HOTEL LA PALMA

Capri, Italy

How do you approach the mammoth task of transforming an iconic hotel? First, choose a designer whose stock and trade is bridging the past and the present. Luxury hotel group

Oetker Collection picked Francis Sultana to work on its latest acquisition— Hotel La Palma. Sultana is known for working on projects in which art is a major focus, and that’s exactly what they had planned for the property.

Built in 1822, Hotel La Palma was Capri’s first-ever hotel, and also known as the “Artists’ Hotel” for hosting many creative luminaries in its time. This legacy inspired Sultana to gather top Italian craftsmen and artisans to infuse the space with new creative energy. “Capri is an island of romanticism and has a history of great aesthetes,” says Sultana.

Art is woven into the spaces in non-traditional ways, best represented by the ceiling fresco by Roberto Ruspoli in the lobby, which shows the hotel’s commitment to ensuring art is not just hung on the walls. When it does appear on the walls, however, they make it count—italian artist Luisa Lambri was tasked to create artworks for all 50 rooms.