These two conjoined brutalist office blocks are local landmarks in the elegant Prati neighbourhood west of the River Tiber — so much so that they even featured in Dino Risi’s seminal 1962 film Il Sorpasso. In 2021, the interiors became as striking as the facade, when the offices were replaced by the behemoth 217- room Mama Shelter. A 10-minute stroll from the Vatican — St Peter’s dome is well within sight of the rooftop bar — it’s a kitsch version of italianità (Italianness), from the lobby carpet adorned with pizzas and Roman emperors to the clashing colours and columns of the ground-floor pizzeria and the basement take on Roman baths. Rooms pair swirling carpets with Renaissance-style upholstery, such as lions rampaging through foliage, while an extra £20 or so nets you a room with a balcony. ROOMS: From €166 (£142), B&B. mamashelter.com