Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, Is Back—Just in Time for a Very Glamorous Summer
After a major renovation, the historic property known as the “Grand Dame” of Portofino enters its most luxurious era yet.
Imagine the most stunning seaside view you’ve ever seen, then triple it, and you’re still only halfway to Portofino. The impossibly charming Italian port town, about an hour’s drive from Genoa, is a cinematic dream of lush hillsides, turquoise waters bobbing with yachts, and pastel buildings surrounding a breathtaking harbor. In a region filled with beauty, standing out is no easy feat, but Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, Portofino has managed to do so for decades.
Perched high above the town in the hills, Splendido has long been a destination for well-heeled jetsetters. Originally a 16th-century Benedictine monastery turned aristocratic villa, the hotel first opened in 1902 and has since welcomed everyone from Grace Kelly to Madonna. Now, the destination, also known as the “Grand Dame” of Portofino, is entering a new chapter following a meticulous renovation by acclaimed interior designer and architect Martin Brudnizki. With an eye toward honoring Ligurian heritage and craft, Brudnizki reimagined the main building with hand-painted ceilings and walls, gilded lighting, and a rich color palette inspired by the region’s land- and seascapes. For an even more exclusive stay, he took a similar approach to the Villa Beatrice—a newly opened private residence set just off the main hotel that offers panoramic views, verdant gardens bursting with pink and yellow blooms, and four elegantly appointed suites plus an additional one-bedroom cottage, La Cassetta.
Guests at the new Splendido will also find the first Dior Spa in Italy tucked into the hillside: a serene retreat offering facials, massages, and fragrance rituals using the house’s signature products. (Pro tip: For the ultimate indulgence, book an outdoor treatment in a toile de Jouy-covered cabana with sweeping sea views.)
A view of the pool at the hotel.
Inside one of the rooms at Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, Portofino—a hotel that’s also referred to as the Italian port city’s “Grand Dame.”
Get a massage outdoors at the Dior Spa—you won’t regret it.
To celebrate the monumental moment for the Belmond portfolio (which also boasts hotels in Bali, Mallorca, and Lima), Splendido hosted a grand celebration on June 6, welcoming a fashionable crowd of editors, influencers, and stars including Jeff Goldblum, Kelly Rutherford, and Baz Luhrmann for a sunset dinner on the hotel’s legendary terrace. Goldblum himself provided the entertainment, hamming it up for the crowd and performing with The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra before hitting the dance floor with his wife, Emilie Livingston.
As the party rolled into the night, guests gathered for cocktails and dancing as DJ Disco Bambino spun Italo disco hits. With candlelight flickering and boats twinkling in the bay below, it was crystal clear that Splendido is so much more than a hotel—it’s the place to be for summer.
