Raphael Hotel

TV barely works, place is worn and tired. I don’t understand how this place still has 5 stars. I think in its heyday it was good, but it just needs to be updated now
Beds are very comfy though and it’s not dirty!

This review is only for the roof top bar, which was the perfect spot for apertivo and negroni’s. The view of Rome as the sun is setting is jaw dropping.

Now this is five star accommodations. We were greeted ya the door, asked to sit in the lobby while they sorted our check in documents and asked if we wanted any coffee or drinks.
We were on our way to the Vatican. So, they said they would take our bags while we were touristing around Rome. We left and came back around lunch. The room still wasn’t ready so we said we’d go get lunch. Upon returning, the manager saw us to our upgraded, beautifully appointed room and showed us around the particulars (automatic windows, adjustable bed, etc).
Our room is modern and beautiful. The lobby is very attractive with amazing art. They have a collection of Picasso plates that are quite enviable.
Our breakfast was delicious and we love the location.

As a centrally located Rome hotel, this place is pretty great in all categories. From the moment we arrived, we were treated like royalty. Raphael is under the Relais & Chateaux fellowship of restaurants and hotels. I’ve had nothing but good experiences when staying and dining at these properties and will seek them out in the future.
Location: Right off of Piazza Navona but even with our room on the busier side of the alley right behind the square, we couldn’t hear a thing throughout the night. There are plenty of restaurants right outside the hotel. Everything is within a 10 – 25 minute walk. We easily walked to the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Coliseum and Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. Camp di’ Fiore and other squares are within an easy walking distance as well.
The Hotel: beautiful and elegant main/​public rooms. I would best describe it as old world meets clean and modern. Lots of comfortable areas to sit in the main foyer and throughout. Really nice fitness room and internet access with a printer in the basement. The lounge and restaurant on the terrace had amazing views of all of Rome and the Vatican. I’m not sure a lot of people know about the rooftop terrace but it might just have the best views in Rome.
The Room: on the smaller side (compared with North American standards) but spacious enough for a few nights stay. The air conditioning was very welcome and ran on the cooler side (as compared to a lot of lackluster European units). This was much appreciated on hot August afternoons! We were welcomed with a really nice plate of canapes, fruit bowl and bottled water. I could never figure out how the privacy light worked but were never bothered by anyone.
The Staff: Fantastic! Hotel Raphael clearly knows how to treat guests with discerning tastes… I’m not a snob and don’t ever expect people to cater to me but this hotel does an amazing job of making their guests feel very welcome and special. Every member of the staff went out of their way to help us with maps, recommendations, taxi calls, etc.
The Restaurant: we made reservations and ate at their primarily vegetarian restaurant on our last night. Great service and some really interesting dishes. I was so-​so on the vegetarian concept at first but the creative food made up for it! We had an incredible vegetable fritto misto, risotto, and cheese ravioli. Yes, it is on the pricier side. Wear something nice. A couple was turned away when the girl showed up wearing a pair of trashy jean cut offs. I can appreciate a staff that tries to keep it classy.
I would without a doubt recommend this hotel. In fact, I’ll probably stay here again when I take my parents to Rome in a couple years (which should be interesting to say the very least). For location, ambiance and a fantastic staff we couldn’t have asked for anything more.