10/10
Everything was great. Special thanks to Concierge Sinisa who was really kind and helpful.
Rome · head to head
Rome Cavalieri vs Hotel Vilòn
Priced on the same night, 2026-10-10: Rome Cavalieri is $1,481 a night less. They are 3.0 km apart.
Book takes you to the exact room at that rate on HotelDupe's booking partner. Confirmation arrives by email; manage or cancel any time from Find your booking.
The honest take
Book Rome Cavalieri if you want a resort experience: pool, spa, tennis, and La Pergola, at $809 a night, up on the Monte Mario hill with the whole city and the Vatican dome laid out below the balconies. Book Hotel Vilòn if you want to be in the historic centre itself, steps from Piazza del Popolo, and don't mind paying $1902 for a small, quiet, design-forward townhouse with the higher guest rating. They're 3km apart but functionally in different cities of experience: one is a self-contained hilltop compound, the other a discreet address you walk out of into Rome's actual streets.
The look and the feel
Rome Cavalieri
The Cavalieri is a 1960s hilltop palace, all long marble corridors and a huge art collection, built at a scale meant to compete with the view it commands rather than the city around it. Rooms have balconies that look straight at St Peter's dome across the rooftops, and the public spaces have that mid-century grand-hotel formality, gilt, chandeliers, hushed carpeted lobbies. La Pergola on the roof is the reason serious diners make the trip up the hill at all, three Michelin stars with a wine cellar to match. It draws a resort crowd: people who want a pool, a spa day, tennis in the morning, and a car into the centre when they feel like sightseeing.
Best for guests who want spa, pool and full resort facilities and don't mind being a taxi ride from the centre.
Hotel Vilòn
Vilòn occupies a former 16th-century convent turned princely residence just off Via del Corso, and the interiors lean into that history with muted plaster tones, antique furniture mixed with contemporary pieces, and a quiet restraint rather than gilt. Rooms are few and individually decorated, several with private terraces looking over the rooftops toward Piazza del Popolo, and the whole place has the hush of a private house rather than a hotel. The restaurant and small garden courtyard are the social centre, no lobby bustle, no queue for reception. It's built for people who came to Rome to be in Rome, not to retreat from it.
Best for guests who want to walk out the door into the historic centre and prefer a small, quiet, design-led hotel to a resort.
The cheaper Cavalieri gives up nothing on facilities and in fact has the pool, spa, hot tub and gym Vilòn lacks entirely; what it gives up instead is location, sitting 3km outside the historic centre Vilòn sits directly inside.
Vilòn is the more beautiful place to actually be, a converted palazzo with real texture and history close enough to touch, against Cavalieri's competent but generic grand-hotel polish on a hill outside the action.
The numbers
| Rome Cavalieri | Hotel Vilòn | |
|---|---|---|
| Price, same night | $690 | $2,171 |
| Guest rating | 9/10 | 9.6/10 |
| Reviews | 1122 | 266 |
| Stars | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Facilities on our list | 8 | 4 |
| Distance apart | 3.0 km |
What one has that the other doesn't
Only Rome Cavalieri has
- Spa
- Pool
- Fitness
- Hot tub
Only Hotel Vilòn has
Nothing on our list that Rome Cavalieri lacks.
What guests actually say
Rome Cavalieri
- excellent gym
- great staff and food
- the pools
- expensive parking
- poor room given despite low occupancy
“Everything was great. Special thanks to Concierge Sinisa who was really kind and helpful.”
Hotel Vilòn
- luxurious large rooms
- excellent breakfast
- excellent service
- no pool or gym
- dirty street outside
“Ticked every box”
Rome Cavalieri guests seem happier overall, praising the gym, pools and staff with only minor gripes, whereas Vilòn reviews are more mixed with several low scores and complaints about missing facilities and a dirty surrounding street.
Rooms & rates, 2026-10-10
Rome Cavalieri
- King Deluxe RoomRoom Only$690
- King Deluxe Room - No ReembolsableRoom Only$696
- King DeluxeRoom Only$703
Hotel Vilòn
- 06 Suite Dell'arancioBreakfast Included$2,170
- Suite Dell'arancioRoom Only · free cancellation$2,182
- Deluxe, SuiteBreakfast Included · free cancellation$2,346
In guests' own words
Rome Cavalieri
4/10
“how mean spirited of management (or not to give us a nicer room, given low occupancy and renovations”
the pools
the hotel was 25% occupied yet we were given a room overlooking the car park and a huge mobile phone tower, not overlooking the pools and gardens yet charged over $500! the renovations were not mentioned at time of booking
10/10
“Best Hotel in Rome”
This was our favourite hotel during our trip to Italy. Everything was perfect, the staff, the room, the food and quite possibly the best hotel gym we have ever seen. We upgraded our room and recommend using the imperial lounge.
Was quite expensive to park, but you can just leave it on the road.
Hotel Vilòn
10/10
“Perfect, private boutique location with luxurious large rooms. Exquisite service”
Stunning property, the rooms with high ceilings are perfect Beautiful small touches. Feels very private
10/10
“A hidden gem”
Ticked every box
Nothing
10/10
“Perfect stay”
Nothing under the control of the hotel unfortunately but the street is really really dirty around the small market location. Smells awful esp. with high temperature and heatwave.
About each
Rome Cavalieri
Luxurious Rooms with Stunning Views Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel offers spacious rooms with balconies overlooking Rome and the Vatican. Enjoy marble bathrooms and access to the Imperial Club Lounge for ultimate luxury. Gourmet Dining and Relaxation Indulge in exquisite dining at the 3-Michelin star rooftop restaurant, La Pergola, or savor classic…
Check-in — · Check-out 12:00 PM
Hotel Vilòn
Luxurious Accommodation Indulge in elegance at Hotel Vilòn, located in the heart of Rome's historic center. Experience comfort in guest rooms equipped with modern amenities, including flat-screen TVs and air conditioning. Some rooms even feature charming terraces for a delightful stay. Culinary Delights Savor the flavors of Italy at the on-site restaurant,…
Check-in — · Check-out 12:00 PM
Facilities, in full
Rome Cavalieri
- Fitness facilities
- WiFi available
- Free WiFi
- Parking
- Non-smoking rooms
- Air conditioning
- Fitness center
- Swimming pool
- 24-hour front desk
- Restaurant
- Room service
- Business center
- Heating
- Terrace
- Family rooms
- Garden
Hotel Vilòn
- WiFi available
- Free WiFi
- Parking
- Non-smoking rooms
- Air conditioning
- 24-hour front desk
- Restaurant
- Room service
- Heating
- Family rooms
- Garden
- Pets allowed
- Lift / Elevator
- Laundry
- Luggage storage
- Airport shuttle
Where they are
Via Cadlolo 101Via Dell' Arancio 69
More comparisons in Rome
Villa Spalletti Trivelli vs Rome CavalieriVilla Spalletti Trivelli vs Hassler RomaVilla Spalletti Trivelli vs Hotel VilònVilla Spalletti Trivelli vs The St. Regis RomeRome Cavalieri vs Hassler RomaRome Cavalieri vs The St. Regis RomeHassler Roma vs Hotel VilònHassler Roma vs The St. Regis Rome
Rates are live for 2026-10-10, one night, two guests, fetched together so the two are comparable. Facilities and reviews are from each hotel's own listing. The honest take is written by our AI from the listing, the reviews and what is widely known about each hotel. HotelDupe earns a commission if you book, which never changes the verdict. All comparisons