Palazzo Manfredi

Echoes of ancient chariots rise from the Colosseum, which appears within arm’s reach of Hotel Palazzo Manfredi. (A gladiator school once stood outside the hotel’s door.) Yet this 16th-century palazzo dazzles with more than just its jaw-dropping views. The 14 rooms and suites fuse Palladian wallpaper, faux fur, Roman busts and eel skin–topped tables to surprisingly successful effect; windows overlooking the monument are a must. Sip a Bellini in the bar before slipping behind a plate of lobster medallions on the Aroma restaurant terrace. The concierge can arrange private tours with the city’s top guides.