Last Updated on November 29, 2025
Luxury in the heart of the Eternal City
Located in an impressive building dating back to the early 1900s, the NH Collection Roma Palazzo Cinquecento is a 5-star hotel that occupies as convenient a spot as it could for those travelling to Rome. The hotel overlooks Roma Termini Station, to which trains arrive from all over the country as well as from Rome Fiumicino airport. There is also a tram and bus terminus outside, and both the city’s metro lines have stops below ground. Getting around Rome on public transport is not always straightforward if you are not situated on one of the metro lines, and to access certain neighbourhoods, you need to use a train or tram. Hence, Termini is perfectly located for ease of movement.
Decorated in the Art Nouveau style, it was once the headquarters of the Poste, the national postal company and then the National Railway Company. The hotel occupies one side of Piazza dei Cinquecento (meaning 500), named in memory of the 500 Italian soldiers who died in the battle of Dagali in Ethiopia in 1887. Being Rome, there is always layer upon layer of history, and in the garden of the hotel, there is an archaeological site with a section of the Roman Servian wall (Mura Serviane), and ruins that date back to the 6th century. This is a feature not many hotels in Rome can boast, and it was thrilling to get so close to it and eat breakfast while watching the stones in the morning light. I was fortunate to have a great view of it from my bedroom window.
Termini station has had quite a makeover since I last passed through it in the late 1980s. Nowadays, it is like a huge shopping mall with a food court that will satisfy any hunger pangs you might have. That said, the area is not renowned for its culinary excellence, but the hotel is so well-positioned for transport that I was seated on the terrace of one of Rome’s top restaurants within 20 minutes. You could, of course, choose to dine in-house at the hotel’s restaurant, Grand Tour, which serves classic Italian cuisine along with regional specialities.
The Palazzo Cinquecento underwent a complete renovation in 2015, giving its communal spaces and 177 rooms a contemporary, yet classic, makeover. The rooms, distributed across four floors, are decorated in neutral beige tones and burgundy and grey notes add personality. There is a range of rooms, from superior to premium or the option of various luxurious suites and family rooms. My Junior Suite overlooked the station piazza and the ruins in the garden, with the lights of the city beyond, giving a great sense of space and light. The room was simply decorated, and a few pieces of art on the walls might make it a bit less workaday. The bedroom had a very comfortable and capacious bed along with a pillow menu. The living room had a large velvet-covered sofa, a coffee table, a chest of drawers and a long desk with a minibar and a Lavazza coffee machine. Unusually, the wardrobe was in the living room rather than the bedroom. The bathroom had both a good-sized walk-in shower and a large bath, which was a welcome treat after tens of thousands of steps. Rome is a city you should see on foot as much as possible.
Although the weather was inclement during my stay, I did pop up to see the 5th-floor rooftop terrace which is enormous – it runs the entire length of the Palazzo Cinquecento – and not only has outstanding 360-degree views but is well arranged into seating areas, perfect to relax with an aperitivo in the evenings and dinner when there is warmer and drier weather. There is even a pair of stationary exercise bikes if you fancy a workout while overlooking Rome.
Breakfast is served in the ground-floor restaurant of the Palazzo Cinquecento, which opens onto a terrace where you can take your coffee in the morning sun. There is a large breakfast buffet with fresh breads and pastries, fruit, local Italian items such as focaccia, paninis with charcuterie, platters of cheese and cold cuts, cereals and toppings, yoghurts, salads and sweet treats. Tea and coffee are brought to the table, and you could start your day with Prosecco or mix your own Bellinis. There is also an egg menu, made to order. I certainly had no need for lunch after breakfast at NH Collection Roma Palazzo Cinquecento.
Rome’s fabulous museums, outstanding churches and palaces are well distributed across the city so that every neighbourhood has sights you might wish to visit. NH Collection Roma Palazzo Cinquecento is conveniently located for a number of these, all of which I visited easily on foot. Don’t miss Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore (one of the four papal basilicas in the city) with its magnificent mosaics, Roman Colosseum, Circus Maximus (where chariot races were once hel,d but when I was passing by there was a Pink Floyd concert on the go) and the Quirinal Palace, where the Italian President resides. It is also well located for Teatro Dell’Opera (Rome’s opera house). I would add to this list of well-known sights a museum that is across the road from the hotel and which was a highlight of my visit. The Museo Nazionale Romano – Palazzo Massimo alle Terme is located alongside the ruins of the Diocletian Baths which one can clearly see from the hotel rooftop. Visit the Michelangelo cloister in the Diocletian Baths ruins and pop next door to the Palazzo Massimo museum, where there are extraordinary mosaics and frescoes that are genuinely breathtaking.
NH Collection Roma Palazzo Cinquecento is a very conveniently located hotel for a trip to Rome. Many must-see sights are a short walk away, and transport is right outside the door to whisk you all over the Eternal City and to and from the airport or other cities by train. You will find a warm welcome, a contemporary and comfortable hotel, a copious breakfast and a peaceful environment in which to refresh after the hectic pace of Rome.
NH Collection Roma Palazzo Cinquecento, Piazza dei Cinquecento 90, Rome, Italy
