Words: Zak Maoui
Jackie Kennedy, Slim Aarons, Douglas Fairbanks Jr and Sophia Loren all holidayed in Porto Ercole on Italy's west coast. Just 1.5 hours from Rome, it was the place to go for the super rich, super famous, and super tasteful. But in recent years, thanks to destinations like Portofino, Positano and Puglia growing in popularity, Porto Ercole fell to the wayside. But that's not a bad thing. It's now the hive of in the know Italians and overseas explorers who want the Italian Riviera without the sprawling tourists. And sitting at the heart of it is LA ROQQA, which flung open its doors in September, 2023.
Perched on a clifftop overlooking the "Borgo Antico" or old town and quiet bay, LA ROQQA (named after the town's ancient fort, Rocca Spagnola) is the debut hotel in Porto Ercole of the Swedish entrepreneur Conni Jonsson, who with his family, spent summers on the nearby Argentario Island. It is associated with Small Luxury Hotels of the World, and is the town's luxury residence, building on what was already there to deliver a slice of 1960s Dolce Vita, 21st Century-style.
The 55-room hotel, which took three years to renovate and was designed with the acclaimed Milanese design house Studio Palomba Serafini, sticks out on the hill thanks to its Tuscan terracotta hue. This is one of the two paint colours permitted to keep the original façade of the building. Inside, the feel is decidedly more modern than you'd expect for a hotel in a centuries-old town dating back to the Etruscans that has existed, and there's a blend of ultra-cool Italian 60s and 70s interiors. Think minimalist chic by way of clean white walls and simple arches, punctuated with pops of colour through artwork and modernist furniture. ‘Arco’ and ‘Toio’ floor lamps from Flos sit next to bright red armchairs from Gaetano Pesce.
While each of the rooms - airy, simple and complete with all you'd need - are worthy of the 5 star label, the Caravaggio Penthouse Suite is really what sells the hotel to us. With 360 degree views, as well as a private wellness space, the suite takes luxury to new heights (conveniently a the top of the cliffside boutique). The breezy penthouse can be booked in full as The Caravaggio Suite, or separately to create three individual suites.
For locals, the hotel has been a welcome arrival in the port thanks to its top notch restaurants and bars. The beating heart of LA ROQQA is the vibrant rooftop restaurant, Scirocco, which offers unrivalled views out to sea and the Corsini Botanical Gardens. Scirocco offers a contemporary take on traditional Tuscan cuisine under the direction of executive chef, Francesco Ferretti. Think fresh octopus, handmade spaghetti mancini and locally grown tomatoes. Meanwhile Bar Scirocco offers an Aperitivo sharing menu at sunset, featuring signature cocktails inspired by Caravaggio's paintings, and a special Negroni menu, which is not to be missed. Proper La Dolce Vita stuff.
And while there's not yet a spa at the hotel (we've been told one is coming), the hotel boasts its own beach club. Isolotto Beach Club is LA ROQQA’s private beachside enclave and sits in a secluded bay, with views over the small island after which it is named. Lemon-hued umbrellas line the shore, and the beach, in our own experience, is never too crowded. A five-minute walk from the hotel, it's the jewel of this hotel and, in turn, what makes us want to go back to Porto Ercole.
Nightly rates at LA ROQQA start from €430 per room. Book at laroqqa.com
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