Review of Hotel de Russie, by Matt Morley

Hotel de Russie in Rome is a one-of-a-kind luxury hotel. Upon re-opening its doors in 2000, the building located at via del Babuino 9 in Roma had already played host to the likes of Diaghilev, Stravinskij and Nijinsky in its previous incarnation as the Grand Hotel de Russie et des Iles Britanniques.

Transformed for the 21st-Century into the Hotel de Russie by Sir Rocco Forte, the Italian capital is now once again home to one of the world's greatest luxury hotels.

Perfectly located in the heart of the historic centre on a road now inextricably linked with Roman high luxe, the apparently random Russian name actually refers to the many Imperial Russian visitors that the hotel previously received.

The luxury hotel's ground floor Stravinsky Bar specializes in martini cocktails and was recently presented with the Prix Villegiature "Best Bar in Europe" award. Having invented one of its very own martinis, it is not hard to see why; named the 'de Russie Martini', it unusually combines sherry and vodka with a spoonful of beluga caviar.

One of the unforgettable delights of a stay at hotel de Russie is the immaculately kept 'Secret Garden' area. As it is so well hidden behind the main façade of the building, there is simply no way of passers-by knowing it is there, meaning one seemingly has to become part of the luxury hotel's life before it will reveal its secrets to you.

If it still needed saying, staying at the Hotel de Russie is not your average hotel experience. In fact it is about as far away from it as you are likely to find as, in 2007, the luxury hotel joined the ranks of an elite group around the world that are truly pushing the boundaries of what it means to "check-in" for a night's stay away from home.

These are properties that deliver faultless service, supremely elegant accommodation and an expansive range of food, beverage and leisure options as standard. On top of that (and already, 9 out of 10 luxury hotels will struggle for years to even achieve these levels of excellence), the Hotel de Russie and others offer their clients genuine "experiences". The Hotel de Russie specializes in gaining access to even the most firmly shut entranceways to the capital's fashion and haute couture houses. Having a General Manager who acts as President of the local association of luxury boutiques helps, naturally. Most guests will not ask questions however, the mere fact that Fendi have agreed to open late for a private shopping tour for a de Russie client is proof enough of the leverage both GM and luxury hotel have in Rome today.

The nearby Chanel store has an internal garden that provides a relaxing environment for shopping at any time of day, while personal assistants are on hand at the Armani boutique to help the luxury hotel guests with special requests while they are in town. Don't forget the much talked about local designer Isabella Pratesi displays her latest collections at the Pratesi showroom on the same street too.

Now widely regarded as one of Europe's top luxury enclaves, via del Babuino is an ideal home for both its many elegant boutiques and of course, the Hotel de Russie. The room

This luxury hotel has 129 stunning rooms, all decorated in fresh pastels with the latest modern comforts at hand. Rooms come with flat screen TVs, DVD players and internet access as standard.

Sitting on top of the pile on the 6th floor, the de Russie's top suite, the Nijinskij, has an embarrassingly large outdoor terrace, 50" flat-screen plasma TV in the living room, a dining room that holds 10 people and the option of either one or two deluxe bedroom spaces. It is, in short, a dwelling fit for a Tsar.

If the Nijinsky happens to be booked by a visiting royal or VIP, the Popolo and Picasso suites are also hard to resist, in large part due to their enchanting views over the luxury hotel's gardens and the surrounding Roman rooftops. All combine the same clean modern design choices, with those soft, pastel shades throughout, highlighted by the occasional splash of uplifting colour.