T+L’s Hotel Review of Pensione America in Forte dei Marmi, Italy

Arriving at Pensione AmericaI noticed that a grayish-green bicycle was casually parked outside the hotel entrance. I’m not a frequent biker, so I didn’t give it much thought as I rolled my suitcase beneath the elegant pergola with its vines toward Pensione America’s shaded veranda.

After being welcomed warmly and shown to my hotel room, it took me less than 30 mins before I was steering my bicycle (which would be complimentary for the next couple of days) down the quiet residential road and towards the town center. Biking in Forte dei Marmi—a small, chic Tuscan beach town tucked between the Ligurian Sea and the Apuan Alps—is the primary form of transportation. There are many bike lanes that run parallel to coastline and are dotted with manicured beaches clubs.

After a scenic five-minute drive down the beach, I turned right and entered Forte dei Marmi’s glitzy city center. Here high-end shopping is king along with fine dining. Shop at pretty much any high-end designer you can think of, then set your bags down for a coffee at Caffè Principe, owned by Miuccia Prada, or cool off with a gelato at the Louis Vuitton kiosk. A lux outdoor market is held every Wednesday and Sunday in the central Piazza Marconi. It features cashmere, linens and Tuscan ceramics made in Italy.

After securing a new scarf in the chic basket of my bike, I returned to Pensione America. Sara Maestrelli’s intimate hotel is just what she wanted. Owner and operator of the newly opened Forte dei Marmi hotel, Sara Maestrelli, and her family have been visiting Forte dei Marmi every summer for decades. “I spent summers here with my cousins, brother, grandparents and friends from the beach. She told me that the summers always felt the same. This consistency is what we looked forward every June. “It is part of who are.”

Pensione America’s design aims to create the same experience for guests. villeggiatura, This is the Italian expression for a longer summer vacation at the beach or in nature. The hotel is open from early April to Easter. There are plenty of cozy spots to relax with a book or a drink, seated comfortably in stylish wicker chairs—from a communal living room with a baby grand piano, a marble chess set, and stacks of coffee table books to a terraced restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The neatly-trimmed lawn is a stone path that leads to a pool lined with hand-painted Sicilian tile and flanked by green loungers.

Pensione America is a home originally built by a Roman painter in 1899 as a private house. In the early 1920s, it was bought and converted into a hotel. pensione The current owners took inspiration from the (or boardinghouse) which they remodeled. The fifth hotel of the Maestrelli Family Collezione Em It joins Villa Roma Imperiale their other luxury boutique in Forte dei Marmi. The family was not necessarily looking to increase its portfolio, but when Pensione America became available, they could not resist. The hotel was opened in April 2025 after a lengthy renovation. (They purchased the property in the year 2021).

While enjoying an aperitivo pre-dinner on the plant-lined balcony of my room, a few guests were still lingering by the sparkling pool to take in the final rays of sunlight. Behind the pine trees, the sounds of a lively tennis match and cocktail clinks filtered in. When I reached for a glass of sparkling Franciacorta wine, I was able to see the appeal of villeggiatura—Even for a long weekend.

What’s it like to stay in Forte del Marmi at Pensione America?

The Rooms

The main L-shaped building of Pensione America has 17 guest rooms and Suites. La Villetta is a two-story villa with two bedrooms, nestled in pine trees and overlooking the swimming pool. The general atmosphere of the hotel combines chic coastal nostalgia and a celebration Italian craftsmanship. This elegant decor is carried over to the rooms. The layout of each room may vary, but they all include a veranda or private terrace. They also have comfortable beds and hand-painted walls by Italian designer Elena Carozzi. While my room was next to the hotel restaurant, it remained peaceful and quiet. There was also a spacious wardrobe and a 193-square foot terrace that provided enough privacy to take a midday coffee or afternoon break. riposo.

The spacious bathrooms feature colorful hand-painted tiles by ceramicist Nicolò Giuliano (his work also lines the pool) and are stocked with products by Florentine-based brand Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, along with plush robes and towels.

Food and Drink

True pensione-style, Pensione America has one restaurant and its purpose shifts throughout the day—breakfast becomes lunch becomes complimentary afternoon tea and cookies. Aperitivo is seamlessly transformed into dinner. All meals are served al fresco, under the veranda shade.

Sabrina Pucci was the chef at Pensione America. She came out to see me during dinner. Her food is seasonal, fresh and focuses on local ingredients. Her feather-light, clams and gnocchi-filled gnocchi is a favorite. bottarga The next morning I was able to enjoy her custard filled pastries.

Breakfast at Pensione America is not limited to freshly-made pastries. It also includes a variety of fruit, including ripe pineapple, mango and melon, kiwi in egg cups, the usual granola/dry flakes/nuts/yogurt, as well as daily cakes and croissants on a variety of platters. The à la carte menu features options like uova al pomodoro You can enjoy savory crepes or pancakes with tomato sauce along with expertly made caffeinated drinks.

Pensione America will book a cabana or a reservation for lunch at Bagno Assunta, the stylish beach club of the family. The beach club’s menu—where options include fritto misto of fried seafood and vegetables, a salad with seared tuna with fennel, and spaghetti alle arselle, a local specialty made with wedge clams—is an ideal match for the specific kind of toes-in-the-sand joy that is seaside, Italian holiday dining.

Activities and Experiences

Sarah Maestrelli, the owner of Pensione America spent many summers as a child playing tennis at Tennis Club Roma. It was only natural that her family would purchase the club to offer guests the opportunity to play clay tennis on the nearby courts or to arrange for a private tennis lesson. You can also use the small gym at the hotel if you don’t want to wear your tennis whites. You can also choose to skip your workouts and instead take a bike ride into town or down to the beach.

Forte dei Marmi is known for its beach. The afternoons here are spent in and by the sea. Every family here seems to be part of the same group. Bagno (beach club). Bagno Assunta is just a two-minute bicycle ride from Pensione America. Even better—the club’s navy blue towel-lined sunbeds, chairs, tents, and umbrellas closest to the water’s edge are reserved for guests of Pensione America. Order and receive your lunch, snacks, or aperitivo right at the beach. You can also use the showers and changing rooms to wash off salt and sand after a long day on the beach.

The Spa 

Although the hotel does not offer a spa, it can arrange for treatments to be performed in the room on request.

Offerings Family-Friendly

Pensione America is an adult-only hotel (guests must be 13 years or older) and feels especially well-suited for—and visited by—couples.

Accessibility, Sustainability and Sustainability 

Pensione America has two Junior Suites that are ADA compliant.

There are no single use plastics in the guest rooms. The hotel has formed a partnership with Italian companies and artisans.

Location 

Forte dei Marmi, a set of the Tuscan coast Apuan mountains provide protection. Pisa Galileo Galilei Airport is the closest international airport, located about 26 miles away from this seaside resort. The train ride from Florence’s Santa Maria Novella station takes one hour and forty minutes. You can also rent a vehicle. The hotel lies just south from the center of the town. A five- to ten-minute bicycle ride will take you into the city and two minutes to get to the seaside.

Book Now

Pensione America, a Leading Hotels of the World Member, is located in the heart of the city. Leaders Club Members receive benefits such as early check in, late check out, and priority upgrade upon arrival. From Easter until early October, the hotel is open. The hotel charges a nightly rate of Pensione America start from €1,600 ($1,850).

Every T+L Hotel Review is written by a reporter, editor, or both who have stayed on the property. We also select hotels that align with our core value.