Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-04
NO FAWNING
Rome Hotel.
HusNothino
ButAppeoI
By MARY McGRORY
Star staff Writer

6OMG. - EVERY traveller has
his favorite hotel. Generally, Il
is some little gem Of an inn
with peerless service and q de-
lightful dining room. The hotel
Of my heart, the Inghilterra
here, has neither Of these fea-
lures. Instead, it has person
atty.
The Inghilterra is superbly
located on the Via Bocca di
Leone (the Street Of the Lions
MOUTH. q short, perilous walk
on narrow sidewalks from the
Spanish steps.
1t Is old and gloomy. It boasts
no view. You can get nothing
to eat but breakfast, but once
its astringent flavor has been
tasted, it becomes an addic-
ton. I would never want to
stay anywhere else in Rome.
Reporters have been congregat-
ing there for generations.
Anyone looking for the fawn-
ing solicitude and scraping and
bowling that characterizeS the
service in many italian hotels
would never be happy at the
1nghilterra. The traveller is
strictly on his own.
It's special quality begins at
the front desk, and Is indeed
personified by Oscar, the con-
ceirge. He Is q tall Roman
with cleaning. sardonic black
eyes and arching black brows
that are permanently raised at
the folly Of people staying un-
der his roof.
Please Don't Write
II you ask Oscar for station
cry, which is sternly rationed
at the Inghilterra. he will hand
you two sheets. If you suggest
that you actually have four
friends who would like to have
news on you, he obviously
reaches down and hands you
two more.
Sergio, the bartender, speaks
not q single word Of English.
Furthermore he doesn't intend
to- learn any. La pronuncia, "
he explains, is too difficult.
The girls at the switchboard
are as good, If not better, than
their sisters at flossier hotels.
ASsteady stream of journalists
has instructed them in the i'm
portance Of messages. They can
follow the most complicated
turn Of events, as reported tc
them over the wire. It Is all
written down in excellent Ital-
IAN.
The Inghilterra has 1oC
rooms. and the manager, 9
strict little man who Is very
fussy about his clientele, once
told me that half Of them have
baths. I have never met anyone
who was able to book q room
with a bath. If you insist on In
dulging in the American fetish
of a daily bath, you merely have
to ring the bell and the signor.
ina or the porter will come anC
unlock the bathroom on YOU
floor, start the water running
and let you in.
On Sunday night, when the
whole staff is off, and one har.
ried maid is performing the
Inghilterra's entire repertory o.
grudging service, the procedure
does not take more than ar
hour.
Room Service
The Inghilterra is full of sur
prises. If you do not wish tt
eat your breakfast in thu
cramped little bar with its TIVE
tables, you confide to Oscal
that you would like room serv
ice. A black-eyed signorina un
expectedly arrives with thu
speed of John Glenn with thu
tray.
The Inghilterra's drawing
room is decorated in clashins
shades of red. It has a Lowell!
pillowed ceiling, and an ex'
quisite chandelier of Venetian
glass hung so high I didn'
notice it the first time I stayec
there. Sergio will serve tea O.
drinks to guests there, who car
only eat and talk, since thu
dim light from the chandelie,
is impossible to read by.
With all its austeritieS, thu
Inghilterra, which gives thu
guest no coddling beyond thu
privilege of being there, re-
mains the favorite of those WHIT
feel it is, in the city of Ii
Dolce Vita, the real life.
$4,000