Palazzo Manfredi

This place is literally regal: Palazzo Manfredi is owned by Count Goffredo Manfredi and his wife, Countess Enrica, a descendant of poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and the Russian imperial family. The lineage shows. Even entry-level rooms are fitted with kingly marble bathrooms, glimmering fabrics and lighting designed by Ingo Maurer. But the most exquisite thing about staying in this hotel is that every morning, you can awake, ascend the stairs to the rooftop restaurant, and watch the sun rise over the Colosseum as you tuck into the no-holds-barred breakfast buffet, as waiters whir about you in tuxedos, attending to your every whim. If you’ve had your fill of That View, take your cappuccino on the opposite terrace for near-total privacy.

A quiet 17th-century villa fit for 21st-century royalty, tucked away next to the Colosseum.

Party central. It’s as if you’re staying with la famiglia.

Many Roman hotels can claim “history,” but only one sits directly on top of Ludus Magnus, the ruins of ancient Rome’s gladiatorial school.

As fabulous as it is to start the day overlooking the Colosseum, it’s even better to end it there: At Aroma Bistro, you can tuck into Guanaya chocolate tiramisu as lights cast the 2,000-year-old icon in an otherworldly glow.

Aroma Restaurant - a Michelin starred restaurant offering a menu of classic Italian dishes. Unparalleled views of the Colosseum. Lounge Bar - an American bar opening onto Palazzo Manfredi's superb terrace