Friday 10 August 2012

EVERYTHING IN ROME IS GOLDEN

IN ROME in my new PRADA sunglasses
SPANISH STEPS
JUSTINE GLENTON and GIULIA LAUDANO
Last week I wrote that the Garden of Eden was at the Chateau Marmont, now I am swiftly changing that, and suggesting it also exists at the Hotel Russie in Rome, Italy. The Hotel Russie is "The King" of Rocco Forte's hotel chain.  I went there originally for its opening many years ago, and then visited it again  to find it vastly improved with friendly and efficient staff.  The rooms are elegant and I had three, all well designed. In every price level they were attractive, comfortable and well serviced with everything you could ever want on tap.  Rome holds a fascination for me.  Along the cobbled streets steeped in history I feel at once taken back to the home of the Roman General and writer Julius Caesar. The home of the Vatican, grapes and harems.  It feels erotically charged.  Another time zone definitely, but where everybody seems attractive and flirtatious.  The bellman, the concierge, the waiter, the musician, everyone. La Dolce Vita rules and funnily enough where Dior looks right. I say Dior because there I bought an exquisite head scarf which I will probably not wear. but which reminded me of my Aunt who loves them.  I actually got two one for her and one for me.
The children are well brought up in Italy, they are taken to the opera and educated in a non fussy way. Nobody played on mobile telephones, there were no Iphones in sight. Little Madonna's were running around the concert I went to last night playing hide and seek, in amongst the performers. So attractive and so interesting. Finally they collapsed, tired and listened, little brunettes with flowers in their hair, in white linen dresses. 
P.S However be careful went renting a car, as usual the Romans have to to be not correct by top of the range Range Rover broke down and they replaced it with a BMW 4 wheel version which was  very shabby and I still ended up with no refund and a bill of 3,100 euros..at the time Gianfranco at this well known company promised a refund. They then diddled the bill, added some incidentals and took the money without so much as a conversation. from Gianfranco at Autonoleggio, the range rover . broke down and I had to pay 3,100 euros for four days