Belmond Hotel Splendido, authentic glamour in Portofino

you find the port town of Portofino. Most associate this idyllic bay with celebrities, huge yachts and ostentatious glamour during the summer season, but the city is also full of charm, and the Hotel Splendido is Portofino's jewel with its fine views over the bay. Impressively, Portofino has managed to retain its original aesthetic style. The beautiful houses, which once housed poor fishermen, have been carefully restored and preserved in delicate pastel colours typical of Liguria.

located along the port do not scream for attention with big signs or coloured lights, but elegantly wait to receive lunch guests. This is a big part of the secret to why Portofino is such an attraction to the world's jet-setters: the city feels quite unaffected by the super-rich invasion year after year. The town proudly present their simple, yet quaint, houses in bright, beautiful colours. The balconies are draped with terracotta pots of geraniums, the same kind of pots and plants they have always had, even when Portofino was little more than a humble fishing village by the sea. The old cobbles are not easy to walk on in heels, things have been allowed to remain how they are. Portofino exudes luxury from older times, and it was exactly these cobbles which Elizabeth Taylor often walked on in the 50's during one of her many stays at the Hotel Splendido.

Hotel Splendido is, in many ways, the very soul of Portofino. This true gem of a hotel is the city's pride, and if you are lucky it can become your home for a night or two in Portofino. The house, which was originally a convent, was abandoned by the monks during the pirates' depredations along the coast in the 1500s. In the 1800s, Baron Baratta renovated the dilapidated house and turned it into the family's summer residence. In 1901, Ruggero Valentini turned this fantastic house into a hotel, Grand Hotel Splendid. In the years after the opening, the house began to attract some of Europe's most distinguished families during the summers. Other rich and famous people soon followed suit. The first name found in the guestbook is the Duke of Windsor, and the book is now full of greetings from jet setters and celebrities, from Ava Gardner and Grace of Monaco to George Clooney and Madonna. Celebrities love Splendido, perhaps because of the hotel's unobtrusive style and extensive experience in providing guests with 100% anonymity.

during the 50s and 60s is an iconic era for the hotel. In the period when Fellini recorded La Dolce Vita, many a papparizzi was seen at the hotel. It was also here that the romance between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton started. The couple returned again and again to the hotel, and one of the dishes in the restaurant is now named after Elizabeth Taylor. The hotel's largest suite, very fittingly, is known as ‘La Dolce Vita Suite.’

Belmond Hotel Splendido Director, Mr. Di Megni

as we drive up along the steep ridge, navigating hairpin turns until we finally arrive at the courtyard. Smiling staff welcome us and begin showing us around the area. The first thing we notice is the panoramic view of the Mediterranean. Portofino bay is quite a spectacle from here. The garden of the hotel, and all the way down to the sea, is filled with olive trees, lavender and other lush vegetation. Yachts are down in the bay - and they look grand even from here! The luxurious boats are part of the city's backdrop, and the combination of sea, picturesque town and the maritime life, combine to create a perfect postcard. The reception area is furnished with antiques and Persian carpets. Much of what one encounters in the hotel are objects preserved from generations past. The entire floor is from the time the hotel was a monastery, as well as the pillars encountered in the aisles leading up to the rooms. Despite all the antiques, the feeling in the hotel is light and airy with a soft maritime touch. The hotel has 64 rooms in different categories. All are decorated in typical Ligurian pastel colours, and many rooms have balconies with spectacular views. Bathrooms are classic, marble and old mosaic create a feel of 20th century luxury. We chose to stay in a junior suite, and we enjoyed plenty of space.

Our junior suite

Bathroom

is the perfect place to have lunch or dinner, and upon request it can be turned into an outdoor Chambre Separée with white table cloth and immaculate service. The suites located in the olive grove are aloof and separate, you could spend many days there without anyone noticing or disturbing you. In the end, we were more than happy to have both lunch and dinner served to us at the hotel's famous open-air restaurant, La Terrazza. Enjoying lunch on the terrace, while bathing in the sunshine, is the perfect place to observe the boat traffic in the bay below. The restaurant’s menu is simple but refined, with an emphasis on quailty ingredients. Some of the basic offerings are fresh fish, homemade pasta, along with spices and herbs from the hotel's own garden. We ordered ‘Spaghetti a la Elizabeth Taylor’, which turns out to be a delicious spaghetti with a tomato sauce made with tomatoes from San Marzano, Sorrento and Pachino. A simple dish, but heavenly good.

Breakfast buffet Our sommelier, Maina, was honest, straightforward and had a twinkle in her eye. She was confident and likeable, and had worked at the hotel for several years, and, of course, she offered a great wine to accompany our lunch. Our dinner experience in the evening glowed with a magical atmosphere. The restaurant exuberated a relaxed, joyous feel with candles illuminating the tables. Beneath us, down in the bay, the luxury yachts lit up the evening. To sit there, enjoying the view and the food, is an experience rarely matched, and the service staff know it. They consistantly provide fantastic service and show themselves at their best at all times. It does not matter if it is an international celebrity or someone who has saved up for a long time to be able to stay a few nights at the hotel - everyone is treated in an equally exquisite and professional manner. Everyone is made to feel like very esteemed guests, says Maina, and she also states that the aim is for everyone to have a night they will never forget. We certainly were not let down!

Lunch on the terrace overlooking Portofino Bay

by visiting Splendido. We got the desire to make better tomato sauce and were reminded of what true luxury is, simple but thoughtful. It is not a hotel that cries out for attention, but offers sophisticated elegance year after year. Hotel Splendido is truly, for us, La Dolce Vita. + Location and genuine glamour. Nothing feels vulgar at this hotel. - We can not find anything to criticise, but those who prefer a more modern hotel might not like it here.

Do not miss the Bay of San Fruttuoso. This idyllic place is accessed by boat from Portofino and includes an old monastery half-sunken into the sea. Amazing view and perfect spot for a nice lunch and a bottle of prosecco.

Please visit the hotel during the off season. Portofino is beautiful year round and it is nice to not have the town thronged with people. The prices are also lower.