‘Family is important to me — even though I’m a nomadic soul, I always return home. Nothing can damage my family’s Italian roots’
From Viola Melpignano’s penthouse in her family’s palazzo, she can see the whole of the Eternal City spread out beneath her. Stepping out onto the Piazza San Lorenzo, she has all the splendour of Rome on her doorstep. And the doorway itself is quite something, because right there are the remains of the Ara Pacis, built in 13BCE to honour the Emperor Augustus.
In fact, the Melpignano name is synonymous with exclusive locations. As well as San Domenico House hotel in London,
