Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1542301
R ome called to us. We'd been before in 2018, but it always feels like we're just scratching the surface. This trip would be no different. The ancient city continues to reveal its secrets as archaeological digs uncover new truths. At the same time, it feels fresh and vibrant — a unique mix of the new and the ancient that come together as in few other places on earth. Walking the old cobblestone alleys, popping into wine bars and small shops tucked next to thousand-year-old churches and monuments, set in the hustle of a large city with its unmistakable personality, is an enchanting experience. Roman Holiday By Michelle Aviña and Steven Hempel. Where to Stay in Rome: Hotel Locarno A storied hideaway where artists, filmmakers, and travelers still gather — this Roman hotel has been cool for 100 years. Some hotels exist to pass through; Hotel Locarno exists to be lived in. Located within walking distance of Piazza del Popolo, it was opened in 1925, and in the century that followed, the hotel has become a part of the city's cultural life without ever polishing away its edges. From the start, Locarno was tuned to creativity rather than ceremony. Its original advertising image was commissioned from Anselmo Ballester, the celebrated Italian film-poster artist — a telling choice that set the tone. The hotel feels less like a monument to the past than a place that has quietly lived alongside it. That adaptability showed early. During the German occupation of Rome in 1943, Hotel Locarno was requisitioned by Nazi forces, yet it never closed. When American soldiers arrived the following year, they brought pinball machines and football tables, turning the lobby into an impromptu playground for neighborhood children. The hotel absorbed the moment as it always has. By the 1950s, Rome was buzzing with filmmakers drawn to Cinecittà, and Locarno's bar became a natural meeting point. Paparazzi hovered nearby, celebrities drifted in and out, and the hotel settled into its role as a discreet vantage point for a city in creative overdrive. The 1960s sealed its reputation. Piazza del Popolo became a crucible for artists, writers, and filmmakers, with Locarno at its center. The Piazza del Popolo School — Mario Schifano, Giosetta Fioroni, Tano Festa, Franco Angeli, Pino Pascali, and Jannis Kounellis — gathered nearby at Rosati Bar, while influential galleries such as La Tartaruga and L'Attico were steps away. So was the R. Bulla lithography studio, which worked with artists Lucio Fontana and Cy Twombly. Many stayed at Locarno. Federico Fellini and Giulietta Masina were regulars, often posted by the fireplace. Alberto Moravia and Elsa Morante treated the bar as a neighborhood salon. Jack Kerouac and Gregory Corso reportedly struggled to find their way back after a long night in Piazza del Popolo — a story that feels entirely plausible. That sense of accumulated life is what gives Locarno its pull today. The hotel is often mentioned among the European addresses that recall the atmosphere of Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel. While Anderson's fictional Zubrowka draws on multiple Central Clockwise from top left: Hotel Locarno lobby. Venezia suite. Iconic hotel key. ©YDO SOL ©ADRIANA FORCONI ©YDO SOL 64