Naples, high style
If you are after stupendous views and heavy duty luxury, head straight to the Grand Parkers Hotel, a cool and elegant oasis in the pungent heat and bustle of Napoli.
And what an oasis this is! Even by Italian standards the quality of the marble, which is omnipresent throughout the hotel, is remarkable. Charcoal and green veined in the lobby and hallways, blue in the bathrooms, dazzling white and turning into warmer hues elsewhere, the marble here is a work of art in itself. Add the gilded mirrors and chandeliers, delicate statues, deep sofas and traditional art adorning the lobby, and you feel you don’t want to leave.
Besides, hotels with a great concierge service stand out easily from the rest of the fairly anonymous sugar-coated palaces.
The concierge here will take you up to your suite, an impressive affair with a mezzanine bedroom and a parquet floor reception area. Everything, from the beautifully upholstered day bed to the Oriental rug, to the classic damasque-d furniture has opulence writ large across it.
The concierge opens the balcony door to show you the 360 degree view of the Sorrento bay and tells you of the “secret” stairway from the hotel to the very heart of the city and the Castle dell’Orvo beyond.
The hotel has its own wellness spa which we didn’t try because Naples has so very much to offer already.
What we did try is the roof top terrace which has an even more stupendous night view across the lit bay. On that evening, Amaretto di Sarono were hosting a party and it seemed like all trendy Napolitani were attending it.
The restaurant has its own terrace just below and, predictably, tables with a view get pre-booked well in advance. Statues holding candelabras punctuate the length of the terrace.
Filled with ice cream and pizza Napolitana, we gave it a miss with huge regrets as we know and appreciate the cuisine of this amazing city.
Our stay was also too short to try out the Grand Hotel Parkers luxury shopping service. Given that Naples is known for its hidden artisanal, antique and design treasures – and that finding your way around is notoriously time-consuming – the service would be truly appreciated both by veteran visitors and newbies alike.
As we breakfast on the terrace, with a full view of Capri in the distance, we reflect on the fact that the city of Naples has that rare capacity to draw you back to it – once visited, you will return again and again forever.
Corso Vittorio Emanuele 135, 80121 Napoli (Italy)
P.IVA 04922181211
Tel.: (+39) 081.7612474
Fax: (+39) 081. 663527
Booking: booking@grandhotelparkers.it
http://www.grandhotelparkers.it/
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