A sensory journey through “Dolce Vita” with Tonatto & The Excelsior in Rome
“Yet a single scent, already breathed long ago, may once again, both in the present and the past, be real without being present […] and our true self, which may have seemed to be long dead, but never was entirely, is re-awoken.”
― Marcel Proust, Time Regained
Last 15 June I crossed one of Rome's most iconic thresholds, a wooden revolving door surmounted by grand stone statues in the Belle Epoque style; the reflections of the setting sun crept in through the Art Nouveau coloured glass and clashed with those emanating from the crystal chandeliers in the lobby. Before entering, however, I observed the palace from across the street; Via Veneto can be very busy at that time of day. A place that for everyone represents a nostalgic landmark of the Roman lifestyle of years gone by, for me it also holds some sweet childhood memories. Yet on that 14 June I was there for a special occasion!
The Westin Excelsior Hotel and the Turin-based maison of timeless perfumes Tonatto, created a sublime olfactory gallery that retraces a century of iconic cinema and makes it a whole new experience by making us 'feel' the smell of those scenes in the iconic lobby of the Roman Hotel!
The Excelsior in Roma stands as a living testament to the sweet “Dolce Vita” of Via Veneto, having witnessed the golden age of cinema firsthand and provided a charming backdrop for some of the most iconic scenes, like “La Dolce Vita” by Fellini and the most recent “House of Gucci” by Ridley Scott, to name a couple!
This opening event was a true homage to the past grandeur, inviting guests to indulge in the sights, scents, tastes, and sounds of a bygone era we are all nostalgic about, ensuring that the spirit of the “Dolce Vita” lives on within the walls of the Excelsior Hotel.
The experience is available in the lobby of the Excelsior Hotel from June to September 2023.
For all nostalgics of art-house cinema, for all lovers of the allure of la Dolce Vita, for those who adore to dive into immersive experiences..
Diletta Tonatto is the Creative Director of the Italian haute parfumerie excellence Tonatto perfumes. It was she who beautifully devised a sensory journey that would give an ad hoc fragrance to 10 iconic films in over a century of history: The Taking of Rome (1905), Cabiria (1914), Sciuscià (1946), Totò Peppino e la malafemmena (1956), Dolce Vita (1960), The Leopard (1963), Cleopatra (1964), Last Tango in Paris (1972), Nine (2009), House of Gucci (2021).
Have you ever wondered what
”The Leopard’s” iconic waltz scene smells like?
Over the outstandingly beautiful scene where, on a warm summer evening, the Prince of Salina dances the iconic waltzer with Angelica on the sublime marbles of Palazzo Gangi Valguarnera in Palermo, the audience must have been breathing a very humid air..
..in which the notes of the delicacies offered at the ball mingled with genuine smells of the Sicilian countryside. Here the tomato plant (not the tomato itself, yet its stem and leaves) is the protagonist of the fragrance that Tonatto dedicated to “the Leopard”.
A teleportation to the countryside, where we all keep some precious memories, myself included.. which is why, perhaps, this one of all was my favourite.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE ICONIC SCENE
From “The Leopard” by Luchino Visconti - 1963
It was sufficient to scan a QR code placed under the poster of each movie to see the specific scene that inspired its fragrance. When put together, the 'seeing' the 'listening' and 'smelling' really unlocked a superior experience of classic masterpieces, giving them the ability to evoke in each and every guest completely personal sensations, memories, emotions, shaped by the unique events of our lives.
Indulging the palate like at a grand-cinema.
The Excelsior hotel's Aperol Spritz maintains its supremacy as one of the best in town, accompanied by little bites of pure goodness that wink at the popcorn distribution in the cinema halls of yesteryear!
A multi-sensory experience made complete by the grandeur of the Excelsior's halls: crystal chandeliers illuminate the room with warm tones, while a pianist performs the soundtracks that sing about "Dolce Vita"; baroque clocks and mirrors adorn antique tables of precious mahogany, the marble floor echoes the laughter and notes that envelop an event as refined as it is exquisite.
A journey back in time.. in full “Dolce Vita” style!
I’m left with a sweet memory of this event in the heart of the streets of the "Dolce Vita": this lovely and heart-warming shot, on a classic Vespa with Diletta Tonatto: a splendid woman I had the pleasure of meeting on this occasion and with whom I could have talked about Beauty all evening long!
My immense gratitude goes to Maddalena Ciociola, Public Relations Manager at The Westin Excelsior Rome for making me part of this sweet, nostalgic and beauty-full Time journey with Diletta Tonatto!
“Yet a single scent, already breathed long ago, may once again, both in the present and the past, be real without being present […] and our true self, which may have seemed to be long dead, but never was entirely, is re-awoken.”
― Marcel Proust, Time Regained