Review of Hotel Locarno, by Jeroen Bergmans

Located just steps from Rome's Piazza del Popolo, The Hotel Locarno is a boutique hotel with traditional, Italianate charm and a fascinating cinematic heritage. Built as a hotel back in 1925, it has always been a favourite pied-a-terre for actors, script-writers and artists. Film director Bernard Weber was so enamoured that he made a film there named after in in 1978, starring Greta Garbo.

With many of Rome's most famous sites literally on its doorstep, the Hotel Locarno relies on its charms rather than myriad facilities to keep its guests happy. The hotel still has its original Twenties bar where cocktails and coffees are served either inside during the winter months or on the sunny patio and roof terrace in the summer. In the mornings a buffet breakfast is served downstairs in the basement where there is also a computer with free internet access for the guests. Free Wifi throughout is the Locarno's only concession to modernity.

After a refurbishment the 66 guestrooms have been given a much-needed make-over without losing their old-school allure. The original, rickety lift beside reception takes guests up to the single and standard rooms which all have hand-printed art deco silk wallpaper and original 1920s lights.

The rooms and suites in the second building across the sunny patio are far more glamorous with ornate frescoes, Tiffany lamps, antiques and views onto Via della Penna. Room 606 is the most spacious deluxe room, 602 has an original frescoed ceiling dating back to 1905 and 605, the Suite dei Fiori, has a decadent, turn-of-the-century claw-foot tub in its sunny bathroom.

The Cardinal Suite is dark, brooding and atmospheric with heavy, antique furniture and swathes of red velvet. But the most spectacular is the Venetian Suite. With its Venetian marble floors, leaded glass windows, porcelain bath and private corner balcony, it epitomises old-school Roman glamour and has graced the pages of many a glossy magazine.

The Locarno also has a third building with a separate entrance round the corner which houses six non-smoking suites. Although they are sparsely-furnished, they have much more space and light thanks to full-length glass doors and balconies. The large private roof terrace looking out over the centre of Rome make these suites popular with writers, publicity-shy celebrities and long-stay guests.