The transformation of Palazzo Fonseca into Orient Express La Minerva captures a harmony between preservation and reinvention. Built in 1620 and welcoming guests since 1811, the building now houses 93 rooms and suites, though its four new signature accommodations redefine Roman luxury at its most intimate scale. Each suite carries a story from the palazzo’s layered past: Stendhal honours the French novelist who once lodged here; Obelisco nods to Bernini’s elephant and obelisk in the piazza below; La Minerva takes its name from the Roman goddess of wisdom; and Orient Express celebrates the brand’s legendary journey from railway icon to permanent address.
Artist-architect Hugo Toro led the design with an eye for both craft and narrative. Every detail was made to measure, from the bedside tables shaped like travel trunks and hand-painted headboards tinted to the shade of Roman dusk, curtains mirroring the hue of the palazzo’s shutters. Commissioned artworks by Alexander Onimus, Lucy Naughton, Studio Blaau, Studio Ulgador, and Gaultier Rimbaud-Joffard add a subtle modern touch to the frescoed setting. Every textile, from sofa fabric to window dressing, was woven exclusively for La Minerva.
The Stendhal Suite
At 89 square metres, Stendhal feels intimate yet quietly grand. Vaulted ceilings unfold in restored Renaissance frescoes, their colours soft as candlelight. There’s a private salon, a writing desk, and a Rosso Verona marble bathroom where a freestanding tub sits directly beneath the painted vaulting.
The suite looks onto both the Pantheon and Piazza della Minerva, offering two views of Rome’s enduring symmetry. Rates start at €7,000 per night and include private transfers, daily laundry and pressing, an honour bar, and a 60-minute spa treatment for two.
La Minerva Suite
Set on the top floor, La Minerva spans 108 square metres and fills with natural light. The one-bedroom layout includes a separate living area, dining space with kitchen, and a marble bathroom with double sinks, walk-in shower, and freestanding bath. It connects to a neighbouring room to form a 166-square-metre, two-bedroom apartment.
Views sweep across Piazza della Minerva to the Pantheon beyond, a tableau that changes with the light. Spacious, bright, and tranquil, it’s a suite that feels more like a private residence than a hotel room. Rates begin at €10,000 per night.
The Obelisco Suite
Obelisco, at 133 square metres, is the palazzo’s most sculptural suite. The central salon is anchored by a travertine fireplace carved with dancing nymphs. Curved wooden joinery links the living and dining areas, shifting from minibar to sideboard with the touch of a hand. The bedroom’s burr-wood walls open onto a dressing room lined in green forest marble. A hidden kitchenette allows for private dining; a record player with curated vinyl adds warmth.
From the windows, Bernini’s elephant and obelisk stand framed below, the Pantheon rising just beyond. Rates start at €15,000 per night.
The Orient Express Suite
The flagship Orient Express Suite spans 190 square metres and embodies the brand’s romantic spirit at a Roman scale. A hidden study opens to a living room built around a sculptural sofa by Hugo Toro creates part seating, part travertine side table, part library. A travertine fireplace anchors the dining area, while a private kitchenette supports in-suite dining or chef-led gatherings. The Rosso Verona marble bathroom features a carved white marble wall rising above a deep-set tub, alongside double basins and a generous walk-in shower. Every window captures the city’s drama from the Pantheon’s dome, the piazza’s sculpture, and the golden light that slides across the rooftops.
The suite can interconnect with a deluxe room to form a 235-square-metre, two-bedroom residence. Rates begin at €23,000 per night and include meet-and-greet service, round-trip transfers, unlimited laundry, a bespoke spa treatment for two, and access to a fully stocked honour bar.