Head-to-head · Rome
A few minutes apart at the top of the Spanish Steps. One sits right above the crowds; the other is on a quiet street just beyond them. Here is how I would choose.
Stayed at the Eden · Visited the Hassler · October 2026
Same corner of Rome, on a quiet residential street, with warmer service and usually a slightly lower rate than the Hassler. My top overall pick in Rome.
My Hotel Eden review →
Very traditional and about as central as Rome gets, right at the top of the Spanish Steps, with Michelin-starred dining on the roof.
My Hassler review →
| Hotel Eden | Hassler | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | A quiet residential street just above the Spanish Steps | Right at the top of the Spanish Steps |
| The feel | Romantic classic: modern and traditional at once | A very traditional grand hotel |
| Outside the door | Calm | The Steps, crowded from morning to night |
| Rooms | Bright, beautifully decorated, with rooftop views | Classic luxury: canopy beds, damask walls, crystal lamps |
| The view | Over the rooftops to St. Peter’s and the Vittoriano | Some bathrooms look over the rooftops to St. Peter’s |
| Dining | The restaurant upstairs, with fantastic service | A Michelin-starred restaurant on the roof and a courtyard restaurant |
| Price | Usually slightly below the Hassler | Usually slightly above the Eden |
| Best for | Couples, anniversaries, quiet in the middle of Rome | Lovers of classic luxury who want the heart of the action |
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 either one, steer you to the Eden if quiet matters, and arrange your transfers from Fiumicino or Termini. Same rate as booking direct.
Hotel Eden and the Hassler are a few minutes apart above the Spanish Steps. The difference is what is outside the door.
The Hassler is right at the top of the Steps, about as central as Rome gets, and the Steps draw crowds from morning to night. It is a very traditional hotel, and that is its appeal. Some travelers want exactly that.
Hotel Eden sits on a quiet residential street just beyond them. You are still close to everything, the service is warmer, and it is usually priced slightly below the Hassler. That is why it is my top overall pick in Rome.
You cannot get much more central than the Hassler, right above the Spanish Steps. Some of its bathrooms have windows over the rooftops to St. Peter’s. The trade is the crowd at the front door.
Hotel Eden is a few minutes away on a calm street, with incredible views over the rooftops from the rooms and sunset over the dome of St. Peter’s. The walk home is a gentle rise from the centro, so wear the right shoes.
The dining is a highlight at the Hassler: a Michelin-starred restaurant on the roof with the rooftops of Rome below you, and a beautiful courtyard restaurant that is a calmer place to eat than the streets outside.
The restaurant upstairs at Hotel Eden was fantastic, with the view across the domes I send couples to on their first evening. The concierge also sorted my dinner reservations around the city without any back and forth.
The Hassler is classic luxury for travelers who want Rome’s grand-hotel style: canopy beds, damask walls, gilded frames and crystal lamps. If that is what Rome means to you, it delivers.
Hotel Eden is modern and traditional at once. The rooms are bright and beautifully decorated, with balconies over the rooftops and white marble bathrooms.
Service at Hotel Eden was anticipatory and warm. I had the fastest coffee I have ever had delivered there. It is usually priced a little below the Hassler, for a stay I would rank above it.
The Hassler is building a large new wellness and gym area that opens in 2027. Until then, if a spa and gym matter, I would look at the Bulgari or the Corinthia.
For me, Hotel Eden. Warmer service, a quieter street and usually a slightly lower rate. Pick the Hassler if you love very traditional luxury and want to be right at the top of the Spanish Steps.
The Hassler is right at the top of them. Hotel Eden is a few minutes away on a calm residential street.
For a big dinner in the hotel, the Hassler’s Michelin-starred restaurant on the roof. For the view I send couples to on their first evening, the restaurant upstairs at Hotel Eden.
Not yet. The Hassler’s new wellness and gym area opens in 2027. Until then, the Bulgari and the Corinthia are the ones for a spa and gym.
Usually Hotel Eden, slightly below the Hassler. I can quote them side by side for your dates.
Tell me your dates and who is coming, and I will tell you which one fits and which room to ask for.
Hotel Eden review → Hassler review → Hotel Eden or Hotel de la Ville → Hotel de Russie or the Hassler → My Rome guide →