Our hotel borders the park and there's a discrete staircase directly to the hotel, but we opted for the far from discreet path down the nearby Spanish Steps instead. It's not clear why these are called the Spanish Steps since they were built by the French, and they lead to a pretty French church at the top, but what is clear is that they are immensely popular. Teenagers sit on the steps day and night, making this probably the liveliest part of Rome. At the bottom of the steps is a very pretty square, surrounded by old pastel buildings and a big Dolce and Gabanna shop. From there it's just a two minute walk past some more excellent shopping to the hotel.



We had dinner at the hotel's courtyard restaurant, which is even more beautiful in the early evening, lit by candles. Service was fun and very professional, all in all a very elegant evening, with unfortunately surprisingly bland food. The menu was interesting, but the execution just wasn't inspiring. (10-18-17).