PALAZZO MARZIALE

A number of Sorrento’s historic palazzi now function as hotels, but Palazzo Marziale enjoys a unique distinction: it’s owned and operated by the same aristocratic family that’s resided here for centuries. Right in the heart of town, a stone’s throw from the Cloister of San Francesco, the 15th-century palazzo retains many of its period features, including the graceful pale-pink façade, stone columns and archways, terracotta flooring, and leafy interior courtyard.

Rooms and suites have an old-fashioned air, with antique wood furniture, artwork in gilded frames, and luxurious bedding flecked with fleur-de-lis motifs. Standard rooms are simpler in style, with parquet floors and views over the street; some have French balconies facing the interior patio. Larger rooms and suites are more ornately decorated with heavy drapery, large mirrors, and seating areas with plush loveseats. Across all categories, bathrooms have been thoroughly redone in marble with large modern showers.

There’s no restaurant at Palazzo Marziale, but a sumptuous breakfast buffet is laid out on fine china each morning in a mural-lined dining area. When weather permits, a morning cappucino or an evening aperitivo is served on the hotel’s terrace.