Trip Report – Marriott Autograph Boscolo Palace Roma – New Favorite Rome Hotel

I think I have a new favorite hotel in Rome! For business and leisure, I normally stay at the Westin Excelsior Rome (see trip report here), but it was sold out (both for SPG points and $) for our stay back in September. Instead, I ended up booking Marriott’s Autograph Collection property, the Boscolo Palace Roma. I absolutely loved it! Westin’s rooms have a classic old palace feel, but (in my opinion) are badly in need of renovations as are several other parts of the hotel. Meanwhile, the rooms at the “boutique” Boscolo have been completely renovated and are modern while still keeping some of that old palace charm (original crown moldings). I booked the smallest room, but was instantly recognized as a Marriott Rewards Gold member (thanks United / RewardsPlus) and upgraded to a superior king with great views of Via Veneto, an extremely comfortable bed (one of my favorites ever), a huge bathroom, and great breakfast amenities (like free breakfast in bed).

This is part eleven of a twelve part trip report from my travels to Prague, Nice, Bratislava, Sorrento, and Rome. This trip picture report covers my first stay at the Marriott Autograph Collection Boscolo Palace Roma hotel in Rome.

• Delta BusinessElite 767-300ER JFK-PRG (Prague)
• Hilton Prague Old Town
• CSA Czech Airlines Crystal Lounge Prague
• Czech Airlines PRG-NCE (Nice) / NCE-PRG
• Le Méridien Nice
• Nice Côte d’Azur Lounge
• Sheraton Bratislava
• SmartWings PRG-NAP (Naples)
• Hilton Sorrento Palace Hotel
• Marriott Autograph Collection – Boscolo Palace Roma
• Alitalia Giotto Lounge Rome
• Alitalia B777-200ER New Magnifica Business Class FCO-JFK

The hotel is generally priced lower than its peers in the area (Westin, Marriott, InterContinental), even though it has the newest and most modern rooms. During our stay, we could choose from a rate of EUR 196 per night or 40,000 points per night.

Check-In was fast, where my Marriott Gold status was recognized as we were told that we had been upgraded from our deluxe room to the nicest available room, a corner superior room.

Concierge desk (below) – though we found this was un-staffed at most times, with a sign to proceed directly to the front desk. That’s a pretty big difference from the Westin which normally has 2-3 concierge members at the desk at any given time, though they have a tendency to be a bit surly.

Off to the room – renovated hallways as well…

…and now our room

View from the room to the American Consulate and Via Veneto …

Welcome gift…

Multiple plugs on each side of the bed, at the desk, and throughout the room. Also light switches on both sides of the bed as well as at the desk. Also, after weeks in Europe it was amazing to finally have an internet connection in Europe that was actually fast!

Besides the bed, my favorite part of the room was definitely the bathroom, more specifically the shower and the numbered products. Every bath gel, shampoo, conditioner, hair dryer, cup, slipper, vanity kit, etc had a number with a corresponding description…warning you might get a bit stressed trying to sample each one…

The shower… amazing water pressure and self draining floor.

As a Gold member we were provided with complimentary breakfast. You could order ANYTHING off the breakfast room service menu (free of charge), attend the lavish breakfast set-up in the lobby restaurant, or order off the breakfast menu in that same restaurant.

The buffet was sufficient for us (and really tasty), but there was a twelve page menu as well. I have pictures of each page, but I think it’s easier to say that anything you don’t see you can order – omelets, french toast, waffles, pancakes, salads, beans, meat dishes, chicken, etc.

Not a bad spot for breakfast…

Randomly, it was once again my birthday in Rome (see the Westin trip report for my previous bday gift), and upon returning to the room we found this…

My sister had emailed the hotel to ask if they could do something special. They suggested the prosecco and fruit basket with cheese, and then threw in the nuts/dried fruits as well. The prosecco was actually one of the best bottles I’ve ever had and the cheese was fantastic! Thanks Mom, Dad, & Nicole!

If you’re thinking about a stay on Via Veneto, definitely consider this property.  Like the Westin and the InterContinental, the hotel has an amazing location, situated on Via Veneto and just a short walk to the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and Borghese Gardens. The difference is you still get a majestic property and location, but with a modern, trendy, and more comfortable room.