At first, you might notice there’s a scent of salt and citrus in the air. It’s then pretty clear that you’ve just stumbled into an iconic mainstay in the Italian Riviera, the Splendido Mare. It’s our very favourite place to relive the dolce vita (a bit like The Talented Mr. Ripley, although in a different location) that we often dream about. Backed by Belmond, this is the little sister to Splendido, the Martin Brudnizki-designed (well, the pool and a few rooms) legend just a mere few metres away but you don’t feel too far from that cinematic beauty. The region’s heritage is honoured in the hotel’s design with a seamless mix of vintage glamour and contemporary cool plus, there are terracotta rooftops and cream-coloured walls to boot. We’ll be here, with a spritz and a bowl of paccheri alla vittorio (pasta with cherry-red tomatoes).