Sophisticated seaside hotels in southern Italy

Ideal for couples looking for a beachside boutique hotel

Wonderful way to finish a southern Italy fly-drive trip

This boutique hotel in Tropea, a clifftop seaside town on the ‘Coast of the Gods’ in Calabria, southern Italy, is a wonderful place to soak up the sun and sea air for a few days. The smart modern interiors give a sophisticated, urbane feel, and the views from the large terrace are spectacular. It’s the ideal location for a short beach break, particularly at the end of a fly-drive in southern Italy.

If you fancy a swim, it’s just 180 steps down to a beautiful beach, and for shopping, restaurants and bars, Tropea is just 10 minutes’ walk away. The hotel’s small gym faces the sea, and you can relax in the hotel’s sauna and small terrace pool with hydrotherapy jets.

And if you’d like to learn something new, the concierge can help arrange Calabrian cooking classes, Italian language lessons and wine-tasting sessions.

The hotel’s 15 rooms vary from Classic Doubles with large window or small balcony without a seaview, but with a bathroom with colour-therapy shower, right up to Deluxe Seaviews, which have their own terraces with sun loungers, outdoor whirlpools and small dining tables.

In the middle is the Comfort Sea view, which has its own small private terrace with a lounge area overlooking the garden and the sea. Design details include African-inspired artworks, wood floors and exposed brick walls, and all rooms are air-conditioned.

Guests particularly love the breakfast here. Served on the panoramic terrace, you can choose from a buffet of pastries, cakes, locally made breads, cheeses, cold meats, honey and jams. Then order your choice of hot dishes, including all varieties of eggs and other delicious breakfast treats.

Drinks are served throughout the day and well into the night on the terrace, and for lunches and dinners, the concierge can recommend excellent options within walking distance in Tropea.

Located in a quiet residential street, it is ideal for those who want to reach the sea avoiding the summer traffic, down a characteristic staircase, and for those who want to walk to the historic center in the evening to admire noble palaces and dine in the various restaurants located in the alleys that frame the enchanting village of Tropea.

Where is Tropea? We are on the Calabrian coast washed by the Tyrrhenian Sea at the start of a stretch of coast that is among the most beautiful along Italy's boot. It is famed as the Coast of the Gods and it is an excellent base to explore the numerous beaches north and south of the region.

Tropea has just under 7000 inhabitants, yet its historic center is a rich puzzle of historic buildings, noble palaces and beautiful squares.

The Aeolian islands are not far away, so much so that the boats, during the summer months, commute daily to the islands. The Aeolian Islands found in the province of Messina are in fact closer to this stretch of the Calabrian coast than to Sicily. The ferries that sail from Tropea travel mainly to Stromboli and Vulcano.