ROME: Tourists visiting Rome can now experience something far beyond the city’s famous landmarks and bustling streets — a stay inside a historic palace still owned and inhabited by Italian royalty.
The Ruspoli Bonaparte Residence, located in the heart of Rome’s central shopping district, combines the atmosphere of a Renaissance palazzo with the comforts of a luxury hotel.
The property dates back to the 16th century and features four expansive suites decorated with antique furniture, historic tapestries, frescoes, marble features and artworks accumulated by generations of the Ruspoli family.
What makes the residence particularly unusual is that guests may be welcomed by members of the family themselves.
Princess Giacinta Ruspoli, a lawyer and journalist who now manages the family’s properties and hospitality activities, and her mother, Princess Maria Pia, continue to live in the historic residence.
A Palace Open to Travelers
Rather than keeping their ancestral home exclusively for themselves, the princesses say they want to share its history and beauty with visitors from around the world.
Giacinta describes herself and her family as custodians of the palace rather than simply its owners.
According to her, opening the residence to travelers allows visitors to experience a part of Italy’s aristocratic heritage while also helping the family meet the enormous costs associated with maintaining a centuries-old historic building.
The residence has particularly attracted American travelers interested in experiencing an aristocratic lifestyle and learning about the history of the family.
Luxury Surrounded by History
A stay at one of the palace’s four suites starts at around $470 per night, including breakfast and butler service.
The suites are each more than 1,000 square feet and feature historic halls, large stone fireplaces and marble decorations.
Some of the higher-floor suites include double bedrooms, panoramic verandas and private terraces overlooking Rome’s historic centre.
Guests can also arrange private meals prepared by chefs, customised Italian menus and beauty services.
For those seeking an even more exclusive experience, the entire palace can reportedly be rented for private stays, with prices starting at around 4,000 euros, or approximately $4,700, per night.
Centuries of Stories
The palace is more than an expensive place to sleep. It is a living piece of Italian history.
The Ruspoli family traces its lineage back to the Middle Ages, with its history linked to powerful figures and institutions in Rome.
The family accumulated wealth and influence through connections with the Vatican and played a role in Italy’s aristocratic history.
The residence also has a connection to the Bonaparte family. Napoleon III, nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte, spent part of his childhood there with his mother, Hortense de Beauharnais.
The palace’s interiors reflect those centuries of history.
Guests encounter coffered ceilings with golden details, frescoes, antique portraits, crystal chandeliers, silk-covered walls and elaborate marble features.
The rooms also contain decorative pieces made from precious materials, including black onyx and green malachite.
Stories of Royal Life
The princesses also share stories about the palace and its former residents with visitors.
Those stories include tales of aristocratic grandeur, family battles, scandals, romances and even legends about ghosts.
One of the residence’s most famous features is its elaborate marble entrance staircase, which is traditionally counted among the “four wonders of Rome.”
For visitors, the experience is therefore not simply about luxury accommodation but about spending time inside a property where generations of European history unfolded.
Another Ruspoli Residence Near Rome
The family has also expanded its hospitality offering beyond the capital.
The Ruspoli family owns Castello Ruspoli in Cerveteri, around 30 miles north of Rome.
The 16th-century property, located near the Tyrrhenian coast, was once a hunting estate and has recently undergone renovation to become a boutique hotel featuring 10 suites.
The castle is expected to welcome guests at rates similar to those of the Rome residence.
Visitors staying at the Ruspoli Bonaparte Residence can already arrange tours and dinners at the castle, which also hosts sunset cocktail events, weddings, private celebrations and film productions.
Preserving Italy’s Aristocratic Heritage
For the Ruspoli family, transforming historic residences into luxury hospitality destinations serves another purpose: helping preserve buildings that require continuous and costly maintenance.
Renovating historic properties in Italy can also involve extensive administrative procedures and regulatory requirements.
By welcoming travelers into their homes, the princesses are turning Italy’s aristocratic heritage into an immersive tourism experience — allowing visitors to spend a night surrounded by centuries of history while contributing to the preservation of the properties themselves.
