Belmond Hotel Splendido Mare

Occupying prime real estate in the center of the harbor’s piazzetta, Splendido Mare is a small boutique hotel among the buzzy restaurants and cafés of Portofino.

• The central location on Portofino’s waterfront
• Al-fresco aperitivos enjoyed while looking out to the harbor and iconic piazzetta
• The fine-dining Italian offerings at DaV Mare, the hotel’s plein-air restaurant serving seafood and classic Ligurian dishes
• The Ava Gardner Suite, which is the hotel’s most luxurious suite occupying the top floor of the hotel with unparalleled views of the town and harbor below

Splendio Mare is a traditional boutique hotel on Portofino’s main square and the sister property to the grand Hotel Splendido. Comprising only 14 rooms, a small sitting area and DaV Mare Restaurant, the hotel feels intimate, elegant and reminiscent of old-world Portofino.

Splendido Mare reopened in spring 2021 after undergoing a large renovation by the Paris design agency, Festen Architecture. The shape of the hotel remains the same…after all, it does occupy a townhouse. Winding corridors, multi-level spaces and hidden terraces still make up the body of the property, but the furniture and design were given an overhaul. The decor embraces the nautical heritage of Liguria and artisanal details, and Murano glass lamps, fabrics by Loro Piana and Rubelli, iconic vintage furniture by Gio Ponti and Paolo Buffa give the property the true feeling of Italian dolce vita...

The guest rooms at Splendido Mare are compact and accessible by stairs or a small wooden elevator that slowly travels between its three floors. The rooms are light and bright and were completed in natural colors; you’ll find polished wood at every turn reminiscent of the harbor’s yachts and fishing boats. The bathrooms are marble, and showers are lined with cabana-stripes inspired by the beach huts of Sana Maria Ligure. The property’s grand dame is its Ava Gardner Suite, which stretches across the top floor of the hotel. The suite features a furnished terrace that juts out over the port, offering views over the harbor and the famous Castello Brown above. The old-world is perfectly blended and retained in the rooms with the addition of new modern amenities from G2G blow dryers to Acqua di Parma toiletries.

The entrance to the property still feels familiar. Guests enter to find a small mahogany desk that doubles as reception and concierge, while a few sofas to the side make up the reception area. While the hotel doesn’t have a large public space for guests to socialize, it does house a beautiful bar and DaV Mare Restaurant, which features several indoor linen-clothed tables that spill out onto the restaurant’s outdoor patio on the port’s buzzy piazzetta. Delicate chandeliers and a cream and pastel yellow color scheme is featured throughout, contributing to the hotel’s transportive atmosphere. At night, guests at the restaurant and along the square enjoy the pianist’s rendition of worldly classics as his voice is carried throughout the harbor. The scene at the hotel is classic and more traditional, which naturally attracts an older clientele. While the property’s location could not be more central, its proximity to the action in the high season may be a source of frustration for those who value the quiet.

The staff at Splendido Mare is polished but warm, welcoming and incredibly helpful. An added plus is that guests here can enjoy reciprocity with Hotel Splendido, taking advantage of a day at the grand property’s pool, pampering spa and dining at their restaurants.

Adults looking for a boutique option or an authentic old-world experience love the hotel, as do those who prefer to be in the dead center of the action.