Palazzo Dama

Palazzo Dama, Rome: A Luxurious Oasis with a Lively Edge

Palazzo Dama, a Michelin Key Selected property in Rome, generally receives exceptional reviews, praised for its stunning design, prime location, and outstanding service. Guests consistently highlight the hotel's unique blend of historic grandeur and contemporary luxury, often describing it as a tranquil escape amidst the bustling Eternal City.

1. Overall Rating & Sentiment

The overall sentiment for Palazzo Dama is overwhelmingly positive, with guests frequently rating it as "exceptional" or "wonderful." It's considered one of Rome's best luxury hotels, offering a sophisticated and memorable stay. The atmosphere ranges from calm and refined during the week to lively and energetic on weekends, particularly due to its on-site nightclub.

2. Key Highlights

Guests consistently laud Palazzo Dama for several standout features:

• Design & Ambiance: The hotel, an 18th-century former aristocratic palace, showcases magnificent interior design that blends historic glamour with contemporary style. Elaborate gold frames, sparkling chandeliers (reportedly from New York's Plaza Hotel), and a curated collection of art and fashion literature create an opulent yet tasteful environment.
• Outdoor Pool & Garden: A rare find in central Rome, the marble-lined outdoor swimming pool and tranquil garden with olive and lemon trees are consistently mentioned as a major draw, offering a peaceful space for relaxation and sunbathing.
• Exceptional Service: The staff is frequently described as friendly, helpful, attentive, and professional, contributing significantly to a positive guest experience.
• Prime Location: Its central location near Piazza del Popolo and the Tiber River allows for easy walking access to major attractions like the Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, and Villa Borghese.

3. Room Quality

The 29-30 rooms and suites at Palazzo Dama are generally described as spacious, comfortable, and immaculately clean, a notable exception in a city not known for large hotel rooms. They feature an understated yet elegant design, often in shades of taupe, avian blue, and sage green, with hardwood floors and high ceilings. Rooms are well-appointed with modern amenities including flat-screen TVs, minibars, and free WiFi. Bathrooms are luxurious, often featuring marble tiling, rainfall showers, and high-end Acqua di Parma toiletries, with some offering bathtubs. Some suites, like the Suite Royal and Dama Suite, boast private terraces with garden views. While generally peaceful, some rooms facing busy main roads might experience noise, and weekend nightclub activity can also be audible.

4. Dining Experience

Palazzo Dama offers a distinctive dining experience:

• Pacifico Restaurant: This on-site Peruvian-Nikkei restaurant, led by Chef Jaime Pesaque, is a highlight, offering a refreshing departure from traditional Roman cuisine. The menu features carefully plated, fresh dishes like ceviche, served in a glamorous setting with high ceilings, chandeliers, and garden views.
• Breakfast: A continental breakfast, typically included in the room rate, offers pastries, breads, yogurts, fresh fruit, juices, and Italian coffee. While described as adequate, some guests have expressed a desire for more variety in the buffet and note that certain à la carte items like pancakes or eggs Benedict incur an extra charge.
• Pisco Bar & L'Autre Dame Bar: The hotel features a stylish lounge bar, sometimes referred to as L'Autre Dame or Pisco Bar, known for its sophisticated spirits and cocktails like the Pisco Sour, set under impressive chandeliers.
• Raspoutine Nightclub: Located in the basement, this exclusive nightclub, a French institution, is a popular spot on Friday and Saturday nights, drawing a lively crowd for cocktails and dancing.

5. Service & Staff

Guest feedback consistently praises the hotel's staff for being friendly, helpful, attentive, and professional. The concierge service is also noted for being exceptional in assisting with itineraries and special requests.

6. Location & Accessibility

Palazzo Dama enjoys a prime and highly advantageous location just off the banks of the Tiber River and near Piazza del Popolo. This central position allows guests to easily walk to iconic Roman landmarks such as the Spanish Steps (10-minute walk), Piazza Navona, and the Pantheon. Villa Borghese park is also a short 5-minute walk away.

The hotel is easily accessible:

• Metro: Flaminio - Piazza del Popolo metro station is just a few hundred meters away.
• Airports: Fiumicino Airport (FCO) is approximately a 45-minute drive, and Ciampino Airport (CIA) is about 50 minutes. The hotel can arrange transfers.
• Train Stations: Roma Termini is about 3.5km away, and Roma Tiburtina is 6km away.
• Parking: A car park is available nearby for a daily fee.

While the location is central, the immediate area can be busy, and traffic noise might be a factor, particularly in rooms facing the main roads or around the pool area.

7. Value & Pricing

Palazzo Dama is a luxury hotel, and its pricing reflects this. Rates can start from around $350-$400 per night, with fluctuations based on room type and season. Guests often feel that the experience is worth the cost, praising the beautiful property, excellent service, and unique amenities. However, some guests have noted that the value for money can be impacted by additional costs for certain services, such as a steep fee for Nespresso machine pods in rooms, or the entrance fee for the spa.

8. Common Complaints

While largely positive, some recurring criticisms or issues have been noted by guests:

• Noise: Despite good soundproofing, some guests have reported noise from the busy surrounding roads affecting rooms, and the weekend operation of the basement nightclub, Raspoutine, can also be audible.
• Breakfast Variety & Extra Costs: While breakfast is included, some guests would prefer more variety in the buffet options, and there are additional charges for specific à la carte items.
• Spa Fees: The entrance fee for the subterranean Daham Health & Beauty SPA (around €50 per person) has been considered steep by some.
• Nespresso Pod Costs: A steep fee for using Nespresso machine pods in the rooms has been a point of contention for some guests.
• Room Layout/Maintenance: Isolated instances of unusual room layouts (e.g., a "junior suite" being a bedroom with a sofa in the hall) or minor maintenance issues (e.g., a collapsing extra bed) have been mentioned, though these seem less common.

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