Express La Minerva
Art Deco-meets-Roman palazzo grandeur. Think warm teak floors, brushed brass, sculptural marble, and a color palette pulled straight from the city's ochre rooftops. It's theatrical but not overdone — Toro keeps the historic bones front and center.
Book a Deluxe Room with Minerva Square Views or higher if you want the Pantheon in your window — the standard Classic and Superior rooms face away from the piazza
Why It Matters
The world's first Orient Express hotel, occupying a 17th-century palace on one of Rome's most storied piazzas. The brand's legendary train aesthetic — travel trunks as bedside tables, luggage-inspired joinery, hand-painted sky ceilings — is translated into a hotel for the first time, making this genuinely novel rather than just another luxury rebrand.
This is Orient Express's first hotel in the world — and they chose a 17th-century Roman palazzo steps from the Pantheon to make the statement. Originally built in 1620 as the Fonseca family residence and converted to a hotel in 1811, the property hosted Stendhal, Herman Melville, and Vittorio Alfieri. Reopened in April 2025 after a full renovation by Franco-Mexican artist-architect Hugo Toro, it now has 93 rooms and suites ranging from compact 25 sqm classics to a 190 sqm Orient Express Signature Suite — each fitted with Rosso Verona marble, hand-painted headboards, bespoke Italian linens, and original frescoes. The rooftop at the 7th floor puts the Pantheon dome directly in your eyeline.
Where You'll Stay
14 room types available
Classic Room
Entry-level rooms with Art Deco and contemporary detailing. Shell-shaped sinks, bespoke Italian linens, king bed. The 25 sqm average is compact by five-star standards, but everything in the space is considered — teak floors, brushed brass hardware, and a design vocabulary that nods directly to the Orient Express train cabins.
25 sqmDeluxe Room
Braided leather, brushed brass, textured glass, and marble across 35 sqm average. King beds throughout. Some rooms look out over the Pantheon and Piazza della Minerva — specify at booking.
35 sqmDeluxe Room with Minerva Square Views
Same specification as the Deluxe Room but positioned to overlook Piazza della Minerva and the Pantheon. If you're paying five-star Rome prices, this is the minimum view worth requesting.
35 sqmJunior Suite
48 sqm average with a vanity desk, separate living area with sofa, and a proper marble bathroom with walk-in shower or soaking tub. King or twin bed available. A real step up in livability for longer stays.
48 sqmJunior Suite with Minerva Square Views
Junior Suite layout with the added bonus of Pantheon and Piazza della Minerva views. The best value Pantheon-view accommodation in the building.
48 sqmJunior Suite with Terrace
46 sqm suite with a private outdoor terrace opening off the living space. Roman rooftop views. The terrace makes morning coffee in Rome a genuinely special ritual.
46 sqmLa Minerva Suite
A tribute to Minerva, goddess of arts and wisdom, on the top floor. 108 sqm with high ceilings, Pantheon and Piazza views, a full living and dining area, a kitchen, powder room, and marble bathroom with double sink, walk-in shower, and bathtub. Connectable to an adjacent suite for a 166 sqm two-bedroom configuration.
108 sqmObelisco Suite
Named after Bernini's obelisk-bearing elephant directly below. 133 sqm with a bespoke travertine fireplace carved with dancing nymphs, a monumental curved joinery piece in glossy wood (minibar on one side, sideboard on the other), full kitchen for a private chef, and Rosso Verona marble bathroom. A record player with curated vinyl is the finishing touch. Connectable to create a 178 sqm apartment.
133 sqmOrient Express Suite
The largest suite in the hotel at 190 sqm, this is a full tribute to the Orient Express legacy. A hidden door opens onto a private study. The living room is anchored by a bespoke sculptural sofa by Hugo Toro that doubles as seating, side table, and monumental library. Travertine fireplace in the dining room, private kitchenette, walk-in closet, Rosso Verona marble bathroom with engraved marble wall above the bathtub, double sinks, and a signature record player. Commands Pantheon and Piazza della Minerva views.
190 sqmStendhal Suite
Named after the writer who once stayed here. 89 sqm beneath a frescoed ceiling, with Pantheon and Piazza della Minerva views. Living room with vanity desk, powder room, and a Rosso Verona marble bathroom with both walk-in shower and bathtub. Can connect to an adjacent suite to create a 166 sqm two-bedroom apartment.
89 sqmSuite
63 sqm average with king bed, separate living area, and a Rosso Verona marble bathroom with double sink, walk-in shower, and bathtub. Full Art Deco design treatment — the suites are where Hugo Toro's vision really opens up.
63 sqmSuite with Minerva Square Views
At 91 sqm, this is one of the larger non-signature suites. King bed, spacious living room, Rosso Verona marble bathroom, and direct views of the Pantheon and Piazza della Minerva. Good balance between space and price for guests who want iconic views without going full Signature Suite.
91 sqmSuite with Terrace
96 sqm with a private open-air terrace. One of the few rooms in the hotel where you can step outside your own door and be under the Roman sky — morning to midnight.
96 sqmSuperior Room
Rooms centered around a central joinery piece designed as a poetic interpretation of a travel suitcase. Warm teak and oak floors underfoot. A step up from Classic in both size and the storytelling detail of the furniture.
29 sqmThe Property
Eat & Drink
4 venues on property
Restaurant
Spa & Wellness
Treatment Menu
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
Afternoon tea served beneath the restored glass-and-iron lobby skylight with iconic pastries and a refined cocktail or tea selection. A calm midday pause in a tourist-heavy neighborhood.
The hotel team organizes personalized city experiences — private guided tours, access to palaces and galleries, artisan workshops, and introductions to off-the-beaten-track Rome. Think private access to Palazzo Colonna, visits to Biblioteca Casanatense, or tastings at Confetteria Moriondo & Gariglio (one of Italy's oldest chocolatiers).
Orient Express La Minerva gift cards available for purchase online.
Five event venues: Olimpo Ballroom (165 sqm, eleven marble sculptures by Rinaldo Rinaldi); Rinaldi Meeting Room (54 sqm, designed as Orient Express carriage interiors); Alfieri Meeting Room (28 sqm, vaulted ceilings); Bernini Meeting Room (26 sqm); and The Gallery (75 sqm, Pantheon-inspired ceilings adjacent to La Minerva Bar).
Available in the Obelisco and Orient Express Signature Suites, both of which include private kitchenettes. The hotel can arrange a private chef for intimate in-suite dinners.
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
Olimpo Ballroom (165 sqm), Rinaldi Meeting Room (54 sqm), Alfieri Meeting Room (28 sqm), Bernini Meeting Room (26 sqm), and The Gallery (75 sqm).
Free WiFi throughout the property with speeds of 100+ Mbps.
24-hour gym equipped with Technogym Artis collection for strength work and intentional recovery.
Functional training space with medicine balls, foam rollers, balance domes, dumbbells, and resistance bands.
Full concierge service arranging city experiences, transportation, reservations, and personalized requests.
Orient Express La Minerva gift cards purchasable online.
No on-site parking. Nearby parking available by reservation at €100/day.
Pets accepted upon request; charges may apply.
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