New look for the former Hotel Roma in Ortigia, Sicily
The Hotel Roma in Ortigia (Syracuse) changes its name and gets a new look. The hotel, designed by VRetreats, becomes Palazzo Artemide.
A non-random choice, which refers to the name of the Greek goddess protector of the city of Syracuse to whom the same Temple, the Artemision, is also dedicated. The remains of which can still be admired today along Via Minerva, at the highest point of the Island of Ortigia is a short walk from the hotel.
Added to this is the new naming of the restaurant and bar inside: Amunì. An invitation to discover Sicily, starting from the choice of the name which embodies the roots of a renewed tradition that can also be found in the dishes, in which the different flavors and ingredients balance each other perfectly. The bar, extending across Piazza Minerva, as well as the outdoor area of the restaurant, are ideal for art lovers who will be able to admire the Doric columns of the Temple of Athena while enjoying a drink.
Historic Hotel
The two innovations are part of a broader renovation project of the entire hotel by VRetreats which has decided to intervene with the aim of revisiting the structure in contemporary key, while respecting its identity and enhancing the original proportions of the building and the strong Sicilian imprint.
The interventions drew inspiration from the historical architecture of the palace. Inside, the Hotel’s character is truly Sicilian: amidst the limestone used for the Greek temples and Baroque palaces – still the dominant motif of the building today – the traditional ‘secret’ courtyards inherited from Arab architecture, the small pensile gardens, the balconies for admiring the beauty of the city and the picturesque tufa stone ‘dammuso’ vaults in the restaurant, every corner speaks of Sicily.
Specifically, the renovation affected the ground floor with new arrangement of the internal common areas linked to reception, made more spacious and harmonious. Particular attention was paid to the new lighting system, which enhances the pre-existing columns, arches and internal vaults, arranged throughout the entrance area and to the conservation of the entire ocher marble flooring. Furthermore, the rooms were renovated, open on two sides with large balconies and reorganized in their decorative effects with plaster frames and backgrounds, typical of the local tradition, in line with the brand’s desire to restore the rooms’ their maximum originality.
Palazzo Artemide – Monumental charme
Palazzo Artemide, a historic hotel in Syracuse, is housed in an ancient late 19th century building adjacent to the Cathedral, the historic center of the city and a masterpiece of Sicilian Baroque.
Palazzo Artemide, founded in 1880, is set in the center of Ortigia, between the Cathedral and the Arcivescovado [Archbishopric], and faces Piazza Minerva, amid the ancient Doric columns of the Temple, on the main street of the historic city center of Siracusa, Via Roma.
The structure has 40 rooms, including 3 suites and 6 junior suites, which offer their own identity and diversity in the most refined details. Each is elegantly furnished and equipped with all comforts.
Added to these is the introduction of the new New York-Palermo route operated by Neos, an airline also part of Alpitour World, which from June will connect the United States with Sicily and vice versa.