Portofino is a small fishing village on the Italian Riviera, with pastel façades curved around a harbour full of boats. Above the waterfront, the buildings give way to wooded hills. It’s on one of those hills where you’ll find Splendido, A Belmond Hotel. One of the most beautiful places to stay on the Italian coast.
Getting There
We were coming from the Cinque Terre, so we took the train and changed to a bus for the last leg into Portofino. If you’re coming by train, Santa Margherita Ligure is the closest station. From there, you can take the bus into the village or book a car straight to the hotel. From the bus stop, we dragged our suitcases uphill to the hotel. It was a slightly less glamorous arrival than I’d imagined making for a hotel of this calibre.
The Setting
Splendido occupies a former 16th-century Benedictine monastery on the hillside above the village. Flowers frame the building, paths wind through the gardens, and the infinity pool looks straight down over Portofino’s harbour. From the pool terrace, you can take in the whole curve of the bay.
We stayed in May, before the summer season was in full swing. The sun was setting around 8.30 pm during our visit, so there was still plenty of light well into the evening. The hillside is the main reason I’d book Splendido, though you do give up the ease of stepping straight out into the village. It’s a 10 to 15-minute walk downhill along a path to the waterfront. The hotel do runs a complimentary shuttle to and from the Piazzetta, which makes the uphill return after dinner a little easier.
The Accommodation
There were flowers and a bottle of prosecco waiting for us when we arrived to make us feel very welcome.
Our room had that classic Italian hotel feel, with soft colours, painted details and patterned fabrics. The ensuite had two rainfall showers, but the private balcony overlooking the bay was the real highlight.
I was standing out on it at first light with a coffee in hand to watch the village wake up, and returned throughout the day to take another glance of that view.
Dining
Breakfast was included as part of our hosted stay, and the outdoor tables at La Terrazza made the most of the hotel’s position. From our table, we could look down over the bay as we ate. We lingered longer than most guests did, enjoying the food as well as the view while making plans for the day ahead. We only ate there for breakfast, though La Terrazza also serves lunch and dinner if you’d rather stay up at the hotel.
Is Splendido worth travelling for?
I wanted to see Portofino, but Splendido was the reason we made the trip and what I remember most from it. I’d seen that pool and the view behind it on my feed so many times that I wanted to see it in person. If I went back to Portofino, visiting and staying at the Belmond Splendido is the part of the trip that I’d want to do again.
Our two-night stay in May 2019 was hosted by Belmond. The room and personal experiences described here are from that visit. My understanding is that Splendido reopened in 2025 following a renovation that included the rooms, pool area and restaurants.
