Book Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, Portofino with VIP Benefits

Splendido occupies a former sixteenth-century Benedictine monastery, with interiors by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio that draw on the life of an Italian summer house. Botanical frescoes, Carrara marble, local Lavagna stone and traditional Genoese flooring bring regional materials into the lobby. The combination rewards a closer look at the stonework and painted surfaces, as well as the views beyond the windows.

That approach continues in the rooms. Woven details inspired by Chiavari rattan sit alongside Albissola ceramics and furnishings found at estate sales and auctions. Some pieces were restored and painted in the Genoese tradition. The result is a layered, residential style, with local craft visible in headboards, lamps and bedside tables. Across the wider restoration, the breakfast area, bar and swimming pool also received attention.

The Dior Spa has four indoor treatment rooms, including one for two guests. Le Jardin des Rêves Dior adds two treatment gazebos outdoors. Facials, massages and wellness rituals make up the menu. The garden setting is a real part of the spa, with a choice between indoor treatment rooms and appointments in the open air.

A rooftop lounge terrace gives you somewhere to sit after a treatment, looking toward the sea. There is also a Dior Spa boutique. Leave time for the terrace as well as the appointment: it is a place to enjoy the view before returning to the rest of the hotel.

The heated saltwater pool has panoramic views and shaded loungers. It provides swimming at the hotel, above the coast, rather than on a beach. There is a fitness center and a tennis court on the hillside. Both give you ways to keep up a routine during a longer stay. Tennis coaching is available for an extra charge. The pool terrace is also close to the Splendido Grill, so lunch can stay part of an afternoon by the water.

La Terrazza is the hotel's fine-dining restaurant, with views over the bay and cooking rooted in Liguria. Chef Corrado Corti's menus draw on seasonal produce, seafood and regional pasta. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, giving the terrace a role throughout the day. Its elegant dress code sets a more formal tone for the evening, when dinner can become the main event without a trip into the village.

The regional connection is specific. Belmond names Santa Margherita Ligure prawns, Chiavari hazelnuts and Portofino saffron among the ingredients used in its dining menus. These are examples of the kitchen's approach, not a fixed list of dishes for every visit. They also offer a sense of the places around Portofino through what arrives at the table.

Splendido Grill serves lunch and dinner on a shaded terrace by the pool. Wood-fired pizzas, local pastas and classic cocktails give it a more casual character. Its relaxed dress code makes it a useful contrast to La Terrazza, whether you want lunch between swims or a less formal evening meal. Staying for dinner does not always have to mean choosing the fine-dining restaurant.

Baratta Sedici takes its name from Baron Baratta, who bought the former monastery as a summer residence. Classic and signature cocktails use local botanicals and Portofinese flavors, and live music is part of the evening. The bar gives the restored house a social center of its own, with a reason to linger after dinner or make drinks the focus of the night.

Splendido has 53 rooms and suites, including five Signature Suites. An independent private villa is listed separately. Within the hotel, the main building and garden settings offer different outlooks and arrangements. A sea view, extra floor space and a terrace are distinct features, not things that come with every room.

Heritage Garden View rooms are in the Tennis Wing and measure 22 to 39 square meters, with king or twin beds for two guests. Premium Rooms are in the main building, measuring 29 to 33 square meters. They look toward the Gulf of Portofino and add a balcony or terrace listed at 22 square meters. The floor areas overlap, so the Premium category's distinction is its outlook and outdoor space.

The 60-square-meter Baronessa Suite has antiques, floral details and a furnished terrace. Its private-entrance garden connects directly to the hotel pool, giving it an unusual relationship with the grounds. La Dolce Vita Suite occupies the hillside just above the pool. Belmond's current room listing gives it 127 square meters, with sea and pool views, an outdoor shower and a terrace furnished for dining and sunbathing.

San Giorgio Suite stays within the main building. Its views take in the bay and church, and it has both a furnished balcony and a wraparound terrace. It puts the village in the picture as well as the sea. For guests drawn to Portofino itself, that outlook may matter as much as the size of the room.

Portofino's center is a 10- to 15-minute downhill walk from Splendido, and the hotel runs a daytime shuttle to the Piazzetta. The walk and shuttle let you move between the hillside and harbor without treating them as the same setting. Splendido has no traditional beach club; nearby beaches and private lidos are separate outings that the concierge can help arrange. Guests who need step-free routes should discuss the historic hotel's rooms and outdoor paths before booking.

Beyond the village, the hotel lists private boat tours, sunset cruises and kayaking. A guided walk in the Regional Park of Portofino offers a land-based alternative, with routes taking in places such as La Cappelletta and viewpoints around Cala degli Inglesi. San Fruttuoso, reached on foot or by boat, is another focus of the park outings. Pizza making and a pesto masterclass bring the day back to Ligurian food, with something to do as well as taste.

Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport is about an hour away by road, depending on traffic. Santa Margherita-Portofino station is roughly a 20-minute drive from the hotel, and private transfers can be arranged. Once at Splendido, the choice is between time in the village, a day along the coast and the hotel itself. The gardens, pool and restored rooms are as much a part of the stay as the harbor below.