Naples is not a city you’d describe as being subtle or understated, and the same holds for ROMEO Napoli – the inaugural property of The ROMEO Collection and a Small Luxury Hotels of the World member. Chock-full of art and home to the flagship Il Ristorante Alain Ducasse, this handsome, design-forward hotel condenses everything that draws you into this gritty, coastal locale and shows it off within a space that looks and feels as polished as fine Italian leather.
Italy’s third-largest city is a proud and boisterous hub. To make an impression here, you need a certain level of audacity, but with it, plenty of cultural intuition, and we think that the late Japanese architect Kenzō Tange certainly took that into consideration when designing the hotel. Posted on a busy stretch between the city’s old town and sunkissed docks, ROMEO Napoli’s contemporary, aqua-blue glass and metal facade is impossible to miss, but for all the right reasons. Flashy? A little. But tasteful and perfectly in tune with its surroundings in Centro Storico (Naples’ historic centre and a UNESCO World Heritage Site).
The hotel is the first entry in a small collection of properties by The ROMEO Collection designed to celebrate modern Italian art and design. And as soon as you pass through its doors, that vision becomes crystal clear. Its public spaces are like a cabinet of curiosities, dotted with objets d’art that inspire its immaculately dressed clientele to stop, study, and photograph – that is, of course, when they’re not sinking into leather chairs in the cigar room or squaring off to a few rounds of snooker in the games lounge. On our walkthrough, we spotted a painting of Vesuvius by Mario Schifano (plus another by Andy Warhol), vintage Hermès picnic chairs, bulldog ornaments with collars that say things like ‘GAGA’ (an ode to the Italian American popstar? We’ll never know), a fully functional Wurlitzer jukebox, and even ancient Japanese suits of armour.
The decor itself is no less noteworthy; think mid-century Italian reimagined with a contemporary edge… moody, sexy, bold, and mostly monochromatic with splashes of blood-red and blue. Marble is a defining feature of the hotel’s aesthetic, together with a distinct high-contrast, glossy wooden veneer that flows through the entire property, extending into each of its 79 rooms and suites across eight floors.
| Perfect for | Fly into | Right on time |
| The Sophisticate | NAP | GMT +1 |
| While you’re Out There |
| This is Naples, so we’d be remiss not to remind you that Pompeii – one of the world’s most extraordinary archaeological sites – is just a 30-minute journey away from ROMEO Napoli, and yes, the charming streets of Quartieri Spagnoli also belong on your daytime itinerary. But for those who hold cocktails and culture in equal regard, we simply cannot gatekeep this secret bar, L’Antiquario. The beguiling, speakeasy-inspired drinking den in the Chiaia district earned its place on The World’s 50 Best Bars list in both 2022 and 2023 thanks to its exceptional concoctions. If you’re a lover of theatrics, ask for the Giostra di Negroni, which is served on a miniature carousel. |
The rooms take on a noticeably softer and breezier feel compared to the hotel’s public spaces, owing to a subtler colour scheme, blonde wood accents, and floor-to-ceiling windows that give way to views of the old town, Castel Sant’Elmo, or the harbour, depending on which accommodation you stay in. For those hoping to admire the magnificent Mount Vesuvius, we recommend opting for a suite on the highest floors, as the view from our Deluxe Harbour View room was unfortunately eclipsed by a rather unattractive abandoned building – something beyond the hotel’s control, of course. That said, we enjoyed observing the hectic docks from above, and our suite itself, with its plush kingsized bed, writing desk, high-tech bathroom stocked with Balmain toiletries, and Don’do rocking chair by Italian furniture maker Poltrona Frau, was a haven of comfort. Guests staying in the hotel’s Two-Bedroom Suite can enjoy a private rooftop terrace with a zen garden, while Wellness Room occupants are treated to their very own sauna, steam room, and jacuzzi.
Staying at a hotel in Naples, you’d naturally expect the culinary experience to take centre stage – this is the birthplace of pizza, after all – and ROMEO Napoli rises to the occasion. During our visit, we attended the grand opening of the much-anticipated Il Ristorante Alain Ducasse on the hotel’s ninth floor. There, we savoured selections from the restaurant’s tasting menus while taking in sweeping views that stretch towards the island of Capri. Marking the celebrated chef’s debut in Italy, the restaurant pays homage to French haute cuisine elevated by the finest ingredients from the Campania region. Enjoy dishes like Tagliolini flavoured with yesterday’s bread, ricotta and white truffle, and sustainably sourced Mediterranean blue crab paired with Controne white beans, then move to the terrace to watch the sun sink into hues as deep as the Negroni you’ll inevitably end up sipping.
Breakfast is also curated by Ducasse, making it an equally mouth-watering affair. Try the cookpot of egg with Piennolo tomatoes and mint or the à la coque with gold caviar if you’re feeling bougie, but whatever you do, don’t leave the table without ordering the selection of viennoiseries, which includes a Madeleine and two types of delectable Sfogliatella stuffed with a sweet ricotta filling. If you’re hung up on all the calories, know that ROMEO Napoli has a sizeable state-of-the-art fitness area with Technogym equipment.
We, however, had already made peace with the fact that our stay in Naples was going to be a celebration of unapologetic self-indulgence, so there’d be no gym for us. Instead, we sank into the subterranean bliss of LA SPA by Sisley Paris. An hour or so melted away as we moved between the sauna, steam room, Himalayan salt room, and three pools set up for contrast bath hydrotherapy. If this is what Italians call ‘dolce far niente’, we’re all for it.
Photography courtesy of The ROMEO Collection
