Dining at the hotel, city breaks with a staycation

And so, during this emergency, hotels and their restaurants are reinventing themselves with special offers and staycations (a vacation in their own city) to allow guests to escape for a short getaway without traveling. Along with package deals, gourmet restaurants are also offering delivery and takeout options to combat the crisis.

Italy's major cities have pioneered alternative vacations with offers bouncing across social media since the early hours following the October 25th Prime Ministerial Decree. Beppe Grillo, for example, shared an offer from Rome's Hotel Forum, where he's a regular, which quickly became news: dinner at the Roof Garden Restaurant with a three-course tasting menu of your choice for €90 per person, including room. And speaking of stars, from Rome to Naples, from Heinz Beck to Domenico Candela, Michelin-starred restaurants are offering dream stays at discounted prices, with brunches, lunches, and dinners reserved for hotel guests.

ROME

The Pergola and the Olive Grove, Rome Cavalieri

At the Rome Cavalieri, the word "staycation" once again awakens the desire to indulge in dinner without the worry of having to return home early. The "Starred Staycation" package, with dinner at La Pergola by Heinz Beck, is, of course, luxurious: €850 for dinner for two and one night, €970 for dinner for two and two nights. The Rome Cavalieri is also focusing on the Sunday brunch formula, created by Executive Chef Fabio Boschero together with the Uliveto team. The next themed brunch focuses on Thanksgiving Day and is scheduled for November 29th. Appetizers are served at the table, and first courses and hot dishes are chosen à la carte, while desserts are curated by Executive Pastry Chef Dario Nuti. The chefs' live stations for cold dishes, salads, and desserts remain active, with spaces spaced out to allow guests to gather safely. The cost is 100 euros including drinks (45 for children up to 11 years old).

La Pergola e L'Uliveto – Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Via Alberto Cadlolo 101, Rome. Tel. 06 35091. Website. Facebook page.

The Terrace and Garden Restaurant, Hotel Eden

At Hotel Eden, La Terrazza, a one-Michelin-star restaurant led by Fabio Ciervo, is open for lunch only on weekends, while Il Giardino Ristorante offers brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 12:30 to 3:00 p.m. It's an "Italian brunch," with hot and cold dishes served at your table, enjoyed on the rooftop, facing the enormous windows overlooking the city center. The à la carte menu changes weekly: a selection of cheeses and cured meats, Italian antipasti with a gourmet twist, two tastings of first courses and a choice of either meat or fish, and, to finish, a dessert trolley designed by Ezio Redolfi. The price is €80. The delivery option isn't far-reaching, but it's a hit: it's only available in the historic center and the Prati, San Pietro, and Parioli areas, but takeout is always available. For those wishing to stay at the prestigious Hotel Eden, the price of a classic room starts at €495 + VAT per night.

The Terrace and Garden Restaurant – Hotel Eden, Via Ludovisi 49, Rome. Tel. 06 478121. Website. Facebook page.

NAPLES

George Restaurant e Le Muse, Grand Hotel Parker’s

Even the Michelin-starred George has decided to stay open: for dinner Wednesday through Saturday and for lunch on Sundays. This is a response to the crisis. Executive Chef Domenico Candela's dinner experience at George remains as excellent as ever, with the added bonus of participating in the "Dinner and... Sleep with Us" package. By subscribing, for the cost of dinner alone, you'll receive a free night's stay, allowing you to enjoy an evening overlooking the Gulf of Naples at your own pace and in complete relaxation. Outside of the promotion, room rates start at €277 per night for interior rooms, €337 for sea-view rooms, and up to €1,337 per night for a suite. The panoramic Le Muse restaurant, led by Chef Vincenzo Fioravante, is open for lunch daily and is introducing a delivery service. The dishes—strictly Neapolitan—respect tradition according to the recipes of Mamma Matilde (the Avallone family's chef), reinterpreted with a gourmet twist.

George Restaurant and Le Muse - Grand Hotel Parker's, Corso Vittorio Emanuele 135, Naples. Tel. 081 7612474. Website. Facebook page.

BOLOGNA

I Portici Restaurant, I Portici Hotel

We move to La Rossa, the only Michelin-starred restaurant in the historic center, with a package circulating on social media in the last few hours offering a gourmet dinner and overnight stay starting at €95. This is the opportunity to savor the cuisine of Roman chef Gianluca Renzi (a student of Heinz Beck) and stay in one of the hotel's prestigious rooms. The menu is served at the Teatro Eden-Kursaal, a former café-chantant dating back to the 19th century. The rooms are in keeping with the elegance of Palazzo Maccaferri, an Art Nouveau building that has housed the Hotel I Portici since 2007. Outside of the package, prices start at €85 per night for a standard room.

I Portici Restaurant – I Portici Hotel, Via dell'Indipendenza 69, Bologna. Tel. 051 42185. Website. Facebook page.

FLORENCE

Santa Elisabetta Restaurant, Hotel Brunelleschi

In the heart of the Renaissance and on the first floor of the Brunelleschi Hotel in Florence, the recently awarded Santa Elisabetta restaurant, led by chef Rocco De Santis, is offering dinner at one of seven exclusive tables until November 24th, including a complimentary night in a Classic Executive room (room only, breakfast not included). Choose from three dinner menus: the five-course "Tracce di innovazione" menu (€140 excluding drinks), the seven-course "In-contaminazioni" menu (€169), or the nine-course "Chef Experience" menu (€199). Rooms at the Hotel Brunelleschi start at €289 per night.

Santa Elisabetta Restaurant – Hotel Brunelleschi, Piazza Santa Elisabetta 3, Florence. Tel. 055 27370. Website. Facebook page.