Residenza Parisii: sleeping in Rome among art, ancient ceilings and modernity

Our review of the Parisii residence in via Bocca di Leone in Rome, where you sleep in elegant environments embellished with contemporary works of art

Sleeping in the center of Rome, in a room that recalls, thanks to its works of art and its furnishing elements such as the old coffered ceiling, the atmosphere present in the homes of the Eternal City since the Middle Ages, passing through those of the bourgeois capital of the 19th century, is something that is priceless. And it can represent good travel advice if you intend to visit Rome on holiday or come to the city for business reasons.

This is why today we are talking to you about the Parisii Collection residences. And it will be an exception for us. When we were asked to review this delightful little relais, in fact, we hesitated. Because reviewing an accommodation facility is not the same as writing an article about a restaurant, as we are used to doing. There are other parameters, other information to verify that we were not used to. In the end, however, we accepted. And we didn’t regret it.

So let’s start with the ABC. The Parisii residences are two boutique relais in the heart of Rome, built in two historic buildings: the first in via della Purificazione and the second in via Bocca di Leone. We stayed in the latter, in the Vert sauge room, a suite (in a single environment) of 40 square meters in sage green colours, with an ancient ceiling that leaves you breathless, large white curtains and a ‘independent entrance from the other rooms.

It is precisely the hand-decorated wooden ceiling from the 19th century, discovered after the restoration, the protagonist of an environment where the large bed is the other element of attraction of the room, in which the rest of the furnishings are more elegantly modern. We slept well, with perfect pillows and in absolute silence, broken only by the restart of the first morning activities in the shops and restaurants on the street. Noises and sounds that bring to mind the old shops of historic cities that revived the Rome of the past. We are, in fact, a few steps from Via Condotti and Piazza di Spagna, in the heart of what is internationally called the old city and which we in Rome call the historic centre. The steps of Trinità dei Monti can be reached in five minutes on foot, the same distance that separates the residence from the mausoleum of Augustus with its new underground square and the Ara Pacis.

The bathroom is beautiful and, in stark contrast with the ancient environment of the rest of the room, is modern, even in this case, however, with references to pastel green. There is a walk-in shower and a beautiful Carrara marble sink. The main room is completed by a sofa, a coffee table with two lovely chairs and a modern parquet floor. Breakfast was consumed in the partner bar under the structure, as soon as we left the door in via Bocca di Leone. A note should also be made about the access system to the residence. No keys, neither metal nor on a card. Everything is assigned to a Qr Code which is sent to the customer by the managers of the reception located on the first floor. With the code received you can open both the street level door and your room door very easily.

One of the characteristics of the Parisii residences is the combination of hospitality and art, strongly desired by Grazia Parisi, founder of Parisii Collection, who manages the structure with the partner Alberto Grignolo. The exhibition present when we stayed, divided into the different rooms of the structure, in the common area and in the reception, was the collective “Cosmo”, with the artist and curator of the exhibition Marco Victor Romano present together with the other artists Germano Serafini, Valentina Vannicola , Gianluca Quaglia, Orsi Horvàth. “Parisii – explained the founder – has built its own concept thinking of art as one of the key elements of its stay proposal and will continue to maintain this commitment over time, aiming together with Marco Victor Romano to discover new talents to exhibit, new languages and new ideas to propose to a traveler who is increasingly curious and attentive to the evolution of the world. Parisii was not designed as a place dedicated exclusively to staying but rather as a welcoming space where tailor-made service, design and the presence of contemporary art embrace the guest at the end of a day spent in Rome” .

We naturally recommend staying in the Vert sauge suite. The one we reviewed. The other four rooms recall the elegant style and pastel tones (in other colors) of the suite but without the ancient ceiling. An element that would be a shame to lose.