La Dolce Vita (The Suite Life) at Rome's Hotel Mediteranneo

The Colosseum at dusk captures the imagination of Rome's
glorious past  (wikipedia.org)

ROME —As Eleanor Clark once observed, “Even a tourist can tell in a Roman street that he is in something and not outside of something as he would be in most cities.  In Rome to go out is to go home.”

For those who will be tying the knot in 2018 and planning a honeymoon to Italy, Hotel Mediterraneo has announced a newlywed package that is an ideal way to begin a couple's life together.

Breakfast buffet at the
Mediterraneo (Bettoja Hotels)

Imagine beginning life together sharing a glass of Prosecco (the Italian equivalent of champagne) as you peer out to the "Eternal City" from a spacious private balcony atop the tallest building on the highest hill in Rome.

The Mediterraneo was built when Mussolini was in power, so Roman building restrictions bore little significance for Il Duce. Consequently, the centrally located Mediterraneo, part the family operated Bettoja Hotel Group, benefits from top-floor suites plus the convenience of being two blocks from the main railway station in the heart of the historic city.

Rooftop view of Rome at the Mediterraneo  (Bettoja Hotels) 

The honeymoon package is based upon a two-night stay in a tenth floor suite in the Art Deco hotel property that offers strawberries and Prosecco upon arrival. For ambience take notice of the busted sculptures of Roman emperors in the lobby who appear to monitor your check-in process just to be certain everything is in order.

All the comforts (Bettoja Hotels)

Also included is a welcome gift, full daily breakfast, a candle-lit dinner on the Roof Garden restaurant with a view of Rome by night that includes the Victor Emmanuel Monument and St. Peter's Basilica in the distance, a full-day tour of the city and optional early check-in and late departure depending upon availability.

Each suite has been personally appointed and designed by a member of the Bettoja family. All bathrooms are luxurious complete with their own Jacuzzi.

Meditarraneo's lobby lounge is guarded by busts of Roman
emperors  (Bettoja Hotels) 

Each suite has its own unique charm and character. One suite, for example, features a still-life painting hanging over a comfortable couch of deep green brocade in the living room. A charming alcove adjoins the bedroom, which opens out to a flower-lined terrace framing a view of the city.

With typical Italian flair all top-floor suites have terraces trellised with shrubs and flowers, not to mention incredible views, including one of St. Peter’s Basilica. They are known as some of the city’s most sought-after—yet still affordable—suites.

Italians call the Victor Emmanuelle Monument the "Wedding Cake"  (Taylor) 

If your budget is not presidential however, there are junior suites available which are equally spacious and offer the same amenities, minus the balcony.

When evening begins to shroud the city in its dusky light before yielding to the twinkling atmosphere of centuries past, the Roof Garden restaurant is an ideal spot for a pre-dinner cocktail followed by an elegant menu of Italian delicacies that will entice even the most discriminating palate.

Palatine Hill overlooks the Colosseum and the Circus
Maximus  (Taylor) 

The retractable roof opens in the summer to allow a 360-degree panoramic view of Rome. Make your personal orientation of the city at dinner and later stroll to some of the best known landmarks in the world. The Colosseum, Opera House, Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps and the 5th century Church of St. Peter in Chains  (San Pietro in Vincoli) with its magnificent sculpture of Moses by Michelangelo are all within walking distance.   

Spanish Steps at twilight
(Taylor)

Hotel Mediterraneo is also located at the junction of Rome's underground which can whisk you to any other site on your agenda.

With the proximity of the Stazioni Termini, the main railway station, traveler's wishing to visit Florence, Siena, Naples, Orvieto and beyond can easily do day trips by train without the inconvenience of checking in and out of different hotels in other locations.

For lovers of art, history, cuisine, culture, fashion and architecture, there truly is no place like Rome.

Michelangelo's sculpture of Moses  (italia.it)

Many people view Rome as a bustling dirty metropolis that once stood in the limelight of the civilized world.

Others however, like American writer Alan Epstein who lived in the city and wrote about it in his book "As the Romans Do", took the time to experience Rome's rhythms and to absorb it through their pores.

Trevi Fountain (wikipedia.org)

 As Epstein reflects, "People are drawn to Rome because it is still the pagan Mecca, still the place that beckons those who want to gobble up all that has been done before and turn it into that which has never been seen, never been heard, never been imagined.

"Romans constantly lament the high taxes they incur to keep the city afloat, but deep down they know what it means to live in Rome, to know that the city is a gift they give to the rest of the world.”

Rome is filled with captivating palazzos and piazzas  (Taylor)

The Hotel Mediteranneo Honeymoon package  is €750 per person,  including VAT and service but excluding tourist tax, based on a two-night minimum stay.

The Pantheon remains one of the wonders of the ancient world
(wikipedia.org)

Travelers willing to take the time to wrap themselves in the city will not be disappointed for they will quickly discover that Rome is indeed "eternal."