to the front desk where I was promptly addressed as "Signora Pawlowski" (I am not a lover of the fact that I have reached a certain age where :Signorina" is no longer used!) and Nabila showed me the hotel and many of its wonderful rooms and facilities. Since my room, the magnificent Suite Santa Maria dell'Anime (one of the Richard Meier rooms) was not yet ready, I enjoyed the 360 degree views from the rooftop terrace (not open in winter- however today's 60 degrees and sun, sun, sun make it the ideal place to relax) - from the roof, you can see the Pantheon, St Peter's Piazza Venezia, EVERYTHING - see video here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Allegras-Idylls/406987755435

There are two floors at the hotel which have Richard Meier designed rooms and suites. The rest of the rooms and suites are classic in style - less modern. I was given the Santa Maria dell Anima suite and it is gorgeous! a corner room on the 3rd floor - (very quiet) with a sitting area with flat screen TV, 4 windows over looking Largo Febo and a Carrara marble bathroom with bathtub and a walk in 2 person shower with two rainheads. There is a sliding wall between the bathroom and the sleeping area - Oh the other great thing is the beds are adjustable! I will have to play around with that as I am clearly out of shape and all the walking I did this afternoon around the Piazza Navona (a stone's throw from the hotel), Piazza della Rotonda and its environs will be killing me later - need to open the bottle of prosecco they left for me :).

Here are some photos of the Suite Santa Maria dell'Anima:

 The bathroom

 the adjustable bed

As for dinner, I was in search of Rome's best cacio e pepe (because Anthony Bourdain teased all of us in not mentioning what restaurant he had it in in his Rome episode of No Reservations) or carbonara but have decided to stay in the hotel tonight and have something in their restaurant - I saw something yummy with endive and warm goats cheese and pumpkin ravioli with butter, sage and nut sauce - These are some things that make my mouth water when I see them and tend to be a creature of habit. Tarek, the waiter from across the piazza will be upset as he promised to "show me a Rome like I have never seen" if I were to wait for him to get done with work - sorry Tarek :)

Dinner in the hotel restaurant was AMAZING - It's the first meal I have had in a VERY long time that did not leave me full or wanting more - it was perfect and the staff was attentive and anticipatory:

First course - yes course, the water menu, presented by way of a cart on wheels - un mezzo litro di acqua panna per favore. Then another glass of prosecco, yes the cart was pulled out again. Then, an amuse bouche of foie gras mousse creme brulee with a berry compote at the bottom. After this, the best salad of my life - endive with pomegranate seeds, mango vinaigrette, bacon (because everything is better with bacon), and a homemade phyllo purse filled with walnuts and warm goat cheese - oh I forgot the bread - it was served in a silver bowl over a candle (to keep it warm) and fresh green green olive oil. With the main course, (I did not want to get too greedy and have three courses), I chose the pumpkin ravioli (housemade of course and light as a feather) with a butter, sage and walnut sauce which came with shavings of squash around the lip of the plate. see photo below:

Dessert was not an option for me tonight - but there was an espresso, served of course with a double tiered silver tray of miniature desserts like meringues, truffles etc etc and then they offered an apertif. Out came the cart again with two bottles of chartreuse on it - I chose the lighter colored one - feeling a bit loopy and talked at length with the waiters about what it is like working there - they offered up that this is where the stars stay when in Rome - the big ones - and after this night's stay, I can sure say I know why :) Oh, they even provide a footstool for ladies' purses.

I am going to have a very difficult time for the rest of the month in Italy when it'll be hard for any hotel to match this hotel's service - topnotch. Traveling by yourself is daunting, but I am getting used to it for sure with the help of the Hotel Raphael. Every detail and need are anticipated by the staff at the Hotel Raphael and I felt right at home. Thank you.
The Hotel Raphael's motto sums up my experience: "Whoever arrives as a guest, departs as a friend."

Buona notte da Roma!!!!