Our review : Six Senses Rome

“Weekend in Rome”… The appointment is finally made, and it appears as the perfect opportunity to discover the sumptuous Six Senses Rome. Ambre Venissac, our marketing expert, trend hunter, and travel designer, shares her experience of an irresistible stopover in this gem on everyone’s lips since its opening in March 2023. Six Senses Rome is one of those remarkable projects that we eagerly await, not without a certain excitement. The brand’s first urban address and first Six Senses in Italy, it is the ideal destination to experience Rome, with its refined design aesthetics, prime location to fall in love with the Italian capital, and high-end wellness offerings to pause time and savor the moment.

Six Senses Rome: your urban oasis in the heart of the eternal city

This stay had the taste of first times, after a sacred stop at the Vatican, it is time for us to discover Rome, within the brand’s first hotel established in a capital city.

A true architectural gem just steps away from some of Rome’s most iconic sites, nestled between the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain on the famous Via del Corso, Six Senses Rome offers a rare immersion. You will stay between heritage and modernity – within the Palazzo Salviati Cesi Mellini, a 15th-century palace listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, which has successively housed a cinema, then a bank before becoming the home of Six Senses Rome.

You will evolve in the historic center of Rome, you will feel its millennial energy. And at the same time, as I was, you will be struck by the tranquility and serenity that will envelop you once you pass the two imposing columns that frame the entrance of the building. You will not have to choose between, nor give up, Roman immersion or your rejuvenation.

Six Senses, the ultra-desirable hotel brand, surprises by investing in the heart of the eternal city and once again demonstrates its remarkable ability to imagine unique experiences in total coherence with the complex and sometimes contradictory aspirations, let’s admit it, of travelers.

This gem will captivate aesthetes, epicureans, wellness enthusiasts of course, not to mention history buffs. The hotel has invested in the Palazzo Salviati Cesi Milleni and is adjacent to the church of San Marcello al Corso, the renovation of its facade was sponsored by the hotel as part of the sustainable initiatives led by Six Senses. This interconnection with history fascinated and struck me from the moment I arrived. Six Senses Rome coexists with buildings that have withstood the test of time and integrates miraculously into this ensemble, creating a continuity between past and present.

Grandiose design between vegetation and soft minerality

As a design and architecture enthusiast, I knew how much Six Senses Rome would awaken my sensitivity and curiosity. How to combine such a rich heritage in the heart of an open-air museum capital with nature and its essential components? Conceived as an urban oasis, Six Senses Rome calls upon soft materiality and reconnection with vegetation in line with the brand’s philosophy.

The design pope Patricia Urquiola, of Spanish origin and Italian by adoption, infuses a style imbued with delicacy, refinement, and poetry to create a sculptural design with striking purity. The antique aesthetic softens in the presence of omnipresent light from the lobby. The evocative references of this exceptional heritage are twisted, the period architectural elements give a monumental character: particularly the spectacular marble staircase, a centerpiece of the 18th century that leads to the rooms (and to paradise!).

Patricia Urquiola also paid great attention to the selection of the materials used, such as travertine, marble, and cocciopesto (traditional plaster). True to the roots of Six Senses Rome, they also contribute to the ambient refinement.

Six Senses Rome: your Eden refuge

Upon your arrival, you will be struck by an aesthetic identity with a soft yet embodied mineral quality, a realm of purity where lines and curves interplay.

A grandiose design enhanced by the lush nature in which it flourishes. You will leave behind the city’s energy to immerse yourself in a suspended temporality, between conviviality and intimacy of your cocoon.

The welcome by your guest experience maker is meticulous and personalized. Jacopo invited us to head to the lobby, where we settled into decidedly design but cozy sofas and effortlessly plunged into the Six Senses experience. A detox drink with beneficial properties, a small warm and moist towel to set the tone, some sweet treats to nibble on, and we were ready to proceed with the check-in.

The lobby crystallizes the aesthetic identity created by Patricia Urquiola: the glass roof makes it a true light well, plants burst forth and bring life to vegetal alcoves with a soothing atmosphere, the lobby is adorned with signature furniture, the spaces are dotted with horse head statues, like a curation of curiosities and soliflores in a harmonious arrangement. So many treasures reminiscent of Roman ruins.

The design is welcoming: the bar in the shape of a semi-circle, the enveloping chairs in which one does not hesitate to snuggle. Six Senses Rome touches your heart from the moment you arrive, as if one could feel the soul of the place, the setting invites reconnection with oneself and one’s emotions.

Six Senses Rome: Room tour

I begin my tour of the different spaces of Six Senses Rome, first stop: the encounter with the marble staircase which, beyond its aesthetic dimension, acts as a time machine. Dizzying in every way.

To echo the name Six Senses, our host Jacopo suggested a small ritual: ringing the bell corresponding to the sense we wished to develop during our stay. Among sight, smell, touch, hearing, taste, and intuition, I chose intuition for a stay in full awareness, listening to my feelings, emotions, and convictions.

Six Senses Rome has 96 rooms and suites, divided into 12 categories, including three signature suites. I was eager to discover ours, and upon opening the door to our room, I immediately understood and felt the translation of this remarkable aesthetic in the accommodation aspect. Bright and peaceful, one would never suspect that we are in the heart of bustling Rome.

A refined design marked by a soft and rounded minimalism. I note references to ancient Rome as many little winks scattered around, to be pieced together. The bedside tables are cut columns. Natural materials are presented in subtle shades of beige and soft gray. The line coexists with the curve and seems to be a common thread in the interior design, which contrasts with the plush and comfortable bedding. The Sleep with Senses standards, particularly regarding the mattresses, promote excellent recovery (organic mattresses, cotton bed linen). A large dressing room allows you to take possession of the space.

My first instinct was to head to the window, eager to discover the view, which overlooked a small square, an ideal observation point to take a step back, live the dolce vita away from prying eyes, as if to better immerse oneself in this warm way of life.

Special mention for the bathrooms that are both contemporary, spacious, and functional which make you want to take time just for yourself, like a prelude to the spa! Delicately placed on your bedside table, you will find the Six Senses Rome spa menu to inspire you. Some suites overlook Piazza San Marcello. We know how personal the choice of a room is, you can share your preferences with us and we will help you identify the type that suits you.

The temptation was strong to spend the day at Six Senses to enjoy the facilities, linger in the spa and why not participate in one of the many activities offered (workshops, yoga, meditation, sound baths…). But Roma e Roma and I couldn’t resist exploring its neighborhoods, as I was captivated by its energy, architecture, and all the treasures the city holds.

Six Senses Rome: the starting point for your visits

I knew very well that our program between iconic places and leisurely strolls was ambitious, Rome not being built in a day. But much like when we lived in Paris, this wind of freedom and endless possibilities made us want to discover Rome as much as possible even though we knew we wouldn’t be able to see everything. And that’s normal, Rome is full of treasures!

I will quickly pass over the sites visited, neighborhoods explored because that is not the purpose of this article, but I will nevertheless mention that the location of Six Senses Rome is a real asset: its proximity to iconic sites gives you flexibility in organizing your stay and visits, in addition to evolving in a most magical environment. You can easily be the first to arrive at the Trevi Fountain in the early morning as it is less than a 5-minute walk, the same for the Pantheon, for the Roman Forum it will take about 12 minutes of walking, a little more for the Colosseum and the Villa Borghese, which is a 20-minute walk.

Wellness immersion inspired by Roman baths

At the end of a day rich in discoveries, spent strolling, wandering the city, getting delightfully lost in the maze of picturesque streets, we longed for a wellness break at the sublime Six Senses Rome spa to recover from all these beautiful emotions.

Head to the first floor of the hotel for a true wellness immersion. The spa design is truly sumptuous. An auditory signature contributes to your beneficial disconnection, the play of lines and lights enhance the pools that make up the Roman bath circuit. Indeed, at Six Senses Rome your wellness journey is inspired by ancient baths and rituals: you will successively dive into the caldarium, the tepidarium, and the frigidarium. These pools with varying temperatures relax the body and mind while stimulating your blood circulation.

The bas-relief that adorns the walls, running along the pools, perfects this dive into history. It refers to the laurel in the myth of Daphne and Apollo.

The Six Senses Spa also includes sensory showers, an ideal transition after a sauna for example. They engage the senses with varied water jets, alternating hot and cold to stimulate circulation, release relaxing, purifying, or energizing scents and also use chromotherapy and audiotherapy for an immersive experience.

You will also find a hammam, a sauna, bio-hacking rooms to promote recovery and re-energize. A meditation room, a yoga studio, a solarium, a fitness room with state-of-the-art equipment, five treatment rooms (including one for couples), a nail bar. At the Alchemy bar you can prepare your own balms and exfoliants. It is also possible to practice aerial yoga in this setting.

Six Senses Rome: good taste

Another key pillar (especially in Rome) for a complete and memorable experience: the culinary approach. At Six Senses Rome, seasonal products are favored, with a local focus to highlight the best ingredients of the city and the surrounding small farming communities. The bar, café, and restaurant Blivium, a true place of life and encounters, is orchestrated by Sicilian chef Nadia Frisina who pays homage to Roman culinary tradition.

The breakfast buffet is superb, extremely well presented, with some items to be selected à la carte, and you will find healthy options (detox juices, power ingredients) and indulgent ones. Personally, I was charmed by the raw honey reigning on the buffet alongside seeds and granola.

For those who wish to rise above (and have one last drink), I recommend Notos, the rooftop and urban garden of Six Senses Rome. It spans 800 m², offering a 360° view of Rome for cocktails under the stars.

Verdict: the only downside of this stay at Six Senses Rome is that it went by a bit too quickly. The experience confirmed the anticipated delight. The setting lived up to my expectations. I was particularly impressed by the design blending mineral elements and urban vegetation, a striking simplicity serving gentleness, and finally, the spa was for me the highlight of this break, offering a coherent and desirable wellness immersion between tradition and modernity.