From breakfasts under the bougainvillea to star-lit dinners en plein dehors passing through waking up in the midst of green hills and luscious countryside vegetation: spring is finally here and a few of our favourite hotels have finally reopened for the season. Here is a selection of hotels you must add to your spring travel bucket lists in Italy.
1
ROSEWOOD CASTIGLION DEL BOSCO, TOSCANA
Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco spans across 2000 hectares, housing 42 rooms & suites, 11 villas, two restaurants, a SPA, Golf Club and Wine Cellar. This idyllic resort, in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Val d’Orcia, has announced its reopening on the 31st March with some exciting experiences to note down. For those planning a summer vacay – hold your horses. Rosewood CDB guests can experience the world-renowned Palio di Siena from a historic building that overlooks Piazza del Campo between 2nd July and 16th August. For Wine lovers, there’s an extraordinary experience with Fly Brunello that includes a helicoptre ride over Tuscany’s renowned vineyards in Montepulciano, Pienza and Montalcino, a private wine cellar tour of Brunello and a gourmet lunch at the Michelin starred restaurant Il Silene. And the best way to end your wine experience? With more wine of course – the SPA at Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco has recently launched new treatments such as Divine Wine, a body ritual with the use of red grape seeds that are known to contain stress relieving properties and concludes with a glass of red. WEBSITE
2
Masseria Torre Maizza,
Puglia
On the Adriatic Coast, in Savelletri di Fasano, Masseria Torre Maizza is an extraordinary luxury hotel that stands out for its strong connection to wellness, perhaps tied to Irene Forte’s personal ambition to create an incomparable spa. Here, nature takes over, as well as those calming colour palettes and rattan furnishings that highlights the power earth has on our physical, emotional and spiritual health. There are many treatments from facials and rituals to therapies as well as private fitness classes that range from PT to yoga and pilates. On the culinary front, the Carosello, set in the former stables of the masseria, offers an exquisite a la carte menu whose dishes are based around healthy, organic, locally sourced ingredients with an ode to traditional Apuglian cuisine. Before you head to dinner however, make sure you stop at Bougainvillea for Masseria Torre Maizza ‘s own bespoke gin + t with the beautiful backdrop of the Adriatic coast. WEBSITE
3
IL BORRO,
toscana
Located within a medieval village, Il Borro Relais & Chateaux, of the Ferraagamo family, takes the form of an ‘albergo diffuso’ and is renowned for its excellent organic and sustainable wine production. Surrounded by the rolling hills of the Valdarno, the hotel offers various arrangements from three luxurious villas (including the majestic Dimora Storica), 38 refined suites in the medieval village also home to artisan shops, and a further 20 suites, two restaurants: l’Osteria del Borro and Il Borro Tuscan Bistro (concept also expanded in Florence, Dubai and London). Two swimming pools – the one in the medieval village has an extraordianry view over the hills, and the heart and soul of the estate: the Wine cellar where guests can fully dive into the wine journey of Il Borro starting from the Galleria Vino & Arte, passing through the cellars and concluding with a taste of the prestigious wines. Alongside all the activities one can part-take in from tennis lessons to bike rides, Il Borro also offers cooking lessons tailored for both adults and children to allow guests to dive into the culture behind not only Tuscan cuisine but the importance of sustainable, seasonal and local ingredients. WEBSITE
4
GRAND HOTEL TREMEZZO,
lago di como
Placed along the western shored of Lake Como, the Grand Hotel Tremezzo is a splendid hotel from top to bottom. The design is a suave blend between classic and contemporary in which it has rooms furnished with large draping curtains and antique gilt-framed mirrors that tie in with the Wes Anderson feel of pop coloured velvet sofas. Some rooms face the lake and others, the park; either way you are blessed with a breathtaking view. Five are the culinary offers at the GHT. Excellent is La Terrazza Gualtiero Marchesi, where one can taste refined, gourmet Italian cuisine with the splendid backdrop of the Grigne but also noteworthy is the second year running collaboration with Giacomo, historic Milanese restaurant, that offers a fish-based menu cooked with a traditional, familiar context. There are three swimming pools, a private beach club facing Bellagio, T Spa and T Bar, with a new cocktail list designed by Jeff Zanotti, new on the scene. A recent addition is also the Sense of Lake, an online boutique that highlights the excellence of the Made in Italy and features items that are often exclusive to the Grand Hotel Tremezzo. WEBSITE
5
Hotel Santa Caterina, amalfi, campania
A balcony on the sea. Literally. The rooms as well as the Michelin starred restaurant Glicine, Al Mare and La Terrazza all face the deep blue waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Imagine sitting there, sipping on your morning coffee, nibbling on a warm, freshly baked sfogliatella with the sun shining on your face – the epitome of Dolce Vita. The atmosphere is all very classic, elegant that has been embellished by climbing bougainvillea and colourful plants that frame the walls. This spring, the hotel has also reopened with a new addition: La Villa della Marchesa. Three independent private villas characterised, by the breathtaking view of the sea and terraced gardens enriched by dense lemon groves, citrus groves and patios, where you can relax and enjoy the blend of sea and nature. These villas are a short distance from the hotel and offers guests the opportunity to use all the restaurant, room service and SPA services from the hotel. WEBSITE
6
Le Calette,
Cefalù, Sicilia
Le Calette is a luxury hotel nestled among the coast of Cefalù in Sicily; surrounded by a rich mediterranean vegetation integrated with the blue tones of the sea. This season, Le Calette reopens with some exciting new experiences and culinary proposals. Chef Dario Pandolfo takes over Cala Luna, the fine dining restaurant for those star-lit dinners within the romantic setting of the surroundings. The menu is an inviting selection of local, modern dishes, The season also inaugurates the new wellness area, with Gym & SPA featuring Turkish bath, sauna and an outdoor gazebo where you can request your massage for a bali-style experience. Talk about experience, there are many that can be organised with le Calette, from yoga classes to private picnics on the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Cefalù rock. WEBSITE
7
il santavenere di maratea, basilicata
Maratea, also known as the “Pearl of the Tyrrhenian”, is set in the rocks overlooking the sea and the backdrop of Santavenere is precisely this; enriched by the scents of blueberry, broom and sage that frame the hotel.All 34 rooms & suites and common areas of the Santavenere have been furnished with utmost attention to detail, from the flooring with historic Vietri tiles to Minturno ceramics and rare handicrafts. There are two restaurants, Gli Ulivi, an easier option for lunch and Il Carrubo, elegantly situated on the terrace overlooking the sea with a tasting menu that blends tradition and contemporaneity in one single journey, There is also a SPA, where one can escape to for a tailored massage or treatment. WEBSITE
8
La Posta Vecchia,
lazio
The history of this romantic place spans the millennia, in its foundations mosaics and finds from a Roman villa, and a small museum of what was found during the restoration works. The building, as we see it now, was built in the seventeenth century as a guesthouse for the nearby Odescalchi Castle and later became a hotel. In the 1960s it was bought by Paul Getty who transformed it into a scenographic and sumptuous residence, with lounges, a library, rooms that open into other rooms in an opulent sequence, always furnished with antiques. La Posta Vecchia is a hotel with a unique flavour: it has kept its ‘home’ dimension where the furniture corresponds to the taste and lifestyle of its owner and its character derives from its history, Its position is unique; it is literally crowning the sea, surrounded by greenery, and it is only a few kilometers from Rome. The terrace overlooking the sea is delightful and in the summer evenings the sunset seen from here is all to be experienced . The terrace is also the dehor of the Cesar Restaurant, where the cuisine by chef Antonio Magliulo offers a Mediterranean imprint, adapted to the needs of an international clientele. WEBSITE
9
BORGO SAN FELICE,
toscana
The first impression when staying at Borgo San Felice, is this captivating sense of peace coupled with an ethereal and mysterious feel. A complete immersion in nature where the medieval village is surrounded by hectates and hectares of olive groves, vineyards and rolling tuscan hills. One comes here to forget, to rewind and to explore. At the Borgo San Felice there are 60 country-chic rooms and two independant villals, there’s a spa, a Michelin starred restaurant ‘Poggio Rosso’ and L’Osteria del Grigio, both open to guests and non. Since 2019, both restaurants have been under the guidance of the multi-starred Chef Enrico Bartolini and led by Columbian Executive Chef Juan Quintero, a young and extremely talented chef who, in 2020, gained the Michelin star for Poggio Rosso. Both cuisines reflect the essence of Tuscan cuisine however at Poggio Rosso, Chef Quintero combines elements from his background, creating a unique blend of flavours presented beautifully on a plate. There’s also a swimming pool that overlooks the rolling Chianti Classico Senese hills and an entire world of agriculture and viticulture. WEBSITE
10
LA CALANDRA,
lampedusa, sicilia
In the heart of Lampedusa, overlooking the cliffs of Cala Creta are white limestone dammusi, your typical Pantelleria dwellings which house the Calandra resort, a place of relaxation and Mediterranean comfort. The Dammusi Classic, Superior or Suite all have private patios and sea views and the interiors are welcoming, with a very island-y / mediterranean design. To make the stay as special as possible, guests can book an experience aboard the mahogany ship of Turkish origin, the majestic Gulet, for the exclusive use of guests, which leads every day to the discovery of magnificent beaches, coves and caves. While sailing on the gulet, the sailors will serve lunch. The kitchen on board prepares typical dishes of the Lampedusan tradition, rich in the flavours of local raw materials. After spending a day at the beach, one can enjoy a sunset with an aperitif on the splendid panoramic terrace as the sun slowly sets in the horizon. WEBSITE
