Grand Hotel Bristol is a five-star lifestyle hotel located on Italy’s Portofino Coast. A member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World collective, the hotel offers la Dolce Vita ambience with a contemporary concept of hospitality. This elegant and charming Liberty-style property offers breathtaking views of the Portofino Coast. The building, surrounded by a stunning coastal Mediterranean setting, dates back to 1904. The original owners had intended to create the most modern hotel at that time, and included elevators.
Grand Hotel Bristol is currently part of R Collection Hotels, a family-owned hospitality group whose portfolio includes Grand Hotel Victoria and Royal Victoria at Lake Como, Villa Cipressi in Varenna, Hotel Mentana, City Life Poliziano and Hotel King in the heart of Milan.
The Hotel
Grand Hotel Bristol has undergone a restyling recently, with a focus on providing guests with a refreshed Dolce Vita concept, while retaining the tradition and the splendour of the hotel. Ludovica Rocchi, Brand Director, says: “Our aim is to guarantee an experience in the hospitality in line with the soul, history, scents and flavours of the territory with exclusive services that can surprise our guests. Our hospitality is made to measure.”
Grand Hotel Bristol features 80 rooms including 11 suites, freshly renovated but retaining their rich history and artistic magnificence. Most rooms and suites offer stunning views of Portofino and a splendid panorama on the sundown over the gulf. From the Classic to the Prestige Park View, from the Sea Front rooms to the Junior Suite and from the Executive to the Signature suites, every room and suite raises emotions and welcomes guests in a bright and elegant space with modern comforts and amenities.
Dining
The hotel proposes an exceptional selection of dining options. Located on the rooftop, Le Cupole is a fine-dining restaurant mentioned in the Michelin guide. Here, Chef Graziano Duca and his team expertly combine tradition, creativity and innovation. The multi-award-winning restaurant romantic views of Portofino in a refined, intimate and sophisticated atmosphere.
Le Cupole offers a menu that fuses traditional Ligurian and Piedmont cuisines with high-quality local and seasonal ingredients accompanied by a selection of wines by the Sommelier. La Veranda is a charming bistro located on the panoramic terrace, ideal for a convivial lunch and dinner serving authentic and traditional Italian dishes as well as a great selection of wines and cocktails.
The recently opened Flamingo Pool Bar and Pizzeria is an all-day poolside venue serving gourmet recipes from the oven, including the iconic focaccia, pizzas, and international choices such as poké, burgers and club sandwich, along with the creamiest home-made gelato. The Silk Lounge Bar is available for a casual aperitivo with canapés and signature cocktails made by the Bar Manager Erwan Garofalo.
The Spa
The Erre Spa is the highlight of Grand Hotel Bristol. The 2000 square meters venue consists of Sauna, Mediterranean bath, Kneipp path, multi-sensory areas and themed relaxation spaces with flavors and aromas, an indoor swimming pool and private massage cabins. The spa also offers an alternation between humid and non-humid areas, as well as an area dedicated to an ice fountain.
To complete the wellness offer, the panoramic outdoor pool with a whirlpool area allows guests to swim and relax while immersed in the surrounding views. The hotel has a brand-new Gym featuring the latest Technogym equipment.
The Spa Manager Stephanie, with her team, accompanies guests with highly personalized Esthederm body treatments and facials. Those who wish to treat themselves with more privacy can also reserve a Private Spa Suite – an exclusive area with its own sauna, Turkish bath and an emotional shower. The Spa suite can be reserved for couples or intimate events for a unique stay.
Multi-sensory Experience
The Grand Hotel Bristol is designed to offer a multi-sensory experience, starting from its architecture and design to all the activities tailored to evoke emotions: visual, tactile, olfactory and sound. “We have to communicate a remarkable identity to be recognized. We want to offer sensorial memories that are connected to the excellence of the products we use,” explains Simona Guarraci, Creative Director of the R Collection Hotels Group.
The Grand Hotel Bristol offers its guests tailor-made sound experiences to inspire moods and feelings through the beats-per-minute of the tracks with exclusive, dedicated playlists in the hotel areas. This signature playlist was exclusively curated for the hotel by a London-based company and Music Designer.
Portofino Forget Me Not is the signature fragrance of Grand Hotel Bristol – charming, seductive, floating, and very feminine in essence. When a warm wind blows from the sea, it releases and disperses the sweet notes of the fragrance throughout the hotel.
Activities & Amenities
For the spring-summer season, the Grand Hotel Bristol provides a detailed program of events dedicated to music. Twice a week, at The Silk Terrace, guests can enjoy an aperitif at sunset time overlooking Portofino with a DJ or listen to live Duo music. For delights of the visual kind, the hotel collaborated with artists and experts to offer cinema screenings under the stars and art exhibitions.
To offer guests a taste of the local and traditional cuisine, the hotel offers cooking classes with Chef Graziano Duca or olive oil and wine-tasting activities with a selection of fine wines carried out by the hotel’s expert sommelier Andrea Levaggi.
A delightful walk along the nearby seafront brings guests to the centre of Rapallo town. A turn-of-the-century funicular takes Guests to the Sanctuary of Montallegro, which offers views of the entire gulf. Most of the popular places are easy to reach, from Santa Margherita Ligure to Portofino, with its world-renowned piazzetta. Cinque Terre can be reached by train, or even better by private boat.
At Grand Hotel Bristol Spa Resort, ‘La Dolce Vita’ is a way of life – timeless and captivating, and the hotel’s Lifestyle Concierge team is available to create the best tailor-made experiences.