Summer holidays in Italy are best spent as close to il mare as possible — preferably al fresco all day long. Waking up to shimmering sea views and being lulled to sleep by lapping waves sets a relaxed pace at these seafront boutique hotels, where the most difficult decision you’ll need to make is between sauntering down to the beach club, basking by the pool, or enjoying aperitivo hour on a Mediterranean-facing balcony.
La Peschiera, Puglia
This former fish hatchery is quite the catch on Puglia’s soul-stirring shores. With just a handful of whitewashed bedrooms and a private stretch of sand at your disposal, the Adriatic’s cooling waters are only ever just a few barefoot steps away — gently breaking on the stones outside each room’s patio. The Sunrise Rooms feel open to the coastal elements, with terraces on both sides for direct beach and pool access. As the only hotel on the Adriatic coast where you can be picked up from your bedroom patio by a traditional gozzo boat, La Peschiera offers scenic sunset cruises and fishing trips to make the most of its waterfront setting.
CPH Pevero Hotel, Porto Cervo
Almost every room and suite at this spiaggia-sandwiched resort comes with sweeping views across Sardinia’s canvas-like coastline of Costa Smeralda. The Presidential Suite at CPH Pevero Hotel is worth the splurge, with its full-height terrace doors flooding the room with glittering sea views — and leading out onto a private pool overlooking the Gulf of Pevero. A short stroll brings you to the golden sands of Piccolo Pevero, where exclusive seating, parasols and sun-lounger service create beachside bliss.
La Roqqa, Porto Ercole
A quick scroll through La Roqqa’s rooms reveals the words ‘sea view’ in almost every category (ruggedly handsome vistas of the Monte Argentario come a close second). The hillside sanctuary tumbles down towards the Tyrrhenian Sea, and its burnt-orange balconies grant first-row seats to superyacht-spotting in the harbour below. The Maremma Sea View rooms and Filippo Sea View Terrace Suites are caressed by the sea breeze from dawn until dusk — with Sixties-inspired interiors invoking Italy’s glamorous dolce vita days.
Villa Franca, Positano
Spread across two cliff-hugging villas, every bedroom at Villa Franca boasts a balcony or terrace, promising views of the Mediterranean Sea as well as the pretty, pastel-painted village of Positano. Sit beneath the striped awnings and soak up the intoxicating Amalfi coastline from one of the Terrace Rooms, after meandering through lemon groves or taking one of the hotel’s self-drove vintage cars for a spin.
Canne Bianche Lifestyle Hotel, Puglia
Positioned right on the seafront in Torre Canne di Fasano, a small, sleepy fishing village in one of Puglia’s more secluded corners, Canne Bianche Lifestyle Hotel puts you within dipping distance of the sea. The sound of warm waves lapping the hotel’s bagnasciuga can be heard from your king-size bed swathed in soft natural linens — and the sun-dappled balconies of the Superior Rooms and Executive Suites offer yet more blue views (and are prime sun-bathing spots once you lose the light by the pool).
Furore Grand Hotel, Furore
Live the Italian dream at this cliff-clinging retreat on the Amalfi Coast, where every single room and suite overlooks the Tyrrhenian Sea — and the divine trio of Positano, Sorrento and Ravello are within easy reach. The Signature Pool Suites feel like mini villas, with their own gardens and lounger-lined plunge pools just steps from elegant four-poster beds. Take to the seas yourself and find the best hidden coves and beaches by boat, as Furore Grand Hotel’s clued-up concierge has several local skippers on speed-dial.
Grand Hotel Bristol Spa Resort, Rapallo
A rose-pink Liberty-style landmark tucked between rolling green hills and the Gulf of Tigullio, Grand Hotel Bristol Spa Resort has all the glitz and glamour of its Grand Touring days, but is thoroughly up-to-date on all other fronts. Bringing the glorious outdoors into the pastel-hued rooms and suites, doors open onto balconies — and for the most part, sparkling sea views. The Panoramic Suites live up to their name, with spacious sea-view terraces and full-height windows to immerse guests in the much sought-after Portofino coast.
La Villa del Re, Castiadas
On the southern side of Sardinia’s curving coastline, wrapped in gardens of fragrant Mediterranean plants, sits La Villa del Re. Just metres away lies a white sandy beach reserved for hotel guests, with refreshments delivered straight to your sun loungers. Many of the Superior and Deluxe Rooms overlook the Mediterranean’s sapphire waters, and the Junior Suite balconies make an idyllic breakfast spot if you’d prefer to dine in blissful seclusion.
Grand Hotel Cocumella, Sorrento
Built in the 16th century as a Jesuit monastery, Grand Hotel Cocumella sits right on the cliff edge overlooking the Bay of Naples. The sea-facing rooms recall the refuge’s original mission: to regenerate mind, body and soul. Expect vaulted ceilings, ancient majolica tiles, marble-clad bathrooms and Sorrentine inlaid furniture throughout — but it’s worth reserving one of the Sea View Suites for the vast terraces (and outdoor tubs in some).
Punta Tragara, Capri
Clinging to the cliffs above the iconic Faraglioni rocks, Punta Tragara Hotel guarantees glorious sea views from every apricot-hued angle. Named after the sea cows that once bathed in the island’s calm waters, the Monacone Suite opens onto an expansive terrace overlooking, you guessed it, the Monacone rock jutting out from its rugged neighbours. The outdoor area wrapping around the Faraglioni Suite is equally impressive, and the sea-facing freestanding bathtub in the Art Suite is a masterpiece in itself.
Hotel Miramalfi, Amalfi
Set on the sea’s edge in the bay of Amalfi, boats bob past your bedroom window at Hotel Miramalfi, a chic stay with a legendary beach club which has been hosting the well-heeled since the 1950s. From every terrace and balcony, the outlooks reach across the bay towards colourful houses cascading down the rocky coastline, so whichever room you book, sea views are guaranteed (with interiors dressed in calming blue hues to match). Yet more sea views can be soaked up from the hotel’s Beach Club, fronted by a curving pool that appears to be carved into the cliffside.
Due Lune Puntaldia Resort & Golf, San Teodoro
Perched on the tip of Sardinia’s Puntaldìa peninsula, rooms and suites at Due Lune Pantaldia Resort & Golf are just a stone’s throw from the emerald sea. Several of the individually styled rooms face the water, but we love the suite on the first floor with a panoramic terrace, decked out in daybeds with coral-coloured scatter cushions to lounge on. Yacht cabins provided the designers with inspiration, drawing on wooden slatted headboards, chart lamps — used to consult nautical maps — and classic striped fabrics. Down below, there’s a lagoon-like pool and stretch of parasol-dotted sand, both bathed in golden rays.
Latest stories
Tuscany, not as you know it: inside La Roqqa’s riviera escape
In the mid-20th century, Porto Ercole was a hot spot for the Hollywood jet-set. Now, design-led La Roqqa is putting this quaint seaside town – and Tuscany’s unsung Argentario coast – back on the international crowd’s map.
The ultimate Vilnius city guide
With a complicated political past (and present), Lithuania might not typically be top of mind when brainstorming a European getaway. But Vilnius, the country’s vibrant capital, is a burgeoning hub for culture with a vibrant international food scene. And the utterly walkable metropolis — just a short flight away from
Surfer stays and tropical hideaways: top boutique hotels for October
October is the ideal month to mix autumn cosiness with a dose of winter sun. Think an Australian surfer-chic stay on a working farm with crackling wood-burning fires, or a striking architectural gem on Mexico’s surf-kissed Mazunte coast. If it’s sun you’re chasing, island boltholes in the Caribbean await, while
Caribbean island-hopping in the Lesser Antilles: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda
There’s no rule that says your Caribbean escape has to be a one-island affair. Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda are close enough to link in a single trip — and different enough to keep every day feeling new. This Lesser Antilles itinerary links three Leeward Islands; Anguilla’s laid-back, barefoot glamour with
