Hotel St George

On Via Giulia, a stone's throw from the Tiber (near Mazzini bridge). There is no underground station in the immediate vicinity. De Termini (railway station and underground station), take bus 64. Corso Vittorio Emmanuel stop. The hotel is a 2-minute walk away.
Fiumicino airport is around 16 mi away, Ciampino around 9 mi away. Transfer time is around 45 minutes from Fiumicino and 30 minutes from Ciampino.

The St George opened in 2007. It is housed in a former 16th Century court.
This really is an exclusive hotel, with its 64 bedrooms and suites, which also boasts a spa with a hot water pool (36°C) with massage jets. It's just like in old thermal baths, but with the modern technology thrown in too.
The St George is located near Rome's liveliest areas: the Piazza Navona (a 15-minute walk away) and Trastevere (on the other side of the Tiber, also a 15-minute walk away). On the Piazza Navona you will find a market atmosphere, cafes and street artists, whereas the Trastevere district is home to restaurants, bars and nightspots.
Accommodation advice
As this is a historical building and the surrounding area is very built-up, the bedrooms do not all have the views you may expect of a luxury hotel. Request a deluxe corner room or a room with a balcony on the 5th floor (also deluxe) so as not to be too close to the facades facing you.

The St George is housed in an old but Roman building and has an ochre facade with windows framed by openwork shutters: it doesn't give away its age (a nice round 500 years old in 2008) or its past (it used to be a court). The inside, on the other hand, has a very clear modern air about it: luxurious yet refined travertine marble decor in beige and glossy brown tones. Subdued lighting, library lounge to one side, bar area to the other; the reception is located at the end of the corridor. None of theses areas has windows, which can give the impression of continuous night time. So why not move on to the glass roof-topped atrium. This area is used as a bar and then a restaurant at meal times. The tour of the property continues with the spa, which also has no windows. You will notice it less here, though, given the beautiful facilities, notably the hydrotherapy pool, in a room reminiscent of the old thermal baths. There are no mosaics, though, and it is done out in the same colours and the same materials as the rest of the hotel. If you would like to treat yourself to a massage, think about booking it as soon as you arrive: the spa has only 2 treatment booths. Be careful of the price, though: an energising or relaxing massage or a manual lymphatic drainage session (an hour-long treatment) costs around £73.

The 64 bedrooms include 23 superior rooms (215 sq ft), 35 deluxe rooms (269 sq ft) and 6 junior suites (323 sq ft). The latter can accommodate up to 3 people as they have two separate areas. As far as the view is concerned, the bedrooms overlook the surrounding street (Via Giulia and Via Besciani) or the building's internal courtyard (even though the rooms are well soundproofed, those who prefer a peaceful setting should opt for the latter). In terms of decor, if you can afford to stay in a suite you will find the surroundings refined and luxurious, the furniture being identical in all room categories. A little point to look out for (and to copy when you get home): the bedside tables are different on either side of the double bed. The one is wenge-style dark wood whereas the other is mahogany-style red wood. On the other hand, the colour of the walls (a green bordering on grey, which tends to absorb the light) gives the place a very serious, very business-like and rather unholiday-like feel.. But this is just one of the new trends sweeping Rome's hotels. A trend that goes hand in hand with impeccable comfort: flat screen television, air-conditioning, telephone and a mini-bar are all provided. Bathroom with bathtub or shower (depending on the available space), hair-dryer, bathrobes and 50ml "bath foam" hospitality products. As this is a very upmarket hotel the added luxury of perfumery hospitality products would have been nice...

As is the case with most of the large hotels in Rome, the St George has chosen to set aside its top floor as a terrace which houses an open-air restaurant and bar between April and October. meals under the wooden pergola or under tautened voiles and a panoramic view of the rooftops of Rome. When the weather is not so good guests eat inside, under the glass roof beyond the lobby or in the adjacent areas, one for the restaurant and the other for the wine bar. Recommended: the wine bar, as it serves wine by the glass (Italian only and therefore very carefully selected) for around £7-8. Given the upmarket nature of the hotel this is perfectly reasonable. Also recommended (still with a view to experiencing the latest Roman trends in terms of "chic lunch"): the set lunch menu, which consists of an hors-d'oeuvre (antipasto), a pasta dish, a salad, a dessert, mineral water and a glass of wine on the same (tray-sized) plate. This all comes to £32, the price of a "chic lunch". Well-informed gourmets will no doubt compare this to the dishes served à la carte: cheek of veal with sautéed potatoes, fillet of beef, ratafia vinaigrette sauce (as a change from balsamic), mullet with aubergines, etc. Excellent dishes but at a price of at least £23. As far as breakfast is concerned, it is served in the same area (under the glass roof and in the adjacent room) in the form of a nicely presented and tasty American buffet.