Who's Going
Shirley Bassey, Carla Bruni, Silvio Berlusconi
Reason to Stay
Beach Club, Gourmet Eatery, Rich Family Friendly
Hotel Type
Beach Resort
The equally royal but slightly less illustrious hotel cousin of Porto Cervo's Cala di Volpe, Hotel Romazzino looms like a rambling white palazzo on a hilltop of forested pine trees above the bright blue waters of Costa Smeralda. What looks more Aegean architecture than traditional seaside Italian, a lobby of smooth white plaster walls has rounded walls hand-painted in cheery pastel floral a lot less formal than you'd expect of a $1,500 per night hotel in August high-season. An indoor-outdoor architecture offers incredible views of the sea from infinite terraces arranged in stark-white lounges with in-house gourmand Romazzino Restaurant that requires a jacket even on summer's most balmy nights.
Perhaps the biggest perk of the Romazzino is its lavish beach club and private stretch of sand where a collection of brash and chic Italians sprawl-out under thatch umbrellas on a pristine stretch of beach good for snorkeling and swimming with a beach bar and barbecue-style eatery (think grilled octopus not mesquite ribs) open till the early hours of the evening. Those who prefer a swimming pool scene, especially in milder fall and spring months, a free-form swimming pool is located in a meadow of juniper trees and rosemary kept at 80-degrees year-round.
The Room
If you read the travel reviews on various web-based forums, the biggest complaint at Romazzino is what you get for the amount you pay in months like July and August. Open only for warmer summer months from late-May through October, those booking into the most basic of hotel rooms discover 300-square foot spaces in an airy architecture of stone floors, rustic furnishing and glass doors that open to sizable terraces overlooking the interior garden of the hotel. Bang & Olufsen stereos, arrival fruit baskets and well-equipped mini-bar don’t quite make up for 4-figure room rates that attract mostly aristocratic Europeans and free-spending Americans. Junior Suite aren’t really worth the additional premium and should be skipped in lieu of larger and pricier Suites with integrated living and sleeping areas opening to more sizable terraces with bathrooms lined in Orosie marble and mosaic tile detailing.
Preferred Room
Suite
Special Features
Beach Club, Celebrity Clientele, Upscale Shopping
Amenities
Pool, Lounge, Spa, Fitness Center, Restaurant, Bar, Concierge
