Our final stop on our Italian coastal trip was a stay in Sorrento at The Bellevue Syrene Hotel, which is part of the Relais & Châteaux and Mr & Mrs Smith group. The hotel, I can only describe as a luxury coastal retreat synonymous to it’s name, providing beautiful views in a tranquil setting. Let me show you what I mean…
AN ARISTOCRATIC HISTORY
The Bellevue Syrene Hotel, sits comfortably atop a towering cliff, in a quiet corner spot of the centre of Sorrento overlooking the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius.
The hotel is built on the site of a Roman villa, which was to house Roman aristocracy, including Emporer Augustus. Over the years the hotel has hosted personalities, politicians and intellectuals. Legend has it, that the worn out cliff by the sea is inhabited by mermaids and continues to be a big draw to the hotel, however I can assure you there were no mermaid sightings on my visit. The building as it is now, dates back to 1750 and has been welcoming guests as a hotel since 1820 where they have enjoyed the epitome of La Dolce Vita but with a local, relaxed vibe.
A TOUR OF THE COLLECTIVE SPACES
The Bellevue Syrene Hotel entrance is via a grand brick frontage and walkway down to the reception area through a beautiful flower trellised path.
To the left of you is the walls of the grounds and the bar. To the right is the view of the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius and the Wisteria draped, La Terrazza restaurant.
As you enter the hotel, the mood is cool, with marble hallways, bright white paintwork, counter-balance with antique pieces, Venetian Murano chandeliers, modern art and photography and sprinkled with vivid but quirky ceramics.
The resonance of a flamboyant luxury hotel combined with a touch of La Dolce Vita. The colour scheme is a palette of local designer Marco de Luca’s choosing consisting of mint, mauve and turquoise, depicting the epitome of modern crisp meets playful.
The Bellevue Syrene Hotel has an air of relaxation about including a common area where guests can read, listen to music or help themselves to snacks and drinks throughout the day.
There is a winter garden style veranda area facing the front boulevard, a great place to sit and relax with a drink after a day of exploring Sorrento.
The Dali Room is perfect for guests to catch a game of chess or alternative choice of board games from the selection provided.
Another area to enjoy some down time is towards the front of the property near the terrace or La Pergola or maybe even get a bite to eat with a view of the Gulf of Naples from the pool area on the scattered table and chair ensembles. It’s idyllic!
Lets not forget the small but perfectly formed pool area with sunloungers that face out to Mount Vesuvius to truly give another dimension on a swim with a view. Remember the bar not to far away either so a glass of something chilled, whilst you perch in the pool and look out to sea sounds oh so appealing, right?!
One of my favourite spaces at The Bellevue Syrene is the outdoor sundeck, which gives direct access to the sea. If you walk down to the ground floor of the proper there lies an almost secret-like walkway, which takes you through the hotels caves, which lie adjacent to the Lido and a manned sundeck is right in front of you.
Order a drink and lie feel those rays on your back with the light crashing of the waves around you. The Lido can also be reached via a lift if you don’t fancy taking the steps.
THE ABODES
This small perfectly formed property has about 50 abodes in total, most are large deluxe doubles and there are two suites, which simply look incredible! All rooms bar two, benefit from an idyliic sea view, featuring balconies or terraces. Standards are high here and rooms are pretty large. I would say our room felt more like a suite in other hotel standards.
The room consisted of a long hallway, which led onto a his and hers dressing/wardrobe area, which led off into the living and sleeping area.
The rooms are decorated with a mix of French (in keeping with the rest of the hotel décor) traditional and contemporary design pieces, to include gilded mirrors, antiques and ostentatious floral murals. The beds are pretty huge and there is a seating area overlooking the stunning Mount Vesuvius as well as a desk and the usual high end room amenities.
Our room was decorated in hues of white and blue, giving a much desired calming, relaxing vibe.
A chilled bottle of bubbles is placed in your room together with a bowl of grapes on arrival accompanied by a personal message from the general manager. The personal touch is quite exquisite down to the attention in detail of the nightly turn-down service.
The bathrooms are tiled and come equipped with little luxuries like Crabtree & Evelyn amenities, fluffy robes and slippers.
As I mentioned earlier, there are two uber luxurious suites, The Roccia Suite is carved out of solid tufa rock and features a hydrotherapy pool in the bedroom and the Suite Pompeiana boasts a vast bathroom and whirlpool tub looking out to sea.
WINING & DINING AT THE BELLEVUE SYRENE HOTEL
The restaurant, La Terrazza serves a creative take on local cuisine and dinner is served on the romantic terrace, which is the talk of the town in Sorrento. Lunch and lighter meals are also served here.
There’s also the complimentary snacks and drinks (including spirits, wines and prosecco) available in the Club Lounge.
Additionally there is a separate bar opposite La Terrazza serving drinks and fresh juices throughout the day.
A delicious breakfast buffet is laid out in the grand ersatz Villa Pompeiana, including poached seasonal fruit, fresh-squeezed juices, bacon and eggs and a selection of pastries. There is also a dedicated gluten-free corner.
A FEW PRETTY SNAPS FROM THE TOWN OF SORRENTO
There are a whole host of things to do if you don’t fancy mooching around the hotel as the location is very central. A short walk down a narrow cobbled lane will bring you to the charming Italian fishing of Marina Grande, where there are plenty of waterside fish restaurants.
The main square of Sorrento is a five minute walk away, with an abundance of museums, shops, restaurants and other sights you may be interested in visiting.
Choose to meander the narrow cobbled streets or find yourself walking along the coastal path. The views and the surroundings are simply stunning with scatterings of lemon trees against the blue of the coastline.
FINAL IMPRESSIONS
The Bellevue Syrene Hotel is a sophisticated French styled contemporary decorated hotel with a long history. Service and hospitality was impeccable as expected and the complimentary club lounge service for all guests was a much welcomed touch.
The location is perfect to explore the nearby Amalfi coast by ferry and also a good point to visit Naples, Mount Vesuvius, Herculaneum and Pompeii. Considering the central location of this hotel, it’s like entering a little haven of tranquillity in a bustling city.
PURE UNADULTERATED PERFECTION FOR
Due to the luxurious nature I’d say special occasions, anniversaries, birthdays, maybe even a wedding, honeymoons, business. During our stay we didn’t see any children, however there were provisions in place to accommodate children.
The Bellevue Syrene Hotel
Piazza della Vittoria 5
80067 Sorrento
Italy
Tel +39 081 8781024
Reservations for the best rates can be taken directly via The Bellevue Syrene Hotel’s website
What do you think of The Bellevue Syrene Hotel? I’d love to know if you’ve visited to Sorrento and where you stayed during your time there. Let me know below.
À Bientôt…
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