Rough Luxe
The residential facade of 69/70 Pasquino is set on a tall and narrow five-story building, perched on the edge of the bustling Piazza Navona, with the domed Sant’Agnese church just a stone/s throw away. Inscribed with “SATIS AMPLA QVAE SECVRITATE RIDEAT” (Latin for “big enough to give a feeling of security”), the building still presents a perfect picture of classic Italy. Set on the Piazza Di Pasquino, ten meters from the iconic Piazza Navona, this was the main market area in Rome for over 300 years, and now plays host to picturesque fountains as well as a number of lively restaurants, shops, and bars.
Beautifully bare walls and high oak beam ceilings contrast with clean-cut designer furniture, creating a signature rustic-meets-refined effect. Each of the ten suites, set over five floors, draws inspiration from a different Italian design legend from the 1930s to the 1970s, with original furniture from the likes of as Ico Parisi, Gio Ponti, Guglielmo Ulrich and Aristide Seguso, among others. Futuristic twinkling lamps and mid-century modern furniture contrast against naked wood, original parquet and tiled floors, and unfinished walls to create a uniquely harmonious aesthetic. “We’re presenting a very Italian sense of luxury, one with history, design, art, and a touch of whimsy,” says entrepreneur Gabriele Salini. Sophisticated, Fellini-esque interiors, a wine gallery, and a homey atmosphere abound, while a youthful, energetic spirit pervades.
Rome of the Romans
G-Rough boasts more than just pure Italian “rough luxury”. Here, the staff also strives to make your experience in the city as integrated as possible. The in-house Lifestyle Butler is dedicated to offering guests the “Rome of the Romans,” imparting invaluable local knowledge that affords a peek behind the tourist curtain and into authenticity. This includes a culinary tour, the chance to become a designer for a day at the Accademia di Costume e Moda, and a range of other options, all of which provide an intimate glimpse of the city/s rich and varied culture. Taken together, this is part of Salini and Garosci’s overall concept to treat you as a guest in the hotel, but as a local when in the city.
Integrally Artistic
Art is everywhere at G-Rough, from the building as a work of art itself, to Guendalina Salini – the sister of Original Gabriele – who curates an on-property collection that was commissioned from more than twenty artists. These creatives were charged with reanimating the building as a spectacle of contemporary art. Guendalina/s passion epitomizes the hotel/s dedication to both hospitality and art in equal measure, combining for a stay with rare vibrancy. With a perpetually-changing display, the hotel and its gallery showcase contemporary works of young, emerging Italian artists and as well as the more known likes of Massimo Vitali and Matt Calishaw. Abiding by the unconventional concept of luxury, the gallery and contemporary wine bar double-up as a reception, deviating from the standard desk greeting and checking you in with a very sophisticated, Italian edge.
A Lasting Legacy
A true visionary, Emanuele Garosci lived his life doing only what he was passionate about. His business partner Gabriele Salini, an authentic seven generation Roman with a passion for art and vintage design, hails from one of the most important families in Rome. The two came together – friends, business partners, and bon vivant – thanks to a shared vision of redefining luxury and an unconventional approach to hospitality. The result is a contemporary nostalgia unique to G-Rough, a poetic mix of high and low-brow luxury.
With his first project, Palazzina G (opened in 2009), Garosci created a haven for celebrities who come to Venice wanting to escape the cameras, the lights, and the paparazzi. Garosci offers them just that: pure privacy, seclusion, and no hectic schedules to cling to. With G-Rough Garosci and Salini bring this same passion—a desire to have the world experience the capital city of Rome as a true Roman.
Before his untimely death in November 2014, Emanuele Garosci redefined the very concept of luxury in Venice with PalazzinaG and now with G-Rough in Rome. At eighteen, Garosci’s love of risk-taking lured him toward auto racing. As an hotelier, he found a grown-up means of quenching a similar thirst for thrills. A man who possessed great passion and an endless supply of adrenaline, Garosci was always looking for the next challenge, the ultimate experience.
A perfect location for travellers of the Eternal City of Rome, G-Rough sits nestled in the historical Piazza di Pasquino, on the edge of the famous Piazza Navona. Overlooking the iconic Sant’Agnese church, G-Rough’s central location provides the perfect vantage point to take in the many wonders of the city. Outside its doorstep, one finds a welcoming string of cool bars, restaurants and cafes.
