Even as a non-coffee drinker, this was a great start to our first day in Rome.
First Cappuccino
Tag Archives: Hotel Barocco
And the award for the best breakfast in Italy goes too …
Over the last few weeks we have experienced a range of breakfasts from a range of hotels. Some have been buffet, some al la carte, but all have been excellent quality and vast in the range of items they include.
But now we need to get serious and pick the best. There can be only one winner.
After much deliberation the winning breakfast goes to Hotel Barocco and their fine al la carte effort. The coffee is superb, the welcome treats of fruit, cakes, cheese and meats are delightful and the eggs with whatever you wish to accompany them are delicious.
Only a whisker behind is the breakfast is Eden Roc Hotel where our friend Tony runs the show. Tony has looked after us so well – with special treats each morning and a Prosecco to start the day. He has also made sure we left every morning with a package of pastries “for later” at Casetta Arienzo.
Back to Rome for a few days
On Saturday we moved from the Amalfi Coast to Rome. An hour and a half from Positano to Naples by car and 60 mins from there by high speed train to Rome.
Rome is still busy but the temperature has dropped from seven weeks ago from mid/late 30s to around 30 so life is much easier. Everyone seems more relaxed but the place is still packed with tourists.
It was great to get back to Hotel Barocco and to catch up with Fabio who runs reception with style and efficiency. This is a boutique hotel but the quality and friendliness of staff makes it stand out. If you are visiting Rome, please try it.
Our room also makes things special as we booked one of their junior suites with a view across Piazza Barberini. It’s decorated in shades of white and cream so Jean was delighted. it was her kind of room – hence both the photos and the movie.
We now have 3 days before our flight home which will be spent exploring the city, catching up on those last minute presents, as well as eating out. We have booked two restaurants for dinner – Aroma next to the colosseum and La Pergola in Hotel Cavalieri which is, I believe, the only 3 star Michelin restaurant in the city.
Updates to follow.
Our room in Rome
Hotel rooms in Rome are often slightly weird. Because they have to work with the existing building layout there can be some unusual layouts. Ours is long and winding, but the plus is the outside terrace and what comes with it.
Given the 30 degree heat, the sauna didn’t offer a lot of value, but the rest of the terrace was priceless.
Trains, planes and automobiles to Rome
After many hours travel we arrived in Rome yesterday. Everything went as it should – we made our connections, our bags arrived and all our transfers when smoothly although the final leg – a train from Milan to Rome and a taxi to the hotel was done with us largely asleep as the local time of 8pm meant our bodies had some catching up to do.
It was great to sleep in a real bed at Hotel Barocco – despite waking at about 6am with an overwhelming desire for dinner.
So soon after, we sat down to a three course dinner masquerading as the Barocco breakfast – pastries, cheeses and cold meats, fresh fruit, eggs, rolls and the inevitable cups of cappuccino.
The perfect way to start a day in Rome.
Two days in Rome
At the end of our holiday we had two days in Rome. It was a chance to visit some favourite places of ours as well as some new places. We stayed at Hotel Barocco in one of their junior suites – which meant we had an outdoor patio to relax on – four floors above Piazza Barberini. It was a real luxury.
As always we were looked after superbly with nothing being too much trouble. Which made it even harder to say goodbye and start the long trip home. The good thing is that we threw a coin into the Trevi fountain (well sort of as you can see from the photo) so we’ll be back.
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- Piazza Navona
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- Roman windows in Piazza Barberini
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- Fountain in Piazza Barberini
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- Trevi Fountain being refurbished
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- The Pantheon
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- Resting in Pizza Navona
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- Open top tour bus
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- Barberini fountain
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- Street vendor – selfie sticks for sale
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- Street vendor – “roses for beautiful ladies”
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- The almost invisible entrance to Hotel Barocco
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- Barocco guest book
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- Our bedroom
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- Our patio on a rainy afternoon
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- It’s the little touches that make the difference
Journey’s end
After 3 days travelling by plane, train and automobile we have arrived in Positano. Along the way we spent 3 hours in Auckland, 4 hours in Hong Kong, 25 hours in the air and a day and a night in Rome.
New Zealand farewelled us with chilling rain on a grey day and Positano welcomed us with sun, warmth and gentle breezes. The delights of jet lag haven’t quite left us yet so currently a late night is 8pm and a “sleep in” is 5am. We know that will change as the wonderfully pedestrian pace of life in Positano takes over.
As always everyone has looked after us superbly – from the welcome sight of the hotel driver at Rome airport to our room being ready for us at 8am when we arrived at Hotel Barocco. The ability to drop our bags and freshen up was a lifesaver – and no mean feat for the hotel as they were fully booked the previous night but still they managed to get our room ready in record time.
The trip south by train was blissfully uneventful and relaxing with none of the hassles that accompany air travel – although recent events in France and Belgium may change that.
The welcome at Eden Roc was as warm as ever with time spent catching up on events of the last year – had the changes to the hotel that were talked about last been made? No, too much beaurcracy and too little time – maybe next year. Were all the staff well, who had left and who was new? All the usual characters were still part of the team – plus some new faces – it has been a good year. Were we in for good weather or was the recent rain going to dampen our holiday? No, the weather had settled and we could expect hot, dry days.
The afternoon was spent enjoying a late lunch/early dinner on the hotel terrace looking out over Positano and the bay beyond. Let the relaxing begin.
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- Farewell rainy Auckland
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- After 24 hours we are getting close
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- The welcome sight of our driver after arriving in Rome
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- The almost invisible entrance to Hotel Barocco
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- Elegant colazione at Hotel Barocco
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- Approaching Napoli at 297 km/h
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- The view on our arrival
Some randomness
Gallery
This gallery contains 8 photos.
I have had a collection of random photos building up on my desktop for a while. Shots that I liked but which had no real story attached to them – other than they might be useful for a blog sometime in the future. Today … Continue reading
La dolce far niente 