WHERE ART MEETS CONTEMPORARY ROME: HOTEL DE LA VILLE REIMAGINES THE WINTER SEASON
From Marina Fulgeri's luminous art installation to the unveiling of Cara Roma, Hotel de la Ville celebrates a new dialogue between art, design and contemporary Roman lifestyle.
Rome has always been a city of contrasts: ancient and contemporary, monumental and intimate, timeless yet constantly reinventing itself. This winter, Hotel de la Ville invites guests to discover another side of the Eternal City through a programme that brings together contemporary art, Italian gastronomy and the pleasure of gathering.
Overlooking the Spanish Steps, the Rocco Forte hotel presents a season shaped by light, design and conviviality. At its heart is Indomita, a site-specific installation by Italian artist Marina Fulgeri, which reinterprets the architecture of the palazzo through luminous interventions. The winter programme also marks the opening of Cara Roma, a new dining concept by Fulvio Pierangelini, Creative Director of Food for Rocco Forte Hotels, celebrating the Italian table with a contemporary, sociable spirit.
INDOMITA: A PALAZZO REVEALED THROUGH LIGHT
Created specifically for Hotel de la Ville, Indomita explores the relationship between light, architecture and perception. Through a series of luminous interventions, Marina Fulgeri traces the architectural lines of the palazzo, bringing its geometry into focus and transforming familiar spaces into an unexpected visual experience.
The project takes its inspiration from the building itself: the proportions of the façade, the rhythm of its windows and the symmetry of its forms. Lines of warm light follow the architecture, extending across the exterior and into the courtyard and entrance hall. Rather than decorating the building, the installation reveals it, drawing attention to the structures and details that define the palazzo.
A dialogue emerges between precision and freedom, order and movement. The light follows the building’s lines while appearing to challenge them, bending, extending and departing from the geometry that first gives it form. This tension gives Indomita its name and meaning: the determination to move beyond a rule without losing sight of its origin.
At the entrance, luminous lines frame the façade and guide guests towards the hotel. In the courtyard, a vertical light element rises alongside the architecture, creating a striking contrast with its historic surroundings. Inside the hall, a sculptural illuminated tree offers a contemporary interpretation of the traditional Christmas tree, combining a light metallic structure with a continuous line of warm white light and gold details.
Conceived as an encounter between art and place, Indomita becomes part of the building while offering a new way of seeing it. Throughout the winter season, guests are invited to rediscover Hotel de la Ville through light.
CARA ROMA: AN INVITATION TO THE ITALIAN TABLE
Opening on 5 December 2026, Cara Roma brings a fresh expression of Italian dining to Hotel de la Ville. Created by Fulvio Pierangelini, the new concept pairs the pleasure of the Italian table with the glamour of a night out.
A love letter to modern-day Rome, Cara is generous at the table, effortless in style and always ready for another conversation. This new concept brings together contemporary interiors by Paolo Moschino, an open kitchen, a light-filled conservatory and a verdant Roman courtyard. Chic but never stiff, it is a place for Romans and visitors alike, where an evening can easily outlast its original plans.
Pierangelini’s menu takes food seriously without taking itself too seriously. Exceptional ingredients and their provenance take centre stage, interpreted through a contemporary approach to Italian culinary traditions. Dishes range from stracciatella and red prawn tartare to artichoke, truffle and pecorino pizzette, carbonara gratin, homemade tortelli di zucca, whole grilled turbot and slow-cooked Brunello beef shank. Gourmet pizzette, fresh homemade pastas and generous dishes designed for sharing celebrate the pleasure of eating together.
There is theatre, too: a Martini trolley serving miniature Martinis, creative Italian cocktails, Fettuccine Alfredo with caviar and Imperiale ice cream whipped tableside. A surprise takeaway provides a final gesture at the end of the evening. The wine list brings together celebrated Italian estates and small artisanal producers.
Cara’s philosophy is simple: fun dining, not fine dining. Craftsmanship comes without ceremony, and the emphasis is on sharing, spontaneity and lingering over the table.
“I wanted to give Rome something fresh: top-quality Italian food, served simply, in a place that's neither formal fine dining nor a traditional trattoria, where you can dress up and have a fun night out. Cara is a place for everyone, especially those who want to have fun, somewhere with good taste that also tastes good. It brings together the Italian food I grew up with, and everyone loves, in a lighthearted setting. I'm thrilled to bring Fulvio's food to Rome in this setting for the first time.”
— Lydia Forte, VP Food & Beverage, Rocco Forte Hotels.
A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON THE ETERNAL CITY
Through Indomita and Cara Roma, Hotel de la Ville approaches winter as an opportunity to experience Rome through its architecture, creative voices and enduring culture of conviviality. It is a season that looks beyond the familiar landmarks to celebrate the character of the city and the people who bring it to life.
Located at the top of the Spanish Steps, Hotel de la Ville is a contemporary Roman palazzo within the Rocco Forte Hotels collection. Combining historic character with contemporary design, the hotel offers a distinctive perspective on the Eternal City, with its restaurants and bars, Irene Forte Spa and panoramic Cielo Terrace.
