Review: Paid $2,600 to Stay at Rome Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Worth It

I’ll be honest — I was slightly underwhelmed when our taxi first pulled up to the hotel. The property was huge, but I thought the exterior looked more like a 1970s apartment block than a five-star hotel.

However, this impression was completely erased when we walked into the lobby — we were met with luxury. The vast space felt like a cross between Scandinavian minimalism and the Palace of Versailles in the best possible way. Modern lines met gold details everywhere, and it worked.

After we checked in, an employee escorted us to a seating area. Our room wasn’t quite ready, but I learned our stay had additional perks because I booked through the AmEx Travel Fine Hotels and Resorts program.

These perks included early check-in and late check-out, a room upgrade if available (it wasn’t, but this was OK), a $100 hotel credit, and the absolute best: daily breakfast for two.

When we opened the door to our room, I thought it was huge. It felt more like an apartment than a hotel room.

The king-size bed was comfortable — maybe not to the level of some US luxury hotels I’ve been to, but very nice nonetheless — and the large seating area meant my daughter and I could spread out. This lounge area was perfect for when I wanted to read while my daughter slept.

If I had to nitpick a flaw, it was frustrating that I couldn’t figure out how to access any movies on the hotel TV without paying for them. Though several TV programs were available, the only ones I could find in English were news channels.

The hotel is built fairly high on a hill, so we had sweeping views of Rome and the hotel’s property from our fourth-floor balcony. The grounds were so beautiful that they almost outweighed the city view.

The landscaping was pristine, and a large sculpture garden was a unique point of interest. Sitting on the balcony with a glass of prosecco at sunset was also lovely.

Unfortunately, the pools weren’t open during our early April stay, but seeing them made me want to return in the summer. One night, we even watched a gorgeous wedding reception by the pools from our balcony.

The hotel offers day passes for non-resident guests, but I thought they were pretty expensive. On weekends and holidays, an adult pass is 150 euros, or about $160, and on weekdays, it is 80 euros.

Once we set our things down, we noticed small touches that brought the experience to another level.

The porter who helped us with our bags said the still and sparkling bottled water in the room was complimentary. I’m glad he told us, or I wouldn’t have believed it. Each bottle was replaced daily.

Shortly after we settled in, a staff member knocked on the door and gave me a complimentary bottle of prosecco. Obviously, my daughter didn’t partake, but I sure enjoyed it.

I thought the bath products at the hotel were fancy, but I didn’t realize how nice they were until we visited a department store in Rome — there was an entire Acqua di Parma counter in the retailer’s beauty section. Many of the brand’s bath products cost about 40 to 60 euros, which is about $43 to $65.

Though I appreciated all the perks, I could’ve done without the nightly visits from employees knocking on our door to ask if we wanted more towels or products. In fairness, however, I’m not sure if I’d hung our “do not disturb” sign on the door.

The hotel is home to Rome’s only three-star Michelin restaurant, La Pergola. It was closed for renovations during our stay, but this was fine because I didn’t want to blow our budget on one meal.

My daughter and I ordered room service for two of the four nights we were in Rome, and the food was really good. On our first night, we split a traditional spaghetti Bolognese, still disoriented from travel and the time change.

I thought it was a very nice version of a simple dish with a meat-heavy sauce. The large, easily sharable portion was served with rolls, butter, olive oil, and freshly grated Parmesan.

On our last night at the hotel, I discovered the Rome Cavalieri offered a Ramadan menu since we were there during the holiday.

I ordered a mezze platter with hummus, baba ganoush, fattoush salad, and dolmas. As someone who’s had many mezze platters, I thought it was amazing.

The room service experience was also pretty fun — a staff member wheeled in a cart with a white tablecloth, elegant table settings, and super cute mini condiments.

Ultimately, I used most of my AmEx hotel credit on room service. However, the credit couldn’t be applied to service charges or gratuities, so I had a little left over when we checked out.

Still, I’m sure this wouldn’t be an issue for guests who use the spa or dine in the restaurants.

Breakfast at Uliveto, another of Rome Cavalieri’s restaurants, was unlike anything I’ve had in a hotel. We were escorted to a table, where a server took our drink orders (cappuccino for me and hot chocolate for my daughter).

Then, we hit the buffet, which included a huge variety of pastries, bread, yogurt parfaits, French toast, a juice bar, and an entire section of typical American breakfast items like bacon and eggs. There was even a giant Nutella dispenser.

I also noticed a table with lighter foods and vegan options, which I thought was a nice touch. Guests could also order off a menu à la carte if they wanted something more elaborate, like eggs cooked to order or plated breakfast dishes.

Overall, our experience at the hotel was incredible. We felt well taken care of, which I welcomed, particularly because traveling internationally alone with a child can be daunting and tiring.

We’d love to go back in the summer to swim in the hotel’s pool. I’m glad we had a great time, and I can’t wait for another visit someday.