Living the dolce vita
Capri Palace, Anacapri, Italy
From the moment I stepped off the ferry onto the quay at the bustling Marina Grande on the ‘blue island’ of Capri, I knew I’d arrived somewhere special.
Although the crowds of tourists milling around the port (even in october) were a little off-putting and the drive to the hotel in Anacapri—which involved negotiating single-lane roads and hairpin bends—wasn’t exactly relaxing, as soon as we walked through the tunnel-like entrance to the Capri Palace, it was clear that this hotel was a calm, discreet and seriously stylish oasis.
Indeed, it was as sophisticated and elegant as I’d imagined an Italian palazzo might be, with pale linen-covered furniture and contemporary art. Built in the authentic Capri style in the 1950s, this grand five-star retreat, with arches, vaults and columns, looks just like an 18th-century Neapolitan palace.
Many of the 68 rooms, some with a private pool and garden, are named for the film stars and glamorous guests who’ve flocked here since the island became a high-class holiday destination in the 1960s, such as Jacqueline onassis and, more recently, Gwyneth Paltrow. My ‘Marilyn Monroe’ suite had its own entrance hall, a vast bed and bathroom, a sitting room and a balcony overlooking the Bay of Naples.
With two restaurants to choose from— two-michelin starred L’olivo and the more informal Bistrot ragù, where we devoured deliciously fresh pasta, seafood and pizzas cooked in the wood-fired oven on the terrace—the food, along with the service, was exceptional. Breakfast presented all manner of treats, from ham carved off the bone and local cheeses to scrambled eggs and Champagne on tap. However, I’ll never forget a simple dish of rich, red sliced tomatoes and plump mozzarella topped with fresh basil, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and served with warm, garlicencrusted flatbread, which we enjoyed
alfresco during a long, relaxed lunch. Bellissimo!
PL Rooms at Capri Palace—part of the Mytha Hotel Anthology comprising seven retreats in Italy, Turkey, Croatia and Spain—start from £365 per night, on a bed-and-breakfast basis (00 39 06 320 8041; www.mythahotels.com)