The Rome EDITION

They upgraded us upon arrival for a social celebration without asking and had Prosecco waiting for us on arrival.

Qaulity of decor, the little touches (hand written notes, desserts upon check-in), the facility itself, the rooftop view, the staff.

Rome is an ancient city filled with masterpieces. The brushstrokes of Caravaggio, the elegance of Raphael, the sculptural language of Bernini, and even the play of light and shadow in Fellini's films all converge here. They form the essence of Italian art. In this eternal city overflowing with inspiration, EDITION chose to write its first Italian chapter. The Rome EDITION officially opened in July 2023.

EDITION is definitely not just a "luxury Grand Hyatt," even though that is a popular joke among hotel enthusiasts. Admittedly, I have not stayed at many EDITION properties, only the ones in Shanghai, Sanya, Tokyo's Toranomon, and now Rome. But each stay confirmed my belief. EDITION's minimalist aesthetic is not bland. It is a richness expressed through restraint. The Rome property, wrapped in greenery and light, feels like a modern palace. It effortlessly showcases contemporary Italian style.

As the 16th EDITION hotel worldwide, the Rome property reaffirms the brand's unique and determined path. In the increasingly competitive luxury hotel sector, EDITION consistently stands out. It becomes a striking style landmark in its city. Looking back, EDITION was created by Marriott as a direct competitor to Starwood's W brand. But its deeper significance was Marriott's forward-looking response to future luxury lifestyle trends. It moved away from flashy symbols toward a focus on substance, storytelling, and deep, meaningful experiences.

Both are luxury lifestyle brands targeting younger generations. Both are distinct brands now under Marriott. Yet EDITION and W have chosen completely different paths. One embraces quiet, minimalist sophistication. The other champions a vibrant, nightclub-inspired energy. There is no superior style, but if asked for a preference, my answer might already be found in the soft morning light falling on the travertine floors of Rome.

The clean and cozy room

The people are polite. They arranged a car from the cruise ship port to the hotel and got us checked in quickly and efficiently. So no problems there. Were were staying for 4 nights and on the second night when we returned late the thermostat was flashing an error code and blinking brightly. We notified the front desk and they said they would reset it remotely but it just blinked all night, keeping us awake. We finally rigged a way to cover the unit and could sleep. The next day when we were going out I talked to the front desk again and they said they would take care of it. At the end of a long day doing a Vatican tour, I checked with the front desk and they assured me that it was taken care of. When I got to the room it wasn't fixed. The thermostat was still blinking an error code so I called down and they sent engineering up. He reset the panel and the error code went away but the heater wasn't working and it was cold in the room and when we tried to take a shower we realized we had no hot water. I called the front desk again and they said they turned up the heat and reset the hot water remotely. The room never got warmer and I waited past midnight for the hot water to work but it never did. We checked out early the next morning.

The staff was "very sorry" for the inconvenience but didn't offer much beyond their apologies. No discount or credit. For over €800 per night, I expected more from a 5-star property. I've had a better stay at a Motel 6. Steer clear of room #: 102!

On another note, the rooms are kind of small, the water pressure in the shower is very low, the bathroom (in our room) has an inconvenient layout/design, the room has little storage and the music in the lobby is too loud, making conversation inconvenient. I hope you have a better stay and experience than I did.

The Edition is a gorgeous, modern hotel, and my stay here was all too brief. Our room was spotless and very comfortable, and we heard no street noise at night thanks to being on a side street so found it very restful. It is also in a great location and we found it easy to walk to a number of sites from here. The staff are all wonderful, everyone we spoke with was very friendly and helpful. We had dinner at Anima and it was absolutely amazing, with incredible food and a charming waiter who shared lots of information about the food and beverages. We are returning soon and I couldn’t be more excited.