Perched high above the shimmering Bay of Portofino, an icon has awakened. On 7 June 2025, Splendido, A Belmond Hotel emerged from an extraordinary transformation, stepping confidently into a new era of luxury. The beloved 16th-century Benedictine monastery-turned-grand hotel has long been the jewel of the Italian Riviera—a place of whispered glamour, where Hollywood legends and European royalty once mingled beneath the Ligurian sun. Now, after a sensitive and spectacular renovation led by the acclaimed Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, Splendido returns more enchanting than ever.
This is no mere refurbishment. It is a reawakening—one that honours the hotel’s layered history while boldly reimagining it for a new generation of discerning travellers. From its freshly reinterpreted guest rooms and suites to the radiant new social heart of the hotel, Baratta Sedici, and the debut of Italy’s first permanent Dior Spa, everything here has been carefully considered to strike a balance between tradition and modernity. The effect is timeless and transporting, like stepping into a living dream of La Dolce Vita.
Arriving at Splendido, guests are immediately enveloped by the hotel’s elevated sense of place. The pastel-hued façade, so instantly recognisable and so effortlessly cinematic, still holds court over the cliffs of Portofino, but now gives way to interiors that feel more intimate, more tactile, and more steeped in Ligurian artistry. The lobby welcomes with hand-painted botanical frescoes, Carrara marble accents, and cool, grey Lavagna stone—elements that nod to local heritage while exuding quiet, palatial glamour.
At the centre of the hotel’s new chapter is Baratta Sedici, a vibrant, sun-dappled gathering spot that channels the spirit of Portofino’s golden age. Designed with graceful restraint and an artisan’s eye, its whitewashed walls bloom with hand-painted murals of trailing vines and wild herbs, echoing the verdant gardens just outside. A soft palette of terracotta and sea-glass greens plays off blond oak furnishings and a glowing white onyx bar. The cocktails here are nothing short of poetry—refined, regional, and complex. There’s La Vela, a tribute to Portofino Gin and local botanicals, and U Chef, a bold, savoury concoction that surprises with tomato, lemon, horseradish, and a whisper of heat.
Culinary excellence, of course, remains central to the Splendido experience. Longtime Executive Chef Corrado Corti continues to helm both La Terrazza and Splendido Grill, where menus are grounded in the region’s deep gastronomic traditions and uplifted by seasonal flair. Under his guidance, dining becomes not just a pleasure but a celebration of Ligurian life—sun-warmed produce, delicate seafood, garden herbs, and the finest olive oils all find their way onto the plate.
And then, there are the rooms—each one a sanctuary of layered textures and thoughtful design. The guest spaces have been reimagined with a residential sensibility: Chiavari-inspired rattan weaving, Albissola ceramics, and vintage furnishings sourced from Genoese estate sales tell stories of craft and continuity. The crown jewel, the Baronessa Suite, feels like a page from a romantic novel: lush with floral motifs, painted antiques, pink accents, and shell-shaped lights, it spills out onto a private garden and sun terrace with sweeping sea views. Here, the fantasy of Riviera living feels not just possible—but personal.
Wellbeing has also taken on a new dimension at Splendido. This summer marks the opening of Italy’s very first permanent Dior Spa, a sanctuary hidden amid the lush slopes of Portofino’s Natural Park. Set on the hotel’s upper floors and spilling out onto a secluded rooftop, the spa offers nature-infused treatments and serene spaces for rest and ritual. It’s a quiet, scented retreat inspired by the sea and sky—and a stunning evolution of the outdoor Jardin des Rêves, where treatments are taken under cypress and olive trees.
As the sun sinks behind the cliffs and the bay shimmers in golden light, Splendido stands once more at the intersection of history and fantasy. Not simply reopened, but reborn—this is the Riviera as it was always meant to be experienced: intimate, expressive, and utterly unforgettable.
