Italy’s new RENAISSANCE
Whether you’re looking for amore in Amalfi, romance in Rome or serenity in Sicily, you’ll find it thanks to...
Inside hotel lobbies across Italy, change is afoot. Aside from a handful of iconic properties, many have long been stuck in the past – either draughty B&B-style pensiones or overly formal residences. But this year there’s a serious refreshing of choice as a wave of incredible new hotels up.
Look no further than the craggy, snow-tipped peaks of the Dolomites for a fairy-tale escape at Hotel Kolfuschgerhof, in the northern region of Alta Badia.
It’s a family-owned hotel, inspired by a traditional Tyrolean aesthetic with wood-clad rooms and bathtubs giving stunning views over The Sella massif. Alpine-themed spa treatments, some using locally made blackberry oils, and plenty of cosy corners are just the thing to warm you up after a day spent out in the crisp air.
As well as dining in the hotel, guests can tuck into fondue and traditional fare in the hotel’s tiny mountain lodge, found at 6,500ft up in the Val Stella Alpina – giving new meaning to ‘haute cuisine’ (kolfuschgerhof.com).
Drive south for an hour and take in the cascading Pisciadu Waterfalls en route to another new mountain retreat, Locanda degli Artisti, where there’s a contemporary twist on high-altitude chic.
The hotel has just 20 suites, each dedicated to an Italian artist with their original pieces adorning the walls. Local wine tastings and a creative take on typical Trentino cookery are among the highlights (merrioncharles.com).
While Venice will be limiting day visitors from the summer in a bid to tackle chronic overcrowding, spring is usually a good time to experience the city without huge crowds.
Ca’ di Dio, or House of God, is, as its name suggests, a heavenly place to soak up Venice’s history. Close to Piazza San Marco at the entrance to the Arsenale art district, it has been carved out of a palazzo which dates back to 1271 and welcomed the world’s first ever tourists in the form of Crusaders and pilgrims.
The interiors reflect the city’s artistic heritage with travertine floors, preserved frescoes and Murano glass. A pretty spot to hang out is the hotel’s gourmand restaurant Vero, with glorious views over the island of San Giorgio Maggiore (vretreats.com/ca-di-dio).
Baglioni Hotel Luna, known as one of Venice’s most iconic hotels, also boasts a rich history of hosting travellers. Dating back to the 12th Century, it was once home to a Knights Templar hostel, making it the oldest hotel in the city. Now renovated and beautifully restored, guests can relax in the spa and dine in the restaurant (baglionihotels.com).
A waterside haven of a different kind can be found on Lake Como with the new Passalacqua hotel, due to open in June.
It is a sister property to the Lake’s most famous hotel – the Grand Hotel Tremezzo – and has been created from an 18th Century lakeside villa which once welcomed visitors such as Napoleon Bonaparte and composer Vincenzo Bellini. With just 24 suites – one of which has a double-height music room where Bellini used to play piano – the hotel promises romance in abundance. Guests can wander its rose gardens and explore hidden tunnels, or relax with an alfresco spa treatment in the ancient orchards, sail the lake on vintage yachts and enjoy movie nights under the stars (passalacqua.it).
Head directly south from Lake Como to Milan and, for an immersive leap into this stylish city, check into the new Vico Milano. It’s a ‘home-from-home’ from hotelier Neri Baccheschi Berti, whose family own (and play host) at the stunning Castello di Vicarello in Tuscany. With just seven bedrooms, this guesthouse bursts with eclectic interiors sourced from around the world. Expect tiles from Fez, carpets from Iran and green marble from Greece (vicomilano.com).
This summer also welcomes luxury hotel Portrait Milano, which will channel Milan’s fashion heritage. Following on from five-star sister hotels in Rome and Florence, it is part of the Lungarno Collection by the Ferragamo family. The hotel has been created out of one of Europe’s oldest seminaries, dating to 1564, and includes a baroque entrance and vast internal piazza. Contemporary additions include a wellness centre, restaurants and a shopping arcade (lungarnocollection.com).
Piacenza, 65km south of Milan, is frequently overlooked by tourists. Its latest opening, Novo Osteria, a restaurant-with-rooms concept, may soon change that.
Owner Gianni Maini has taken inspiration from the building’s
ONCE HOME TO A HOSTEL FOR THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR
heritage. It was originally a 12th Century convent, later an inn and, in the post-war years, the place where actors and dancers from the nearby Capitol theatre used to stay – thus becoming a symbol for Piacenza’s rich ‘dolce vita’ culture.
Just seven rooms are served by a stellar restaurant with dishes from the Emilia-Romagna region (novoosteria.it). Rosewood Castliglion del Bosco, a sprawling country estate in Montalcino, in the heart of Tuscany, is another property founded by the Ferragamo family.
The impeccable resort, on a working wine estate, recently reopened after a renovation which includes 19 new suites in the original farm hamlet.
Each has their own pool and antiques sourced from historic Tuscan homes (rosewoodhotels. com).The Reschio Estate in the Umbrian Hills also captures the magic of the Italian countryside. Since 1994, three generations of the Bolza family have been meticulously restoring the estate to its former glory, and the recent opening of Hotel Castello di Reschio is the culmination of much of this work. At its heart is a 1,000-year-old castle, transformed into a 36-room hotel with fine linens and unique pieces by local artisans.
A selection of restaurants, including one in a clocktower, champion a farm-to-fork ethos, with the majority of produce sourced from the estate’s own organic kitchen garden, vineyards and beehives. Descend into the vaulted wine cellar and you’ll be transported back to Roman times in The Bathhouse, an ethereal spa with exposed brick walls and worn stone steps (reschio.com).
Rome is abuzz with new openings, including W Rome, which brings some fun to the Eternal City with a secret garden, dedicated pastry restaurant that’s home to a sweet machine filled with hand-made chocolates, and a chill-out rooftop bar with pool (w-rome.com). If you prefer bold and colourful designs then check out Mama Shelter Roma from the French boho hotel brand. Expect great views from the rooftop restaurant overlooking Vatican City and Mama Baths – the hotel’s modern take on traditional Roman baths (mamashelter.com).
Opening in the autumn is the much-anticipated Six Senses Rome, found close to the Trevi Fountain. It is carved out of an 18th Century palazzo and will feature restored original details, such as a grand central staircase. As well as a rooftop terrace with an organic fruit and vegetable garden, the big draw here is the first-floor spa with botanicalthemed therapies (sixsenses.com).
For some of the most impressive ocean views in Italy, you can’t beat the cliffside Borgo Santandrea, which perches some 300ft above the sea on the Amalfi Coast.
Interiors are inspired by the building’s 1960s’ origins but also feature beautifully crafted elements such as hand-painted geometric tiles by local artisans and hand-blown Venetian glass lamps.
Romance abounds in the terraced gardens with lemon, pomegranate and olive trees. Throw in a private beach and three restaurants and you’ve got a pretty special summer escape (borgosantandrea.it).
Oetker Collection is the name behind some of the most legendary hotels in the world – including the five-star Lanesborough in Central London – and it has now set its sights on Italy.
Step forward Hotel La Palma, the most glamorous hotel of 2022, opening in April on the island of Capri.
Hotel La Palma was the island’s first ever hotel, built in 1822, and its transformation is a collaboration between and its billionaire owners the Reuben Brothers and Oetker. No expense has been spared on bespoke lighting and hand-crafted furnishings. Indeed, the whole new look aims to capture the island’s laid-back and artistic culture. Factor in a beach club, spa, boutiques and dining – including the rooftop restaurant Bianca, run by famous Italian chef Gennaro Esposito – and Hotel La Palma is a love letter to Capri (oetkercollection.com).
Over in Porto Cervo in Sardinia, 7Pines Resort opens its doors in July. It’s surrounded by untouched coastline and a nature reserve, and has a carefree, boho vibe. As well as a beach club, private yachts for guests and three restaurants, the hotel will also offer organic spa treatments (7pines.com).
Not to be outdone, Italy’s largest island, Sicily welcomes three knockout hotels. Boutique Il San Corrado di Noto opens in April with just 26 suites and eight villas, and is the first of its kind in Val di Noto, Sicily’s Unesco World Heritage site. Tucked away in citrus and olive groves, it offers guests one of Sicily’s largest pools (ilsancorradodinoto.com).
At Rocco Forte’s new resort in Palermo, Villa Igiea captures the essence of France’s prosperous inter-war years known as Belle Epoque. The mansion was originally built as a private villa in the 19th Century, and was later transformed into the island’s most famous grand hotel. After a two-year refurb, chef Fulvio Pierangelini heads up three restaurants with simple, authentic Sicilian delicacies, such as salted baked seabass with anchovies (roccofortehotels.com).
For another historic gem look to Taormina and the San Domenico Palace. This 14th Century Dominican convent became a hotel in 1856, with a guestbook littered with famous regulars such as Oscar Wilde, DH Lawrence, Audrey Hepburn and Sophia Loren.
Two years have also been spent in a makeover of this Four Seasons hotel. Guests can expect immaculately restored architectural details, a clifftop infinity pool and lush gardens. It’s also set to be a culinary hotspot with Sicilian-born executive cef Massimo Mantarro’s passion for local cuisine. Don’t miss his most celebrated dish – pasta e sepia – marinated cuttlefish with spaghetti, cuttlefish ink and courgette blossom fondue. Dining with Mount Etna in sight, it doesn’t get more dramatic – or Italian – than that (fourseasons.com/taormina).
FEAST ON DRAMATIC VIEWS OF MOUNT ETNA WHILE YOU EAT