Porto Ercole, Italy
The town of Porto Ercole sits on the south coast of Monte Argentario, which was once an island and is now connected to the Tuscan mainland by three spits of land which form two lagoons. Nearby, hidden away on a steep hillside in a rocky cove protected by rugged cliffs, is Hotel Il Pellicano, perched above a pristine bay that glistens in the sunlight.
The history of this luxury boutique hotel stretches back to 1965 when the property was the private home of a charismatic American socialite and a dashing British aviator, who first met at Pelican Point in California. It became a playground for the rich and famous invited guests of the owners, including Ted Kennedy and Charlie Chaplin, before being transformed into a hotel in 1979.
Today, the Pellicano style, which is described as a combination of “freewheeling spirit and old school polish” is abundant throughout. A very special place; a retro-glamour magnet for Hollywood stars and lovers of La Dolce Vita everywhere.
Porto Ercole is 120 miles or a two hour drive south of Florence, and 90 miles or 90 minutes north-west of Rome.
Dream
Hotel Il Pellicano, Stepping into the terraced hotel property is like stepping back into a bygone era of hospitality. This secluded hotel is a Mecca for any fan of interior design. Every item of furniture and décor benefits from thoughtful, exquisite and yet effortless design, from the hotel’s logo, to the uniforms of the front desk staff and restaurant servers, down to the vibrant stripes of the pool towels at the salt-water swimming pool.
There are 35 rooms and 15 suites. The most desirable accommodation is in the cottages located higher up. We elected to stay in a room beside the tennis court, close to the main building.
Set in the mature Mediterranean gardens, our room was beautifully designed with all modern conveniences and striking design flourishes like the colorful azure glazed bathroom floor tiles. The bed was huge, and there was a Carrera marble double vanity.
Outside the room was a pretty, terracotta-tiled terrace with café-style seating.
Dine
The hotel is quite isolated and so we chose to take all of our meals on the property.
There are two restaurants: the Michelin starred Pellicano Restaurant, and the less formal al fresco Pelligrill Tuscan Grill, which was our favorite.
Breakfast is served at the Pellicano Restaurant and we sat outside on the terrace each day with glorious views of the various levels of the hotel spilling down the cliffside to the Tyrrhenian Sea below. There was a bountiful buffet of pastries, cakes, pies and a lot more. We particularly enjoyed the “build your own” muesli with a huge array of seeds, nuts and fruits to combine as desired. On top of all this - whatever cooked items you might want, made to order. One oddity – no menus!
In addition to the restaurants, there are two bars: the Bar All’Apperto - the outdoor terrace bar sitting between the sky and the sea, with coastal views. And the Il Pellicano Bar - the sophisticated piano bar in the main building adjacent to the lobby, beside the log fire.
Do
E-bikes, cycling trails & hiking: the topography of the peninsular makes for some challenging and rewarding gradients for the hiker and biker alike. We hired two of the hotel’s e-bikes and cycled the 20-mile loop around the Monte Argentario municipality. The route takes in some very steep and very rocky unpaved roads, before joining some paved roads and dedicated cycle paths through the nature reserve, looping back around to the hotel. Not for the novice cyclist, but great fun with spectacular views.
Tennis: the hotel has an artificial grass tennis court in a great spot in between two rows of tall trees. Great location to have a knock around.
Relax or visit the spa: one of the foremost attractions of the hotel is its isolation and tranquility. Hence, it is the perfect place to relax, unwind and take in some sunshine, down on the private beachside boardwalk, or beside the salt-water swimming pool. In addition, there is a spa and small gym.
Images from the Tuscan Coast
