Residenza Napoleone III

"Comprising just two apartments within Palazzo Ruspoli, this is one of Rome’s most exclusive addresses. It’s named after Napoleon III, who lived here in 1830, and is today owned by Principessa Letizia Ruspoli, who often welcomes guests herself. The two apartments differ widely in style but have their own drawcards: the opulent Napoleon Suite has two ornately brocaded and gilded living rooms in which you can lounge like an aristocrat from yesteryear; while the rooftop suite is a bright and breezy affair with modern appointments and a staggeringly huge private rooftop terrace."

"The Residenza Napoleone III is unique—not least because Emperor Napoleon III lived here in 1830. This exquisitely restored suite is in the sixteenth-century Palazzo Ruspoli, at the other end of the Via dei Condotti from the Piazza di Spagna. Coffered wooden ceilings soar, accommodating an immense Gobelin tapestry in the sitting room and six huge landscapes in the bedroom—one the headboard of the sumptuous silk-canopied bed and two others camouflaging doors to a small Siena-marble bath and a walk-in dressing area that leads to a kitchenette. Art, antiques, and the drama of history are as pervasive as the family silver, but the overall effect is remarkably welcoming and unpretentious. The credit goes to owner Princess Letizia Ruspoli, who has stocked it with everything from disposable ear plugs (totally unnecessary) to classical CDs and classic films set in Rome. The unobtrusive butler anticipates every whim, whether lighting a fire in the dining room hearth or providing a delightful surprise at turndown. (Note that the Palazzo Ruspoli also houses a charming modern penthouse flooded with sunlight from windows on three sides and surrounded by terraces amid the Roman rooftops; its mansard roof makes it cozy but cramped.)"