Haute Retreats selects the best villas and resorts where you can stay and enjoy your vacation. We have been creating amazing itineraries for our guests in this area and we can really say we can’t be wrong when the itineraries include a stay in some of the most unique hotels in this area.
Some of the most impressive Italian Riviera towns (and the easiest to reach) are located on the Golfo Paradiso. Here is a look at the best suites where to enjoy a nice vacation in the Italian Riviera between Genoa and Tuscany, we will take you from well-known luxury destinations like Portofino and Santa Margherita Ligure, to smaller towns dripping with ambience like Rapallo, Zoagli, Chiavari, Lavagna, Porto Venere and Sestri Levante.
La Suite dei Poeti @ Grand Hotel Portovenere
This suite boasts the Gulf that has inspired Poets and Painters from all over the world and from which it takes its name. What we love about this suites is the continuous horizontal windows, whose view embraces the beautiful landscape framed by Palmaria Island, the Apuan Alps and the beautiful villages of Lerici and Tellaro in the distance. The view is not lost even from the two bathrooms that make up the Suite, along with a bedroom and a separate living room.
Enjoy the magical view sitting in one of the comfortable stools located in the counter and sip an aperitif or read a book.
The living area has a glass-walled and transparent shower where guests can appreciate the therapeutic benefits of chromotherapy and at the same time enjoy the privileged view of the Poet’s Suite.
Portovenere, on the Gulf of Poets, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Portovenere can be reached from the port town of La Spezia by ferry from the port, by car, by bus or from the near train station. The hotel features a parking garage (please be aware a reservation needs to be made). From Portovenere you can reach the other villages located in the Gulf of Poets and Le Cinque Terre.
Portovenere boasts a picturesque harbour lined with brightly coloured houses while narrow medieval streets lined with shops lead up the hill to a castle. A picturesque church is located on the promontory. Byron used to swim here and there is a rocky area called Byron’s cave. From Portovenere there are many nice trails you can hike and also ferries you can take that will take you also to the island of Palmaria.
The Presidential Suite @ Excelsior Palace Hotel in Rapallo
Set on the seventh and top floor, with a superb view of the sea, the fascinating Presidential Suite features exquisitely elegant furnishings. The refined and elegant living room, with a desk corner, opens onto a spacious terrace, spectacular with its sweeping panorama from the Bay of Rapallo and its famed tourist harbour to the Portofino lighthouse, for a total view of the Gulf.
One of the best times to visit and stay here is for sure during the celebrations in July on the occasion of Our Lady of Montallegro Patron Feasts, a view of the traditional firework show from the sea. This year the fireworks are planned to be on July the 2nd and the 3rd 2020…hopefully the Coronavirus won’t cancel this amazing event.
The Excelsior Palace Hotel is the Hotel per eccellenza considered the typical Grand Hotel with the top hospitality delivered from each of the team working here. Sabrina, owner’s and founder of Haute Retreats, knows this hotel since she was 19, she used to work in Lavagna and was in love with the Excelsior in Rapallo and has many aperitifs sitting in the terrace.
Rapallo is a beautiful town, staying at this hotel you won’t really need a car you can walk to the gelaterie easily and also the shops in town.
In Rapallo (from Via Castegneto) you can take a very impressive ride in a cable car that climbs two and a half kilometres up the mountain behind the town to reach the 16th century Montallegro Sanctuary, 600 metres above sea level and best known for its icon that is claimed to have the power to carry out miracles. Note that the white marble facade is a 19th century addition.
The trip is recommended because of the views across Rapallo and the sea from the sanctuary. If you want to avoid the cost of the cable car, about 10 euros, there is also a footpath that leads to the sanctuary but on a hot day I am guessing your children will vote to take the cable car!
The Imperiale Blue Suite @ Imperiale Palace Hotel in Santa Margherita Ligure
Located in the historical wing of the hotel, offers a unique setting with beautiful view over the Gulf. Antique fittings, high frescoed ceilings, Murano glass chandelier, parquet floor. Private terrace with sea view, ca. 30 sq. m. Marble bathroom with bathtub and separate shower. Maximum occupancy 2 persons – king size bed.
Imperiale Palace Hotel is an elegant hotel that has hosted since the beginning of the 1900’s royals, aristocrats, divas and intellectuals. Today, a century later, the manicured private park, the elegance of the historic Liberty style building, and the crystal clear water of Santa Margherita Ligure are still the same and the Imperiale Palace is still one of the most prestigious hotels in Liguria.
A beautiful seaside town, Santa Margherita Ligure has all the appeal of Portofino without the crowds. Its palm-lined harbor fringes the waterfront while the pastel-painted houses crawl up the hill behind. Lush green forests and olive groves cover the terrain, while sailboats and fishing craft bob in the colorful marina.
The Eight Suite @ Eight Hotels in Paraggi, Santa Margherita Ligure
The blue sky of Paraggi enraptures the eyes, while the external light pervades the whole Suite, charming, spacious and luminous, one of a kind. Set on the top floor, arranged on two levels, the suite offers exclusive, charming spaces and a splendid picturesque view of Paraggi bay. This is the room that embodies the philosophy of the Eight Hotel, a perfect blend of light, space and design. The furnishings are intimate and sumptuous, with precious upholstery. The suite has a large queen-type bedroom, with a cosy relax corner and a sofa bed upstairs to host children or adults. This unique setting is enriched by a large patio with a breathtaking view of Paraggi bay.
The Two-Bedroom Presidential Suite @ Belmont Hotel Splendido Portofino
The Presidential Suites boast expansive balconies with stunning views. They include a separate spacious living area, a master bedroom and a lavish marble bathroom. On request, a Junior Suite can be connected for a true home-away-from-home.
Portofino is a beautiful town of pastel-coloured houses surrounding a half-moon shaped harbour lined with shops, restaurants, cafes and luxury hotels. This is considered one of the most popular seaside areas in the Italian Riviera and since the 50s is still one of the most favorite locations of the rich and famous.
There are many great trails that surround Portofino and please follow us on the next article where we will describe the most beautiful hikes in this area.
Haute Retreats is keen in delivering the best experiences please feel free to reach them at info@hauteretreats.com or WA + 39 333 206 5514 the itineraries are all tailor made and the knowledge of the team of this area is a plus. Haute Retreats also includes Perks and Vip’s treatments with all the reservations.
