Hotel La Vela-Castello Il Rifugio, Santa Margherita Ligure

Hotel La Vela, Santa Margherita Ligure

A very special hotel in Santa Margherita Ligure - the Hotel la Vela is a little castle constructed at the close of the 19th century. Set in a peaceful green area some ten minutes walk from the centre of town, it lies 4km from Portofino. From here you have a terrific base for exploring the Tigullio Gulf - from Portofino to Sestri Levante, and down to the Cinque Terre and La Spezia.

This Santa Margherita Ligure hotel has just 14 rooms, all finished in a classical style, some with sea views. All of them have private bathrooms, television, phone and air conditioning. The hotel has a lounge with fireplace - a marvellously cosy and relaxing place to unwind at the end of a long day's sightseeing. There is also a breakfast room and bar.

The hotel has terrific sea views from the terrace, and you can take the sun in the lovely gardens. There is a limited amount of private parking. Rooms here are double or triple, all with phone, air conditioning, bathroom with shower, and television.

Santa Margherita itself is a lovely resort in a small inlet on the meandering Ligurian coastline. With grand old hotels, villas with sumptuous gardens, palm trees and lovely views, it is every inch an Italian Riviera town. It lies 35km south-east of Genoa, on the Tigullio Gulf, has plenty of water sports out on the bay, and is a lot cheaper to stay in than neighbouring Portofino or Rapallo. The town still has a working fishing port.

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Double room from €110