An Italian hotel that makes a splash

Graziella Buontempo grew up in her aunt’s house in Capri, which was right next to the Il Capri hotel, and had a view of its unique Venetian neo-gothic façade. “I just knew one day we’d write a new chapter for it,” she says. When, in 2023, Buontempo took the helm – with her husband, the hotelier Arnaud Lacombe – it had seen better days. “The hotel had its charm, and you could sense the original beauty, but it was concealed and needed to be resurfaced in the most respectful way possible,” says Lacombe. Together they restored it, repainting the pastel-pink and white exterior, refurbishing the interiors with as much natural material as possible and furnishing the 20 bedrooms with antiques, photographs and art from Buontempo’s personal collection. “It’s a harmonious mix of eras, textures and family treasures,” she explains.

Wellness is a touchstone of the guests’ stay: room rates include restorative group practices in the wellness club, the terrace of which looks out across the Gulf of Naples. This season sees a collaboration with Irene Forte, the London-based, Italian-made botanical skincare and spa brand (expect volcanic-stone facials and a Mediterranean scrub and massage in their dedicated treatment room).

Up on the rooftop, restaurant Osteria delle Sirene has a menu of pizza, pasta and fresh fish that follows the Campanian seasons. The playful name and the menu’s hand-drawn design – by the Neapolitan artist Giotto Calendoli – were inspired by the mermaids thought to dwell in the surrounding waters.

ilcaprihotel.com