Hotel Splendido is definitely a spectacular property, reached by a steep and winding road from the port, providing a luxury base for those who moor their yachts in the harbor or have closed down their Palm Beach residences for the summer and can afford its outrageous prices. The four-story structure was built as a monastery during the Middle Ages, but pirates attacked so frequently that the monks abandoned it. Later it became a family summer home. The building opened as a hotel in 1901 and has attracted the likes of Winston Churchill.
There are several levels of public rooms and terraces to maximize the views over the sea, which you'll also enjoy from the guest rooms. Each room is furnished in a personal way, with no two alike. The bathrooms are lovely, clad in marble or tile. Some of the superior rooms are equipped with whirlpool tubs. The hotel has a newer 16-room annex down on the Piazzetta. It might look like a youth hostel on the outside, but the interior has the same glittering qualities as the main house.