Every Roman has an opinion of the Vittorio Emanuele II Monument, and most of them are, shall we say, unfavorable. Its detractors find it too large and ostentatious, and it has been described as resembling false teeth, a typewriter, and a wedding cake. But love it or not, it's here to stay, and visitors can still find plenty of beauty amid its aesthetic misfires. Built in the early 20th century to honor a unified Italy's first king, it contains a tomb of the unknown soldier, as well as a museum of Italian reunification. But the most popular part of it is its roof deck, which recently got a whole lot easier to visit. The new Rome from the Sky elevator takes visitors on a thrilling ride to the top of the monument, where a sweeping panorama of Rome and its suburbs spreads out in all directions. Even those who claim to dislike the monument love the view from up top, because the one thing you can't see from up there is the monument itself. Guests at the Hotel Eden or any of Starwood's Rome properties can decide for themselves how the monument stacks up against the city's ancient gems.
