Marriott’s design-focused Le Meridien brand has unveiled the refurbished and rebranded Le Meridien Visconti Rome, located in the city’s Prati district close to the Vatican.
Previously operating as the independent Visconti Palace Hotel, the 240-room hotel has seen its public areas and guestrooms renovated “in a classical style with understated, geometrical references to Rome’s fabled treasures including the Pantheon”.
The hotel’s interiors also reference the works of Italian designer and architect Gio Ponti who was popular at the time of the property’s construction in the 1970s.
The brand’s signature Le Meridien Hub lobby concept now offers “a multifunctional space open to both guests and locals in a creative coffeehouse and travel atmosphere enhanced by locally curated contemporary artwork and design features.
The property’s entrance features artwork in the form of a bas relief map of Rome showcasing the city’s historical sites, and the hotel’s art collection (part of the Toti family’s private collection) was chosen to give “a spectrum of the complex Italian art panorama in the ‘80s”.
As part of Le Meridien’s Unlock Art programme, guests can get free access to La Galleria Nazionale di Arte Moderna by presenting their room key and a guest pass.
Room design has been inspired by “celebrated Roman architectural materials”, with a natural stone finish to the walls, and a mini bar and nightstand which reference travertine. Carpets feature a geometric design of “on screen flight paths of aircraft”, which are “a subtle reference to the storied link between Air France and the founding of Le Méridien brand”.
Le Meridien has earmarked US$300 million for renovations, new hotels and conversions across its global portfolio, with plans to open an additional 30 hotels in the next four years.
The brand recently relaunched its flagship Le Meridien Etoile property in Paris, following a multi-million euro renovation of its rooms and public areas.
