This magnificent albergo is located on the Ligurian coast The monastery was originally built by Benedictine monks and now has pink azaleas adorning almost every balcony. From here, guests can enjoy postcard views of Portofino Bay – glistening and viridian. This seaside retreat looks exactly as it did back in the 1960s when celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor and Ava Gardner stayed here. But the hotel has been updated since then; last year, Splendido reopened with the main building completely renovated, after a multi-year floor-by-floor update led by designer Martin Brudnizki, whose signature maximalism takes on a gentler, subtler play—more perfume than syrup—by using lavenders, celadons, and Alice blues to paint the interiors with a pleasingly soft handsomeness. The new saltwater pool is adorned with tiles that match the color of the sea. And the outdoor restaurant La Terazza, perched high up on the hill, serves trofie al pesto, spritzes, and other delicious dishes. Splendido is elegantly understated and allows its people and the environment to shine. The staff are charismatic ragazzi who love to have fun, and the natural world seeps into my rooms so readily that birdsong and sunrise became my alarm clocks. —Matt Ortile
Address: Viale Baratta, 16, 16034 Portofino GE, Italy
