If you have ever wanted to experience the opulence of the past without sacrificing the comforts of the modern age, then Rome’s Palazzo Dama will act as the perfect time machine. Named for the 18th Century literary stalwart, Anna Maria Malaspina, her once family seat has managed to capture both her spirit of decorum as well as her love of exuberance and luxury.
That wonderful juxtaposition also pits the grandeur of her time with the sleeker lines, class and comfort of the modern age. Sophistication with comfort is the name of the game here, but don’t forget uniqueness too, with each room possessing its own personality via hand picked pieces of vintage objet d’art and walls flavoured with photographs by renowned artists.
And of course the classic lines of the bedrooms are matched in the hotel’s L’Autre Dame restaurant, whose space and crystal chandeliers turn the light in this dining room into a tangible feature in its own right. And although, as you would expect, the menu caters for the most lavish of palettes, those after a lighter, healthier option will find a simpler selection that may scrimp on calories but never on attention to detail.
And beyond the staples of food and accommodation, there are many more features and surprises to be found. With the hustle and bustle of the world outside now a world away from these hallowed grounds, amongst the scented lemon trees and quintessentially Mediterranean olives, the secluded garden hides a tranquil pool whose very sounds and reflections speak of elemental beauty and timeless grace.
A quick look at the prices finds that a short break here falls into the reassuringly expensive bracket rather than the financially prohibitive category, meaning that even if you don’t normally move in such circles, the treat of a pampering break is still worth looking into.
Clichés tell us both that the past is a foreign country and that the future is not yet here, but the Palazzo Dama shows us another option. By taking the glories of the past and blending it seamlessly with the comforts of the present, the future of the hotel break seems to have already arrived.
