"First impression? Just around the corner from Piazza del Popolo, the courtyard bar of Hotel Locarno has a strong aperitivo game. Actors and media types tend to come here for an evening; come weekends, the Sunday brunch is also popular. How’s the crowd? Incredibly chic, with some Italian A-list actors thrown in for good measure. How are the drinks? Pricey but good. They do the Italian classics—you know the deal: Negronis, Campari spritzes, ice-cold Martinis, that sort of thing. But it’s the location that really draws the crowds—a picture-perfect courtyard, with trickling fountains, shaded by wisteria trees. If there’s food, is it worth ordering something to eat? Come for a pre-dinner drink and sit in the courtyard with small bowls of olives and crisps before going on to dinner elsewhere. Did the staff do you right? The staff greeted us warmly and were easy to flag down when we wanted to order. They’ll happily recommend drinks, too. Wrap it up: what are we coming here for? The kind of iconic Roman afternoon you’ve been dreaming of since you bought your flights to Italy." - Maresa Manara
