Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, Portofino Reopens After Renovation

I was on the magnificent terrace of the Splendido A Belmond Hotel Portofino the day before it reopened. At 6 am, I sipped a cup tea while watching Portofino come to life. The Italian hilltop resort looks out over the Bay of Portofino. On that morning there were two yachts anchored and a few sailboats sleeping. The white helmet of a moped driver slid behind hedges and trees as it zipped up the steep road that led to the hotel. A black Mercedes-Benz escorted guests to the hotel. Close behind was an ambitious biker. The scene was mostly unmoving as I waited to see if anyone would jump off their boat and take a swim in the morning bay.

Martin Brudnizki says that his post on the beautiful terrace is about “why people originally came to Splendido.” celebrated hotel designer The illustrious Belmond has just undergone a major renovation. The tables on the balustrade are what makes you feel close to the view. Brudnizki’s partner and he were also drawn to Portofino by the terrace.

Over the last five years—while designing T+L It List–winning hotels, including London’s Broadwick SohoLe Grand Mazarin Paris, and The Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York City—he has reimagined Belmond’s “Grand Dame of the Italian Riviera,” as the LVMH-owned hospitality brand calls it. Splendido reopened its doors on 7th June after a seasonal closure. The hotel was open during construction, but for shorter periods. Brudnizki redesigned Splendido’s common areas and 52 rooms, including the recently opened Baratta Sedici Bar, making it look “lighter and happier.”

The interiors now reflect the idyllic last-frame-in-a-movie surroundings. Brudnizki explains that they added to the hotel the craft, style and materiality of the region. This meant adding details such as hand-painted ceilings and walls, lace curtains and headboards made from patterned fabric that was sourced just 20 minutes away. It also included all the florals, embroidery and other embellishments travelers would expect to find in the most luxurious hotel along the Italian Riviera.

Villa Beatrice is the crowning achievement in the redesign. It will open at the end this month. (Price upon request). The three-story, Gothic Revival-inspired villa, with its pool, gardens and private beachfront area, is reminiscent of a four-suite palace. The palazzo is decorated with original ceiling frescoes. There are arched window, multiple terraces and a bar.

“The painted work we do everywhere, on ceilings, walls, is typical of this area,” Brudnizki said of the villa located a 5-minute walk away and the main Hotel. Portofino used to be a poor fishing town, but the painted buildings made it look grander. The hotel was opened in 1902 but its humble origins are also evident: it began as a 16th century Benedictine monastery.

Brudnizki says that, although there are some finishing touches left to be done, “what is visible now is the complete look.” Jeff Goldblum played a piano set in front of the swimming pool at a lavish opening dinner. Jeff Goldblum told me he rated the hotel as “10 out 10 Goldblums.” Even the pool was dressed up with red and white umbrellas flanked by tea lights floating in the water.

The party was indeed the most luxurious I have been to for a long time. But what really struck me was that the atmosphere felt like any other night at Splendido. I got ready for the evening at the new Dior Spa—the first permanent one by the French brand in Italy—with a facial that used Japanese Kobido massage to sculpt my face into party-ready shape. Baratta Sedici served me a Negroni made with Portofino Dry gin to start the evening. The enchanting new bar—with its floral throw pillows and elaborate chandeliers—made me feel like I should have passed through a wardrobe to gain entry. Brudnizki used graniglia—“basically terrazzo with mosaic details in it”—on the floor and walls, which mingles with a back-lit bar and hand-painted detailing.

“This property now appears the way it should have always looked,” Brudnizki declares. “If this look was applied to a hotel in Rome or Venice for example, you would make a mistake. “It works here, in this specific location.”

Out on the terrace, Vladi Gatto, the piano player who has been with Splendido since the ‘90s, serenaded us through a dinner of roasted artichokes and fresh-caught seabream, with bud vases lining the long table set for 80. The hotel was now ready for guests, the gardens twinkling with soft light, and the Ligurian Sea sparkling.

Splendido Hotel, A Belmond Hotel offers rates starting at $1500. You can book your room online at belmond.com.