Casa Monti Channels a Vibrant Bohemian Spirit in Rome
The creative whirlwind that is Casa Monti opened its doors this June.
In an 18th-century building that once housed nobility, the vibrant new five-star hotel in Rome’s bohemian Monti District, Casa Monti Rome, beckons those looking to lose themselves in a creative whirlwind. Opened this June as the third Leitmotiv Collection property (and the first outside of France), Casa Monti’s property, comprising 26 rooms and 10 suites, three restaurants, and a rooftop spa, practically thrums with colour.
Photos by Jérôme Galland
Brought to life by French interior designer Laura Gonzalez, the colourful bohemian interiors are meant to mimic the home of an artist (albeit an exceptionally well funded one), reflecting the diverse creative spirit of the neighbourhood, which is home to galleries, glass workshops, and wood- and ironworkers. Craftmanship is honoured in the interiors with frescos throughout the six floors, antiques, Murano blown glass, Italian-made crafts, and commissioned pieces. Atelier 27, the Parisian agency tasked with sourcing and styling for Casa Monti, describes the hotel as “a showcase for creativity in motion, an open house full of colour and joy alla Romana.”
Photo courtesy of Laura Gonzalez
The artistic display begins as soon as visitors set foot in Casa Monti’s lobby, with two contemporary amphorae designed by artist Filadelfio Todaro and Greco-Roman plaster busts by Marina Mankarios. Painstakingly collected art and decor items fill the space and make it feel personal. “Romans cultivate their interiors—they create meticulous universes, layering on creative references,” Gonzalez says. “That’s how I envisaged Casa Monti—imbued with an intimate atmosphere like a Roman home.”
The frescos are an almost tangible third dimension, bringing Rome’s architecture, umbrella trees, flocks of swallows, and skies inside. “I asked them to use faded colours and soft tones to create patinas that allude to the passage of time and to place the drawings in the foreground, giving the impression that they have always existed, like the old Pompeii red terrazzo flooring, characteristic of ancient Roman villas,” Gonzalez says.
Each of the rooms, which start at 215 square feet, is clad in one of three vibrant colour schemes—pink and green, red and teal, or ultramarine and yellow—and the artistic elements continue with illustrations by Paola Sorrentino and sketches by Maëlys Pommaret. The swallow motif also appears on the wallpaper, certain light fixtures, or in the custom-made fabric from Italian design firm Dedar.
Photos by Manfredi Gioacchini
Starting at nearly 400 square feet, the suites take their inspiration from travel, decorated with souvenir sketches and memory mementos, ceramic pieces by Florence Bamberger, and illustrations by Elena Rucli.
Building upon the long-standing tradition of Roman baths and ancient plant lore, the fifth-floor Susanne Kaufmann spa menu features a variety of treatments, massages, and well-being rituals, like the Hibernation Sleep Ritual, a massage and facial combination designed to prepare you for sleep. If a modern-day Roman emperor were to choose a place to relax, it would surely be in the spa’s elevated marble jacuzzi, cast in caramel-coloured marble with sienna and white mosaic flooring, overlooking the city.
Photos by Jérôme Galland
No hotel of note in Italy would stand for a lacklustre culinary offering, and Casa Monte guests can enjoy three dining establishments. The main restaurant, Casa Monti, offers relaxed fine dining thanks to Sicilian chef Umberto Tuccio’s seasonal ingredient-focused menu of Roman dishes and Italian favourites fittingly served on Bitossi plates. A unique blue-green fireplace made in the Roman workshops of artist Giuseppe Ducrot dominates the dining room, while a terrace on Via Cimarra honours the Italian tradition of al fresco dining. Farther back, the stylish hotel patio bar is a cozy spot for a quick coffee or drink, but those wishing to linger should head up to the rooftop. Here, under Gonzalez’s skilled eye, patterns blend harmoniously with the fresco’s starlings soaring across the walls. Beyond, all of Rome is spread out for a majestic view of the Eternal City, best enjoyed while sipping a cocktail or aperitivo.
