Head-to-head · Rome
Hassler or Bulgari?
Rome’s grand-hotel tradition at the top of the Spanish Steps, or a modern, lively hotel of marble and mosaics by the Mausoleum of Augustus. Here is how I would choose.
Visited both · October 2026
Head-to-head · Rome
Rome’s grand-hotel tradition at the top of the Spanish Steps, or a modern, lively hotel of marble and mosaics by the Mausoleum of Augustus. Here is how I would choose.
Visited both · October 2026
A very nice, very traditional grand hotel right at the top of the Spanish Steps, with a Michelin-starred restaurant on the roof and a beautiful one in the courtyard.
My Hassler review →
Spectacular. Base rooms the size of junior suites elsewhere, incredible mosaics, a lively, sophisticated scene and the biggest gym I saw in Rome.
My Bulgari review →
| Hassler | Bulgari | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Right at the top of the Spanish Steps | Piazza Augusto Imperatore, next to the Mausoleum of Augustus |
| The feel | Very traditional, and that is the appeal | Very modern and lively, almost like an EDITION but more sophisticated |
| Outside the door | The Steps, crowded from morning to night | Busy streets |
| Rooms | Very traditional; some bathrooms look over the rooftops to St. Peter’s | Base rooms other hotels would call deluxe rooms or junior suites |
| Bathrooms | Black marble, some with views | Marble everywhere and incredible mosaics |
| Dining | A Michelin-starred restaurant on the roof and a courtyard restaurant | A rooftop bar and pizza restaurant, more bars, and a trattoria with €18 pastas |
| Spa and gym | A new wellness and gym area opens in 2027 | The biggest gym I saw in Rome, plus a spa |
| Best for | Classic luxury at the heart of the action | Space, energy and great dining without leaving the hotel |
Work with me and you get Fora perks, plus someone who knows these hotels personally and personalizes your stay: I request the right room at the Hassler, tell you whether the Bulgari’s generous base room is already enough, and arrange your transfers from Fiumicino or Termini. Same rate as booking direct.
The Hassler is a very traditional hotel, and that’s the appeal. You are right at the top of the Spanish Steps, and you eat on the roof at a Michelin-starred restaurant with the rooftops of Rome below you.
The Bulgari is the opposite mood: very modern, lots of marble, and lively. The base rooms are very large, and there are more places to eat and drink than I could count.
If you love classic luxury and want the Steps outside your door, pick the Hassler. If you want room to spread out, a gym and a spa now, and a hotel with energy, pick the Bulgari.
The dining is a highlight at the Hassler: a Michelin-starred restaurant on the roof, and a beautiful restaurant in the courtyard that is a calmer place to eat than the streets outside.
The Bulgari has a beautiful rooftop bar and pizza restaurant, another bar on the floor below it, and more. Downstairs there’s a classic Roman trattoria with dishes that are actually affordable, like €18 pastas.
The Bulgari’s base rooms are what other hotels would sell as a deluxe room or a junior suite, so the entry rate already buys real space. I’ll tell you when a higher category is worth it.
The Hassler’s rooms are very traditional: canopy beds, damask walls, crystal lamps. Some bathrooms have windows over the rooftops to St. Peter’s.
This is the clearest difference today. The Hassler is building a large new wellness and gym area that opens in 2027. Until then, if a spa and gym matter, I point people to the Bulgari or the Corinthia.
The Bulgari has the biggest gym I saw in Rome, massive and with serious equipment, plus a spa.
The Hassler is right above the Spanish Steps. You can’t get much more iconic, or more central, but the Steps draw crowds from morning to night.
The Bulgari is right next to the Mausoleum of Augustus, which is almost done with its renovation. It is busy outside too. For quiet, the Eden is the one I would pick.
It depends on your style. The Hassler for very traditional luxury at the top of the Spanish Steps and Michelin-starred dining on the roof. The Bulgari for very large base rooms, modern design, a lively scene and the biggest gym in Rome.
The Bulgari, with the biggest gym I saw in Rome plus a spa. The Hassler’s new wellness and gym area opens in 2027.
The Bulgari. Its base rooms are what other hotels would call deluxe rooms or even junior suites. The Hassler’s rooms are classic and very traditional.
Tell me your dates and who is coming, and I will tell you which one fits and which room to ask for.
Hassler review → Bulgari Hotel Roma review → Hassler or Corinthia → Hotel Eden or Bulgari → My Rome guide →