Perfect Roman holiday homes
We fancy a weekend break in Rome, but where to stay? Hotel? Too formal. Airbnb? Not quite formal enough. Unhotel? Perfect.
The unhotel is the invention of a company called onefinestay, which rents out private homes in London, Paris, New York and Los Angeles. Unlike Airbnb, onefinestay selects and manages each property, providing hotel-quality bed linen, towels and toiletries, as well as an iPhone with unlimited data and local calls for the duration of the stay. The idea is that guests have all the comfort of a hotel, but experience the destination like a local.
Rome is the latest addition to the collection, with properties – which range from one-bedroom apartments to grand palazzi – located throughout the Municipio 1 region. The following five would all be perfect Roman holiday homes.
Piazza Margana is a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment with a terrace in Central Rome. It has a rather grand sitting room full of antiques, artworks and gold-edged accessories, plus two boldly decorated bedrooms. Close by, you’ll find the Piazza Venezia, lined with shops and cafés, the Roman Forum and the Colosseum. From £295 per night.
Via della Scala is a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment in Trastevere. From the beamed ceiling and pastoral art in the kitchen to the sitting room’s classical bust and magenta armchairs, this property is as cultured as it is colourful. You can see the Janiculum Hill from the terrace, while Piazza Santa Maria’s bars and cafés are a few minutes away. Also within walking distance is Piazza Navona; buses from Largo Argentina will whisk you to the rest of the city. From £221 per night. 
Via di San Francesco di Sales is a three-bedroom house in Trastevere, arranged over three floors with a large courtyard. The Renaissance artist Raphael lived here while he painted his masterpieces at the nearby Apostolic Palace. The current host is an artist too: bold paintings hang under beamed ceilings and there’s a giant tapestry in the eclectic sitting room. The property is situated close to Piazza di Santa Maria – the heart of Trastevere’s night life – and is only 20 minutes’ walk from the Sistine Chapel. From £619 per night. 
Via Cesare Beccaria is in Rome’s historic centre, close to Piazza del Popolo, the shops of Via del Corso and one of Rome’s most scenic parks, Villa Borghese. Situated on the seventh floor, this three-bedroom apartment has sweeping views across the city from its large terrace. The sitting room has bold colours and contemporary furnishings. From £276 per night.
Facing the 12th-century Capocci tower, Via di San Martino Ai Monti is both a traditional and up-to-date one-bedroom apartment, with a blue-accented kitchen, an eye-catching feature wall, period-tiled flooring and a Juliet balcony. This apartment is in quiet yet central Monti, close to the shops of Piazza Della Repubblica and five minutes away from the Colosseum. From £174 per night.
BY MAGGIE O’SULLIVAN
