Splendido, the legendary Portofino hotel, has reopened and we were one of the first to check in

In 1986, Splendido was acquired by Orient-Express Hotels (now Belmond Hotels) which took on the role of custodian—not just of the hotel and its history but of the way of life it represents.

While many hotels are moving towards incorporating more tech into the guest experience—iPads that control your room’s environment, in-house apps, digital art installations and AI-powered virtual assistants— Belmond has, refreshingly, moved in the opposite direction. Almost every element, from design to service to amenities, has been designed to serve as a reminder of the value of the human touch.

When it comes to design, one of the most impressive elements is the hand-painted wall details, from room numbers and signage to blooming florals in the lobby, ceiling frescoes and full-blown murals—the walls of the powder room in my suite depicted the Portofino landscape, curving around the corner of the room in the same way the winding coastline does.

In the bedrooms, Midollino weaving lends warmth to headboards and bedside tables, while ceramics from Albisola—a nearby seaside village with ceramic- making traditions that date back to the late 16th century—and furnishings sourced from local estate sales and auction houses tell a story of the region’s craft-making heritage.

Splendido is one with its breathtaking surroundings, inspired by what Brudnizki describes as the “diffused, painterly” light of Portofino. As for the property itself, the designer and his team have managed to honour what was there—giving it a contemporary polish without over-modernising it or stripping away its soul.

He says, “Within this historically sensitive design, there is a layer of amenities to make Splendido the most comfortable in the world, [including] technology like the lighting control that changes smoothly according to the time of the day, energy-saving features and enhanced sound insulation that helps make the guest experience seamless.”

One late afternoon, housekeeping delivers a box of fruit jelly sweets from Cova, the famed Milanese confectioners, along with a copy of The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim, a 1922 novel about four women who spend a month in Portofino, rediscovering life’s simple joys. The book is a special edition printed just for Belmond, featuring a hardcover crafted from a stylish emerald-green linen.

To sit in bed turning the pages, snacking on delicate sweets while the Portofino breeze gently blows in from the balcony was a moment that perfectly captured dolce far niente, a charming Italian phrase meaning “the sweetness of doing nothing”. 

This philosophy extends throughout the property—especially at its 1970s- era saltwater swimming pool, which features tiles that echo the gradients of blue in the Ligurian Sea beyond, lined with burnt-orange-hued parasols and generously sized sunbeds. For a touch more privacy, guests can also sunbathe on tucked-away balconies and terraces scattered across the slope that leads to the pool, surrounded by flora by Italian landscape designer Marco Bay.

At about 7pm, scampi, sea bass, snapper and other seafood freshly caught by local fishermen arrive at the Splendido—just in time for the hotel’s sun-kissed dinner guests, who pour into the hotel’s restaurants at about 8.30pm—during summer, the sun doesn’t set here until well after 9pm. “Always, always order the catch of the day,” our waitress tells us. We order a salt-crusted sea bass one night—and indeed, it’s a fresh, flaky masterpiece that melts like butter. 

There are two restaurants at Splendido: alfresco dining on the wisteria-covered balcony of La Terrazza, and Splendido Grill, which cooks up Italian classics in an open-air kitchen, and where candlelit tables can be set up on request by the pool for uninterrupted views. Be sure to wave to designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, whose famous Villa Olivetta (where Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker tied the knot in 2022) sits just across the bay, instantly recognisable with its blue window shutters.

The hotel bar, formerly an afterthought without a name, is now Baratta Sedici—an elegant yet characterful space dressed in a palette of ochre, rich greens and blond oak, given an ethereal glow by a back-lit white onyx bar.

Breakfast is wonderfully indulgent, both gastronomically and aesthetically. You can choose to have it delivered to your room and enjoy it on the balcony as the sun rises over the bay, or head down to La Terrazza. There, you'll find a breakfast spread so theatrically presented, you'd think it was dressed by the set designer of Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette, with dainty pastries and seasonal fruit like cherries and Saturn peaches stacked on tiered displays, surrounded by fresh flower arrangements. 

It’s all very luxurious, but not superficial or obnoxious—it feels thoughtful and even understated, as though you are staying with a friend who has annoyingly exceptional taste. But that is perhaps to be expected of a property in a place like this.

“We looked to the local flora and fauna and architecture for influences while also championing Ligurian craft,” says Brudnizki. “It was important the design situates guests in Portofino, creating that comforting feeling of being at a friend’s holiday home while allowing them to experience the beauty, art and life of this magical place.”

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