Rome | Retrome

Retrome promises a good night’s sleep and a dream-like vintage experience! Sandwiched between some of the most iconic monuments of ancient Rome and so within easy reach of just about anything you might want to see or do in this eternal city, the Retrome Colosseum Garden is a boutique hotel which revels emphatically in mid-twentieth-century décor, with the declared intent of recreating some of the magic of La Dolce Vita.

Located in an oldish palazzo on Via Marco Aurelio, it certainly doesn’t look like much from the outside. So the surprise is greater when you cross the threshold to find a neat, modern lobby and lounge area with all the advertised retro trappings. All nine rooms are furnished simply in a similar vintage-design style with original artworks, but are also equipped with the mod cons and technology you’d expect of any contemporary hotel. Breakfast is served in a nearby bar. Interesting for families or groups and not-so-short stays is that Retrome also selects a series of serviced apartments for let around the city centre. There are 10 of them so far in various shapes and sizes, conforming to Retrome standards and that includes good value for the price.

If it now looks like a healthy business with a recent expansion in Barcelona, Retrome grew from humble beginnings and tells an inspirational story. Founder Moti Erdeapel started out in 2005 with a minimal budget and a tiny guest house near Rome’s main railway station, enlisting the help of artist, designer and architect friends to work on recycled interiors. A love of yesteryear’s design, a belief in genuine hospitality with the personal touch and the desire to do it sustainably and creatively (they buy up unwanted vintage pieces and restore them, and the properties are eco-friendly) – plus some additional management skills on the team – account for the rest. See the video too!