Art Hotel Villa Fiorella

Massa Lubrense is perhaps best known as a stop on the way to the Amalfi Coast, or a place to catch a boat across the Gulf of Naples to the island of Capri. But it’s a worthy destination in its own right. It’s here, according to Greek legend, that sirens first lured sailors to crash into the rocky shore. Looking down at the coastline from Art Hotel Villa Fiorella, a quiet boutique hotel set in an olive grove high over the water, it’s easy to believe in the myth.

The settlement is old as the hills, but the hotel isn’t. The villa is actually a relatively new construction, and after extensive restorations in 2016, it feels thoroughly modern. Inside, Villa Fiorella Art Hotel is all pale wood, pristine white, and wide picture windows framing the sea and sky. The views are the thing here, whether you’re savoring the landscape from the vantage point of your bed or the infinity pool or one of the hotel’s sunny terraces. So it makes sense that the decor is minimalist. There’s hardly any color at all, nothing to distract you from the spectacular vista below — save for a bold nautical stripe here, a single long-stemmed rose in a ceramic vase over there, a small drawing or painting by an Italian artist on the wall. (This is an art hotel, after all, but most of the collection is on display in Villa Fiorella’s sculpture garden.)

All but the most standard rooms face the water. But even the standard rooms come with balconies and beautifully tiled bathrooms. Junior suites have free-standing soaking tubs, dramatically positioned between the bed and windows; duplex suites have two levels connected by an open staircase.

The white and blue theme continues in the hotel’s glass-encased Terrazza Fiorella restaurant, where a fresh seafood tasting menu and a range of gourmet takes on regional dishes are served in front of a glorious backdrop. That’s Capri off in the distance, you’ll notice while sipping a spritz at Sky Bar. But the Blue Grotto can wait. Once you’ve arrived at Villa Fiorella, you’ll notice you’re not in a hurry to move onto the next place.

Please note: Art Hotel Villa Fiorella is a seasonal hotel open April thru October annually.